People think freshly purchased containers will make them organized.
But it’s not the containers or any tools you buy that actually organize you, it’s the system you put in place.
The system just automates it, and if it’s designed well, it just fits.
If you try to implement an organizing system that doesn’t make sense for you, or is too complicated then you will get frustrated, give up and fail.
You have to purge the items first, and then binge later on buying those sexy boxes and organizing tools.
Step 1: Figure out what kind of organizer you are
Visual? That means you need to see things in front of you. Filing trays and magazine holders work best.
Hider? That means you like to store things away. Out of sight, out of mind. Filing cabinets are great for this or boxes that hang on the wall.
Whatever you are, figure out what you need to stay organized, and you’ll have a better chance of succeeding.
Step 2: Start & Finish the purging process
Get rid of everything you don’t want to keep, or don’t need. Get it down to where you can say to yourself: Okay, this is what I want to organize.
If you buy items to organize before you get rid of all the things you don’t want, you are going to waste money by over purchasing what you didn’t need and time, because you will have to go back and return the items and/or try to figure out how to use them elsewhere in your space.
Step 3: Assess what you need
Define a need:
You have a lot of papers lying around and you are constantly losing them.
Define the action:
You want to organize them and find them easily so you don’t miss things or forget.
Take measurements & decide:
You want something that will hang on the wall, or tuck away in a cabinet instead of being out in the open.
How much space do you have?
How big or small of a box do you need to buy?
What colours do you want?
Step 4: Buy only what you need
If you buy organizers before you assess what you need, you’re going to end up regretting your purchases and/or spending more money in the end, buying what you actually needed.
So when you have a list of things to buy, go to the store and buy ONLY what is on your list.
Step 5: Make it simple for yourself
Don’t buy 25 boxes and 25 folders. Buy one or two, and make them simple, general categories: Personal, Work, etc.
The easier you make it on yourself, the easier it will be to stick to that system.
lynda
on Oct 12th, 2009
@ 8:40 pm:
Great post! I use Bankers Boxes to sort and store stuff – they are easily obtainable should I need more, have a uniform appearance and are relatively inexpensive! Thanks for sharing!
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