Kondo Your Life: Tips from a Local Organizing Pro

Organizing for me is like I imagine breathing must be for other people.  I can’t relax unless everything is put away in its proper place.  As a kid I arranged my stuffed animals by size, AND THEN BY COLOR.  My mother taught me to dry out the bathtub and sink before I went to bed every night so mold wouldn’t have a chance to grow.  I *might* be neurotic.

Anyway…  Now I enjoy helping other people live their best lives by cleaning and organizing their homes. As a military spouse, conventional careers were difficult for me — I needed something that would move across the country 14+ times! Perfectly Placed by Mandy was an opportunity for me to turn what I do every day for myself into a way to help others. 

I want to share some basic tips for getting started on your organization journey.  Maybe you are downsizing, maybe you have a new baby, maybe you have teenagers (oh the horror), maybe you are getting ready to move — all of these stages of life can be stressful.  Organizing your home can help you face these changes armed and ready for what may come. Buckle-up buttercup, you can do this!

Tip No. 1: Start Small.

Rome wasn’t built in a day.  Don’t decide to organize your entire home in a weekend.  Don’t even start with the whole kitchen!  Start with your junk drawer(s).  Pick something small to get started so you will have a success.  With each success your brain will be motivated to move on to bigger projects!

Tip No. 2: Save Your Old Shoe Boxes.

You don’t have to spend money on fancy organizing paraphernalia!  Your old shoe boxes can be used as dividers in your dresser drawers.  That old Tupperware that is missing a lid can corral all the other Tupperware lids in your kitchen cabinet.

Tip No. 3: Sort and Purge — Then Purge Again.

While doing a small kitchen remodel I discovered that I had 9 spatulas.  NINE!  Sort like items together and then ask yourself what you can do without.  Try to find things that will do double duty.  Donate gently used items to a charity and presto, now you feel proud of yourself for doing good in your community!  A great local charity is Sandhills/Moore Coalition for Human Care.  They accept donations 6 days a week and you can even arrange pick up of large items!  Also, no one needs nine spatulas.

Tip No. 4: Don’t Walk Down Memory Lane.

You are going to come across a box of old love letters or pictures of your babies at some point during the project.  DON’T GET DISTRACTED.  Set those things aside and keep working towards your goal.

Tip No. 5: Enlist an Unbiased Third Party.

Get a friend to help; a really good friend, who will honestly tell you that you are never going to wear that lime green, polka dot pencil skirt again in this lifetime.  Better still, hire a professional! 

This post was produced in partnership with Perfectly Placed by Mandy.