Declutter with 5 Easy Steps by Marla Stone Business Organizer

1.    Space Analysis-Analyze your space and figure out what you want to use it for.  If it is your garage for instance, do you want to park your cars or will it be a workshop or a kid’s play room?  Understand that you may want to use the space for more then one activity and realize the potential of the space and all that it can be.  Make drawings, even if you don’t draw well, of what you think it would look like.  Cut out pictures from magazines of ideas you have for the space.  Visualize the space in your mind’s eye.  Discuss the space with family and friends and generate ideas.  Call a professional organizer and get a free consultation about your space.  Next take everything out of your space.

2.    Find an area to sort through the things you will keep and the items you will eliminate. Take everything out of the space.  Starting with an empty space will help you determine a home for everything you are keeping and give you a blank canvas to design the space from scratch. Categorize everything you own, then go through each item and ask your self four questions. "Will I use it?", "Does it serve a purpose?", "Is it sentimenal?" and "Do I love it?" Anything that does not meet any one of the above criteria can be donated, gifted or sold, or thrown responsibly in the trash or recycled.

3.    Eliminate.  Of course the most difficult part is getting rid of stuff that you have held onto for some reason or another…and guess what, even if you haven’t used it for years and aren’t sure when you will, it is still difficult to get rid of stuff.  

​4.    Putting Everything in its place. I always say there is a home for everything and it’s true.  You will find a home for every item you want in your space.  The reason it is a good idea to have a home for everything is simple…stuff will end up back where it belongs, and it will be easy to find when you want or need it.  Since you designed the space ahead of time it should be pretty easy to move everything into place.  If there are heavy items there are great tools at the hardware store for moving and sliding heavy pieces.  This is also a time to hire a handyman, or get some handy friends over, if you need things hung, pictures, racks, wall units put together etc…  Once your finished sit and relax and take it all in.

5.    Sit and Relax and take it all in.  Finally your space is complete.  This is a time to use the space and see if it really works for you.  You may want to make adjustments and move things around and even eliminate more stuff you realize you’re not going to use in the space.  You may also want to purchase some new items for your space.  Reflect on the space and make sure it is how you really imagined it.  Hopefully with all the planning and carefully considered steps your space is perfect for you and voila!

Consulting business and residential occupants is easy when you are a NAPO Professional Organizer.  Working with a NAPO organizer makes all the difference. Many people running around call themselves "Professional Organizers", but NAPO (National Association of Professional Organizers) Organizers are trained regularly in all the upcoming and current ways to get and stay organized.

Call for a free 30 minute phone consultation and get organized now and for good.

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