Demanding Joy

Over breakfast, with my finger in the air, I proclaimed, “This is a purge weekend!”  Pinky in her highchair put her own little finger in the air, made her own unintelligible proclamation and burst into giggles.  I was really happy when G said, “Oh!  Cool.”

Willis and I got started upstairs, quickly sorting every dresser and every closet, tossing everything on the floor that hasn’t been worn in the past six months.  Although I love this process with a freakish enthusiasm, the baby clothes always make me a little sad.  “Aw!  Pinky has outgrown her yellow polka dot mini skirt that showcases her adorable, pudgy little legs.”  With bottom lip protruding, I threw it onto the pile.  In the end, the kids had outgrown more than half of the clothes in their rooms.

Meanwhile, G and Pinky were working in the TV room, where all the toys on the first floor are stored (on the rare occasion that they’re all put away anyhow.)  I gave G a laundry basket and told him to put in anything that they don’t play with any more.  He’s my child so he knows the drill.

The first time we did the wash basket exercise together, he was 3½.  We had a talk about how it’s not good to have too much stuff in your house and that there are lots of kids who don’t have any toys, so we’re going to share and give them some of ours.  He was so enthusiastic about it that I had to rescue some of his favorite toys from the basket.  I was so proud of him.

This year, he had his hands full.  Pinky understands putting things into containers, but she’s not old enough to understand the concept of sorting.  If we leave it up to her, we’ll just donate everything.  But G is patient with her and the two of them got the job done nicely.

After the initial sort, it looked like a bomb went off in the house.  Piles of clothes everywhere.  Time to start bagging it all up.  This is where most of my help disappeared.  Not as fun as the sort, but we’ve come this far – we have to keep going.

In the end, we are donating 12 bags of clothes, which is mind-boggling.  I swear I don’t shop!  Plus several boxes of toys, sheets, blankets and coats.  I even have a bench and an old trunk in my office that I’m sick of looking at.  It all goes.

The Salvation Army truck will come by on Tuesday morning.  I am thrilled.  What else can I get rid of around here?

I am a clutter hater.  It stresses me out as my house gets messier and messier throughout the week.  So I get up early every Saturday to put everything back in its place.  I have a hard time relaxing when the work that needs doing is staring me right in the face.  I don’t shop and I get rid of a lot, but there’s still too much crap at my house.  I secretly fear that if a skip a Saturday, the house will get out of control and I’ll never get it back.  Neurotic?  Perhaps, but my house is usually pretty presentable.

With that as the backdrop, it’s no surprise that I love a good purge.  Love it!  The more bags of stuff that leave my home, for either trash or donation, the happier I am.  Cleaning out a linen closet – that is my idea of fun.

Whether you enjoy doing it or not, here are the steps I follow to clean out spaces:

1. Cut the project into manageable pieces and start with the area that bothers you the most.  Getting it done will be the biggest sense of accomplishment.
2. Pull everything out.  Whether it’s a closet, or a shelf, or a whole room, remove all the stuff and start with a clean slate.
3. Things tend to naturally categorize themselves.  Group things together in whatever way makes the most sense to you.  This makes it easier to make keep/don’t keep decisions.  For example, it may be difficult to decide what to do with this coffee mug, but once all 54 of your mugs are together, it’s much easier to pare down.
4. Decide what’s going back into the space and what’s not.  Be brutal.  Does each item truly deserve the valuable real estate that it occupies?
5. Place everything that’s staying into its new home.  Your organized space should be both functional and aesthetically pleasing to you.
6. Donate, sell or pitch the purged items as quickly as possible.  It’s easy to stop before this step, which means that the clutter will still be with you, just in a different spot.  Keep up your momentum and get it out of here!
7. Enjoy your accomplishment!

Happy Purging!

Phew!  40 tips down, 10 to go!  If you would like a recap, here are part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, and part 5 of this series.

Ten Final Tips for Getting Organized and Taking Control of Your Life

1. Keep only what you can currently wear (because of size, style or season) in your main closet.  Everything else should be stored elsewhere.
2. Keep a box in your attic or basement marked ‘donation’.  Any items that are in good condition, but are no longer useful to you should go into the box.  When the box is full, call your favorite charity for pick-up or delivery.
3. Highlight the expiration date on coupons for easier sorting and purging.
4. Only store what you use daily on bathroom and kitchen counters.  Everything else can be kept out of sight.
5. Think vertically to take advantage of wasted space.  Choose containers that are stackable.  Hang hooks or shelves to get stuff off the floor.
6. Stock every bedroom with a clothes hamper and a waste basket.
7. Use a desk organizer to keep pens, paperclips and other office supplies in check.
8. Make a reference list of phone numbers you call regularly to avoid having to look them up each time.
9. Keep focused on your values.  Align your expenditures of time, energy and money with your values throughout the day.  The more you focus on your values, the more likely you are to express them through your actions.
10. Ask for help!  Work with a friend, a family member or an organizer to help you stay motivated and positive.

How are your resolutions coming?

If anyone is catching up, here are part 1, part 2, part 3, and part 4 of this series.

Ten More Tips for Getting Organized and Taking Control of Your Life

1. Take 15 minutes at the end of each day to pick up and tidy the house.  This will dramaticlly ease your weekend workload.
2. Open mail over the recycle bin – always eliminate junk mail immediately.
3. Don’t rely on your memory – make a to-do list.  You can’t be relaxed or serene if you’re thinking, “Don’t forget the dry cleaning.  Stop at the bank.  Got to send that e-mail this afternoon.”
4. Sort incoming paper daily – don’t let it pile up.  The same is true for e-mail.
5. Files in your computer should be stored to match your paper filing system – same categories and file names.
6. Store inactive files elsewhere.  Only keep at your desk what you currently need.
7. Keep a list of birthdays, anniversaries and other important dates.  Buy all of your greeting cards in advance once each year.  Keep them in order by date and they can all be pre-addressed and stamped.  You’ll save tons of time.
8. Make mornings as smooth as possible by pre-planning the night before.  For example, pick out tomorrow’s clothes tonight, pre-pack lunches & backpacks.
9. To keep track of lessons, appointments and other family events, keep a large family calendar in a central location.  Each family member should have their own color and can be responsible for keeping their information updated.
10. If you haven’t worn a piece of clothing in more than a year, donate it.

    

In case you missed them, please check out parts 1, 2 and 3.

Ten More Tips for Getting Organized and Taking Control of Your Life!

1. Save only the articles, not the whole magazine.
2. Go through your living and storage spaces once each year to purge and sort.
3. Take advantage of storage products (boxes, bins, racks, hangers, etc.), but only after you sort and purge.
4. Use see-through containers whenever possible and label everything so you know what’s in them without having to open them.
5. Know yourself and find systems and tips that work for you.  For example, are you more motivated in the mornings or evenings?  Do you prefer to do a project in one long stretch or in a bunch of small pieces?
6. Imagine you’re moving.  If it’s not worth the effort and expense of packing it and moving it to a new house, then it may be time for that item to go.
7. Schedule quiet time.  Turn off phones and e-mail.  It’s not healthy to be accessible 24×7.
8. Schedule and delineate specific time for work, home and play.
9. For cooking and baking, get out everything you need.  Put each item away as you use it.  That way, you’ll never get half way through and realize that you’re missing an ingredient.  And, when you’re done, most of the clean up is already done – you only have to wipe the counters.  This works with craft projects and getting ready in the mornings too.
10. Set limits.  Your personal and family time should be at least as important as work time.