What is the organizing process?
Julie Morgenstern, a well known professional organizer and author of the book Organizing From the Inside Out, created a system of organization that is helpful for any area you are organizing. Her system is as follows:
1. Sort – Sort all items in the space to determine what you are going to keep and what you are going to purge. Categorize items that you are going to keep.
2. Purge – Toss or donate those items that you no longer need or want.
3. Assign a home – Find a space to put each item that you are going to keep. It is very important to find a place to store each item you are keeping so that you are able to easily put away items once you are done using them.
4. Containerize – Determine the best containers for the items that you are keeping. These containers will differ in size and shape based on the number and size of the items in each category.
5. Equalize – Reevaluate your system every couple of weeks and make adjustments until you are completely happy.
She strongly emphasizes the importance of taking each one of these steps and in the order they are given.
Start off slow. This can be an emotional experience.
Go through 1 space at a time
Shift your focus – take a step back and visualize what you would like your space to look like. What activities are you doing in this space?