Howbrto efficiently organize all of your stuff
Withbrthe New Year comes new resolutions, and we're willing to bet household organizationbris on your list. And no wonder: With an organized home, you'll be prepared tobrtackle everything 2014 has in store. Cleaning house might not make for the sexiestbrof New Year's resolutions (it certainly can seem like the most daunting), butbrfear not! We solicited professional help to turn that heap of a task into anbrachievable goal. The pros at The Container Store are offering up their bestbradvice for creating a well-organized, efficient space. No matter what area needsbrorganizing or how much space must be covered, you can turn your clutter into cleanlinessbrwith these 10 simple tips.
1. Start in one place
Attemptsbrat organization fail when the task seems too daunting and folks give up. Whetherbrit's the closet that gives you the biggest headache or the room your guestsbrmost often see, select one specific area and stick to it. When you finish,brcelebrate and move on to the next.
2. Allow plenty of time
Don'tbrexpect organization to happen overnight. Depending on the area, schedule abrcouple of hours each day to work on getting it organized. Getting a garagebrwhipped into shape will take more time than it takes to organize a linenbrcloset.
3. Clean house
Oncebryou've selected an area, go through the contents first and get rid of what youbrdon't need. Donate or sell anything you won't wear or use anymore. Use the two-yearbrrule of thumb — if you haven't worn it or used it in two years, it's time tobrsay goodbye. These items take up valuable storage space and only make it morebrdifficult to stay organized — and they probably won't be missed.
4. Take inventory
Afterbryou've removed extraneous items, take a look at what remains. Does it belong wherebrit is? Take that professional-grade mixer you've been keeping in the back ofbryour linen closet and move it to the kitchen. When it's time to tackle thebrkitchen, you can incorporate the mixer into your brand-new storage plan.
5. Look for wasted space
Ifbryou're in need of more space, think creatively about additional areas that canbrbe used as storage. Prime examples include over doors and underneath beds. Webroften overlook valuable storage real-estate in our homes.
6. Maximize vertical space
If youbrdon't have a lot of room to work with, a surefire way to instantly create morebrspace is to go up. Take your shelving up to the ceiling to maximize verticalbrspace — and store the things you need less frequently on higher shelves.
7. Divide the space
Bybradding additional shelving or using stacking containers, you can dividebrvertical space and make efficient use of the area you have to work with. Dividingbrthe space eliminates the possibility of tall piles of clothing or papers topplingbrover.
8. Keep it moving
Considerbrutilizing storage options on wheels to allow for greater flexibility and keepbrthe clutter under control. Carts can hold an assortment of accessories in abrsmall amount of space and can be wheeled back into a closet or storage areabrwhen not in use.
9. Organize with color
Whetherbryou're organizing the family room or striving to get your home office underbrcontrol, use color to enhance your efforts. Assign each child a differentbrcolored container for his or her belongings, and keep them responsible forbrcleaning up after themselves. Organize projects, bills and other importantbrpapers by function and color in your home office.
10. Visibility, accessibility andbrflexibility
Thesebrare three key rules to organization. Visibility: Choose transparent containersbror those you can easily label. Accessibility: Make sure that the items you needbrmost often are the easiest to access. Flexibility: Select a storage system likebrelfa that can adapt to your changing needs so you can reconfigure solutions tobrsolve various storage problems.
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