• Do not know where to start – generally start with the area that is closest to you on your right and work yourself around the space.

• Overwhelmed – break it down into smaller tasks. Use timers to help you work for short periods of time.
  

• No Plan – answer these questions: what items are needed, who do I need to help me, how much money do I need, what tools is needed and how much time can I spend on it? Once you have answered these questions, mark it on your calendar to do it.
  

• Do not know how to do the project – research the project or ask a professional for assistance or guidance.

• What to do with items no longer needed – before you begin, figure out how you are going to deal with the trash, where are you going to take donations or how are you going to get items back to the original owners?  Again, you can research local nonprofit organizations or ask a professional.

• Fear – I may not do it perfectly or I may fail to finish or meet someone’s approval.  There is no such thing as perfection! If you follow the plan, you will finish. Finally, your approval is all that matters.  What matters most is that you are happy with the process and end results

Once you have all these questions answered and a written plan, your stress will be decreased and beginning, implementing and completing your task or project will be a huge success! ]]> http://www.clutterconversions.com/2010/05/27/why-is-this-task-or-project-not-getting-done/feed/ 0 http://www.clutterconversions.com/2010/02/22/want-to-get-organized-but-short-on-time/ http://www.clutterconversions.com/2010/02/22/want-to-get-organized-but-short-on-time/#comments Tue, 23 Feb 2010 00:17:05 +0000 clutterconversions http://www.clutterconversions.com/?p=386 As a professional organizer I often hear people say, “I sure would like to get more organized but I just do not have the time.”  Contrary to what most people believe, getting organized does not have to take up a lot of your time!  There are many things that you can do when you only have a couple of minutes.

Here are three things you can do that only takes five minutes and makes a huge difference in the appearance of your home, making it look organized and uncluttered.

1)      Make the Bed!  It is usually the largest item in the bedroom and if it is made, the room looks 75% organized and uncluttered.  You do not have to make sure the bed is perfect just pull the comforter back over the bed and put the pillows at the head of the bed.

2)      Clear off the Bathroom Countertops!  Put the toothbrushes in their holders and toothpaste away in the cabinet or drawer.  Slide make-up into the drawer, put combs and hair brushes in a drawer and pick up towels.

3)      Pick up Laundry!  Hang up clothes; put clothes in a hamper or drawer.  Do not leave them hanging on a chair, bedpost or thrown on the floor.  Place shoes inside the closet or under the bed.

These three things take less than five minutes to do daily and will make your house look more organized and uncluttered.  Just remember that anytime you have unexpected guests, they will most likely want to use your bathroom.  Now you will not have to worry what it looks like!

Here are some tips if you switch out clothes for the season.  When storing away your summer clothes only pack up the ones you actually wore and donate the rest to Goodwill, Salvation Army or other charity, sell them in a yard sale or put them in a consignment shop and make yourself a little cash.  Storing clothes that you have not worn for the season takes up valuable storage space.

Use colored containers for storage and place an index card on three sides of the container and on the top listing its contents.  Be cautious storing them in attics or basements due to humidity, dampness, bugs or rodents.  Place wooden cedar pieces inside each container which are available at most home stores.  If you do not have a lot of storage space but you do have a garage, you can purchase overhead ceiling hanging shelves for your garage.  They are very durable and can hold up to 300lbs.

Use the “hanger trick” to decide if you should pack up an item this spring.  When you pull out your winter clothes and hang them in the closet, place the hangers on the rod with the opening of the hanger facing out towards you.  Once you wear the article of clothing and go to hang it back in the closet, place the hanger on the rod the normal way.  At the end of this winter season any clothes that are still on the hanger with the opening facing you, it is safe to assume you did not wear the item through the season and you should be able to donate it.

Being organized will help you have an enjoyable vacation but you have to plan for it!

The first thing you should do once you have made the decision to take the vacation you so truly deserve is to make a “packing list“.   Make a list of the things you need to pack, making sure you’re only taking along what you will absolutely need in order to reduce the number of bags you’ll need to take.  This is also the time to make your grocery list if you plan on camping or needing any snacks. Look to see if you have the right amount of coolers. The list is made for each person in your family going on the trip and it includes everything that person needs to take. For example; what types of clothing, medicines, entertainment items, any special foods and all personal items.  You store this on your computer so that you can print it out every time you need it.  Items will need to be deleted or added for each trip but at least you will always have the basics.  You can print the list and check off the items as you pack.

Secondly, you need to pack smart!

If you are using the airlines to travel the FAA guidelines now limit carry-on baggage to one bag plus one personal item (i.e. purse, briefcase, laptop or backpack.) Some airlines have recently leveraged fees for checking bags or for checking more than one bag.