Get Organized with 5 Boxes, a Bag and a List

The most common reason I hear from clients that prevent them from tackling an organizing project is “where do I start?” Many folks get overwhelmed at this stage, feel defeated, and don’t ever get started.

With any large project, it is most effective to break it down into manageable steps, then focus on just one step at a time. The formula below provides a step-by-step process for tackling any organizing project.

Five Boxes, a Bag and a List is all you need to organize your home or office, one room or area at a time! Let’s get started.

1) Gather your supplies –

• 5 large, easy to store cardboard boxes or plastic bins. These boxes will become your decluttering tools for rooms to come!
• A large trash bag
• A couple of Sharpie markers
• A pad of paper
• A timer

2) Commit the time – from 30 to 60 minutes

3) Assign each box a purpose – write on a piece of tape or tape a piece of paper on each box with these words (1 per box):

• KEEP IT
• ROUTE IT
• GIVE IT
• SELL IT
• STORE IT
• TOSS IT

Now You’re Ready to Simplify Your Space:

4) Choose the space to declutter and set your timer for a predetermined time of 30 to 60 minutes. Allow for an additional 10 minutes for final clean up and routing misplaced items. If time is up before the room is finished, remember or mark where you stopped.

5) Line up your labeled boxes, trash bag, and keep the pad of paper close by. Start sorting items beginning on the left side of the room and work left to right. Here’s what goes in each box:

• KEEP IT – place in this box only those items that you love or can identify a specific purpose for current use. These are items that will be kept in the space you are currently working in.
• ROUTE IT – collect items that you will be keeping, but do not belong in the this room. The goal is for you to stay focused on the room you have committed to. By placing items in this box that need to go to another space, rather than taking them now, will keep you from getting distracted in other rooms. This box will be dealt with later.
• GIVE IT – collect treasures that are no longer needed or wanted, but are in good condition. This box can be donated to your favorite organization. There are many worthy organizations who will pick up your discarded treasures, saving you the time and physical work of loading it in your car.
• SELL IT – with the popularity of auction sites like eBay, you can easily make money on the treasures that you uncover. If you don’t have an interest in learning how to sell on-line, you can take your items to a local ‘auction drop-shop’ or ‘trading post’, as they are commonly called. For a percentage of the final sale price, the drop shop will handle the selling process for you. If you have no interest in selling your items, eliminate this box.
• STORE IT – collect items you are unsure of (keep or purge), close up the box at the end of this decluttering session, and place a scheduled toss/donate date on the box. If items in this box are not accessed by that date, you have just proven to yourself that the items inside are not needed or missed. After the dispose of date, deliver the box unopened to the charity of your choice.
• TOSS IT – use the trash bag to collect trash, items that are in poor repair, non-sellable/givable items, or you have no idea what it is.
• THE LIST – collect To-Dos or reminders. While decluttering, you may remember tasks you haven’t completed and be tempted to act on them. Don’t be distracted from your current project of decluttering to handle a ‘To do’. Add the ‘To do’ to your list and forget it for now. Stay focused on the current project of decluttering your space.

When the timer goes off take the clean up time to:

• Empty the KEEP IT box in the space where they go
• Empty the ROUTE IT box – take items in this box out of the space you were just working in and put them away in the spaces where they go
• Throw out the items in the TOSS IT bag – get the TOSS IT stuff out of your space immediately
• Store the STORE IT box in a place where you have access if needed, and you can see the “toss by” date.
• Schedule a time to donate the GIVE IT box and decide the best venue for selling your SELL IT items (i.e., consignment store, auction drop-shop, do-it-yourself auction selling, garage sale)
• Schedule the To-Do’s on your list.

Continue this process consistently in at least 30 to 60-minute time blocks (increase your organizing time as you progress) and you’ll soon have a newly decluttered space that you can enjoy again.

Originally posted 2008-08-18 06:42:50. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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