Organizing Your Home: What to Get Rid Of, What to Keep, and Where to Start

Are there things that are cluttering up your home that you want to get rid of but you’re afraid you may need them in the future?

As a professional organizer, the top two questions I get asked are:

“How do I decide what I can get rid of?”

“How do I know I won’t need that item again?”

The secret will be revealed in this article: knowing where to get started, what to get rid of, and what to keep.

What to Get Rid Of: Anything that is not meaningful or useful to you should be going out of your home. How do you know you won’t need that item again? You don’t! The only thing you know for sure is that you don’t need it right now. What you need to believe is this: you will always have the resources to get it again, just like the first time you got it. Believe in the marketplace. It is just as eager as you are to exchange things. If you do need that item in the future, you can easily find another one on Craigslist, eBay, or one of the other online free markets across the US.

Let’s say you have an unused bookcase that you decide to sell on Craigslist for $40 and that a year later you find that you really need a bookcase. You should be able to find one within a week or so. In most cases, you will find one that meets your needs better than the previous one. Also, you’ve had the bonus of having $40 in your pocket over the past year.

What to Keep: Meaningful or useful items should be kept. If you are someone who loves memorabilia and cannot let it go, try this easy three-step process.

1. Prioritize the items you value and keep the top 10 things that mean the most to you.

2. Display your special memories. Frame a meaningful t-shirt, hang it on your wall, or design a shadow box of special items such as jewelry, news clippings, etc.

3. For each member of your family, get a single large bin or box (less than 15 gallon). Have each person pick out favorite items to fill the bin. Donate or sell the remaining items.

Where to Get Started: Make a list of areas that you want organized. Choose the area you use the most. In one area:

Clear out things that are obviously recycling or garbage. It will be easy to get distracted, but stay focused on garbage and recycling only; everything else shouldn’t be touched. A good way to stay focused is this: play a favorite song and have all garbage cleared before the end of the song.

Next, place three large bins in your working area. One bin for things to be donated, one for things that can be sold, and one for things that belong someplace else. If needed, you can get more bins. When done sorting, move the bins to a different area.

After all items have been sorted you can begin organizing. Organize only the items you are keeping. Re-evaluate the area. What specific purpose should it serve? How can you make the most of the space? Is there a way to use the walls to display items and keep them off the floor? Let the answers to these questions direct the organizational process.

If you need help making the most of your space, or if you get stuck on one of these steps, think about hiring a professional organizer. A qualified organizer can be found in your area by checking with the National Association of Professional Organizers (napo.net).

Heidi DeCoux is publisher of Life Made Simple e-Magazine, a professional organizer and creator of the Fast-Filing Method home office filing system. Heidi energizes her readers’ by simplifying their homes … schedules. For more info, free tips, and to receive her FREE Report: The Fast … Easy Way to Get Organized and Stay Organized Forever, visit ClearSimpleLiving.com