Top organising question – where do I start?!

August 1, 2007

This week I’m answering the ONE question I get asked by clients more than any other question.
I want to get organized but it’s all so overwhelming. Where on earth do I start?
First of all, relax and take a deep breath.
1. Start with the area of your home or life that bothers you the most.
If you can’t bear to choose clothes every morning because your wardrobe is too cluttered, then that’s probably a good place to start.
2. Decide what you want to have happen in that space.
Do you only want clothes in your wardrobe, or do you want shoes and handbags in there too?
3. Declutter.
You can’t organize clutter. Get rid of everything that shouldn’t be there. Some things need to move to other rooms and some need to move right out of your house!
4. Organize what’s left according to your personality.
Not everybody is a minimalist. Some of us need to surround ourselves with our treasures and that’s okay. Your system works as long as you can find what you’re looking for relatively quickly (within a minute).
5. Maintain.
Last but not least, do a quick, 5-minute maintenance session in each major space every week so that your space remains organized.
In the next couple of weeks, I’m going to be posting on each of the points 1 – 5 above, so stay tuned.
Have an organized week!

0 thoughts on “Top organising question – where do I start?!”

  2. Tina

    I find it really hard to know where and how to start decluttering our home and making it the warm and safe haven that it should be for us 🙂
    Thanks for the great tips! I’m looking forward to more!

     
  3. Lyn

    Hi Marcia,
    How exciting for you – this sounds like a great place to read and learn!
    I would like to know if I should start in the hidden or open spaces – I have overflowing clutter, and yet don’t have homes for many things still. And I’m trying to do this with low-energy due to health, so it’s very s-l-o-w.
    By the way, I just implemented your tip for the email box today. I am starting out fresh, yea! Thanks much.

     
  5. Marcia Francois

    Hi all
    Dawn – thanks
    Tina – keep reading (we’re going to cover that one soon)
    Lyn – I would recommend that you start with the open spaces since that will immediately give you a sense of accomplishment and more importantly, PEACE!
    Annie – thanks!

     
  7. Tracey

    Hi Marcia
    So nice that you are actively out there spreading the word … well done on this new blog site – I watch your progress with bated breath.
    Keep up the awesome work.
    Tx

     
  8. Dawn

    Hi Marcia,
    My husband helps me out with this question – it’s whatever room he is in when he starts yelling “*%$@ mess!”
    Looking forward to the tips.
    Have a great day!

     

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  12. mp

    Great tips, but I have one quibble:
    Clutter is, by definition disorder, which can include rubbish, but not necessarily:
    Free Online Dictionary: “A confused or disordered state or collection; a jumble”
    Webster’s: “a disorderly heap or assemblage”
    It may be impossible to organize rubbish, but if it were impossible organize disorder, we would have no hope!

     
  13. Brandon Brangan

    That was a great piece of writing. I don’t agree with every single thing that you said but still very good nonetheless. On a side note, I am so glad that the NFL is back. It seems like I been patiently waiting forever. This has to be my favorite time of the year. Sorry, I’m rambling. lol