Easy Household Organizing Tips

1. Kitchen counters are usually the communal dumping ground for stuff. Once a day, take a laundry basket and fill it up with everything that doesn’t belong in the kitchen. Then walk through the rest of the house, dumping things off where they really belong.
2. If you are having trouble getting rid of things, count up the number of items you have – 15 table cloths, 10 black sweaters, 4 can openers, and 6 glue guns. Then reduce the amount you have by one third or one half. This will help you see that you don’t really “need” 10 black sweaters.
3. Store credit card receipts in labeled envelopes to make it easier to reconcile your bill when it arrives. Then shred your receipts. Are you thinking you need to save a receipt to make a return? Do so within a month; if you haven’t done it by then you probably never will.
4. Create a mail station for your mail. Include 5 bins labeled- to pay, to read, to file, to decide/discuss, and to do. Then make use of it.
5. At the beginning of each New Year, clean out your files. Store the supporting documents for your taxes with your tax return and shred unnecessary papers.
6. Cancel magazine and catalog subscriptions if you aren’t reading them. They are taking up space and costing you money.
7. Saving stuff for your next garage sale? Designate one area of your home/garage to store it. Add to it as you pull out seasonal and holiday things all year long- including clothes, decorations, and knick knacks.
8. Before lunch, dinner, and bedtime pick up a few toys with your children. Doing a little at a time, means it won’t be so overwhelming later on.
9. Think twice before saying “just put it in the basement”. Before you know it, your basement will look and feel like a landfill. If the item won’t be used on a regular basis or for holidays, take it out the back door instead- to the garbage or charity.
10. Every time you put away a new pair of shoes or a new piece of clothing, donate the same number of items you just put away.

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