Organize + Energize: 10 Things to do Before You Purchase Organizing Supplies
Kristin MacRae, GoLocalProv Organizing Expert
Organize + Energize: 10 Things to do Before You Purchase Organizing Supplies
Here are 10 things you must do before you purchase supplies.
Get organized first. Empty the area you are organizing. Itemize and categorize everything. Once you can see what you have in front of you, you can decide which container will best suit your needs.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTYou may not need to purchase supplies. You may have a stack of organizing containers stored in the basement from previous projects. Check your inventory before you head to the store.
Recycle and re-purpose containers to save money. You don’t have to spend tons of money on containers. You may have old shoe boxes, business card holder boxes, plastic recycled food containers, or you can be creative and make your own.
Just because it’s pretty doesn’t mean it’s functional. Just because a fancy, colorful container may have caught your eye, doesn’t mean it’s going to be functional in your new space. Sometimes the pretty ones are the most impractical. Don’t let a shiny object distract you from your mission to find the perfect container.
You don’t have to spend tons of money. Stores like the Container Store can be a little overpriced and don’t have sales very often. Stores like Bed Bath and Beyond, Target and Staples will always have sales and coupons you can use. The Dollar Store also has some great organizing containers.
It has to be functional. Purchase containers that best fit what you are going to be storing. There are so many different types of organizing containers out there today. There is a container for everything. Think about what you have and how you can best utilize a container.
Maximize your space. My philosophy is to empty the entire area you are organizing. You can’t get a clear vision of the space you are organizing if you continue to shift items around. Once your space is empty, you can get a better idea of how to maximize your space. Containers will allow you to maximize your space and give you room to store other items.
Measure the space. As you know, not all containers are created equal. Be sure that your container is going to fit the space. There is nothing worse than getting to the store and thinking a container will fit only to get it home and it is the wrong size. Now, you wasted time, energy and money.
Do your research. Plan ahead and search online. Search for the best deals and prices. See what stores have in stock so you aren't running all over the state searching for the container that you want to purchase.
Don’t forget to make a list. Bring your list of things to purchase with measurements on it to the store. Don’t forget to bring coupons if you have them.
Once you have the containers, label them if you must, but it’s your preference. Your family will get in the habit of putting things back if they are labeled. Organize your items into the container as if you were putting a puzzle together. Do not just throw the items into the container. Make the most of the space in the container.
A few months after you get organized, re-evaluate how your containers are working. If the systems aren’t working, don’t continue to work with them. Re-organize and make the systems work for you.
10 Minute Organizing Projects
Spices
As you take all of the spices out of the cabinet, check for expiration dates and smell for potency. Categorize and itemize your spices to how you utilize them. Contain them in a spice rack that fits the space where they are kept. Don’t purchase a spice rack until you are finished organizing. You want to measure the space and make sure the rack fits and holds all of your spices. There are a variety of spice racks out there. Choose the one that best suits what you need it to hold.
Makeup
How many items do you touch in the morning to find what you need? You want to be as efficient as possible in the morning and having your makeup organized will be a big time saver. Do you have difficulty deciding what to keep or toss? When is it time to throw away makeup? Aline Sarkis, a Providence, RI-based makeup artist, states lipstick can be used for 2 years or until it starts to smell like a crayon. Mascara is good for 2-3 months. Eye shadow is good for 2 years and foundation is good for 1-2 years. Aline also states that some makeup and skincare will be marked with an expiration date of 6-12 months. Begin counting once you start using the product
Women: Purse
Depending on the size of your purse, and what you keep in your purse, this may take you a little longer than 10 minutes. Empty the entire contents of the purse on a table. Declutter, categorize, and itemize the contents. Break this process down and take it one category at a time. Develop a system going forward so the inside of your purse doesn’t look like a cyclone hit it. Contain receipts, gift cards, money, and makeup.
Men: Wallet
It’s time to empty all of the receipts out of your wallet. Do you also store receipts and random items in your car? While you are tackling this project, head over to your vehicle and declutter the center console and glove compartment.
Underwear drawer
If you aren’t using drawer organizers, you should start now. They are very inexpensive and will maximize the space in the drawer. How many of you wear the same item over and over again? With drawer organizers in place, you will be able to see everything you own and can categorize and itemize. Nothing will ever get pushed to the bottom of the drawer again.
Under the bathroom sink
If you haven’t taken everything out of this area in awhile, you may find some scary items under the sink. Empty the contents, itemize, and categorize. Throw away anything that you can’t recognize. Contain items in containers that fit the space like a puzzle. Once again, utilizing containers will maximize the space and allow you to store more items. Develop a simple system where you can locate items and locate them quickly.
Pets
Ninety percent of my clients have a pet. It’s time to organize their belongings. Medicine, leashes, bandanas, clothes, dishes, food, etc. Take this time to also organize any paper work related to your pet. Set up a filing system for your pet. Keep their medical records, rabies and vaccination information categorized in these files.
Junk drawer
Nobody says you can’t have a junk drawer. Junk drawers can be organized. You just have to think about if you need everything in this drawer and if there is a better place to store the items. Remember, store like items together. If you have tools in the junk drawer, maybe you should keep them with the tools in the basement.
Office supply drawer
So many people have office supply drawers that are out of control. Money is wasted on purchasing duplicate office supplies. It’s very difficult to figure out what you need to purchase if items are scattered all over the office and are disorganized.
Top of your office desk
If you can’t see the top of your desk, take this time to focus on this area and categorize and itemize what is there. Do you have a working filing system in place? If so, once your desk is cleared, make a habit of filing once a day or a couple of times a week. If your system isn’t working for you, it may be time for you to re-evaluate your system and make it work for the way you function.
