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This week I took another load of stuff to the thrift store. I’ve just been tackling my house like a crazy girl. A little fall clutter control if you will. In the last week I’ve helped my daughter with her room (although still a ways to go in there), completely worked over my son’s room, changed some cupboards around in my kitchen and switched a few things up in my office. It feels so good…the high I get kicked in big time once I got started and then I didn’t want to stop. It’s funny how it happens like that. I had anticipated my son’s room being an all day job when in fact it took me two hours. Two hours! I put it off for forever and it only took two hours. Sheesh!
I also had the opportunity to work with a friend on her house for a couple of hours. She needed help with some space planning. As we delved into closets and corners I noticed that one thing that would make a big difference for her would be to consolidate “like with like”. I know those words get thrown around in organizing circles left right and center but there is a reason for that. It works! Let me give you an example…my girlfriend had Christmas stuff stored under her stairs and as well in her laundry room and a few other places. She had plenty of space under her stairs to store all the Christmas gear once we removed some other things being stored there. Bringing it all into one location makes sense for a number of reasons:
- It allows you to see exactly what you have making it perfectly clear what you have in over abundance
- It allows you to consolidate everything in order to maximize space
- It makes it easier to find what you need when you need it
- It provides a way to establish some limits and boundaries to what you own
This week’s challenge is to walk around your home and look into each and every closet. Do you have similar items scattered all over the place? Maybe photo albums, craft supplies, cookbooks, sports equipment, jewelry or whatever it may be, it’s time to get a handle on it. Collect it all into one place, do a sort and purge and consolidate it into one space. You can do this and I think you’ll be amazed at the difference it makes!!
Let me know what you find in your search!
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Please feel free to share your organizing journey and encourage one another in the comments. You are also invited to link up to the linky below with any posts related to your 52 weeks of organizing participation or to any post of an organizing nature that you feel will inspire and encourage others in their quest to get organized. Please remember to link back to here though so we can reach out to as many people as possible in need of some inspiration.
One other thing to consider: by including your link below you, you are giving me permission to use parts of your post including pictures as a spotlight in future 52 Weeks of Organizing posts. Proper credit and links will of course be provided. If you are not okay with this please do not link up. Thanks!
Rache says
this is definitely something I need to do right now. I am very aware that there are little collections of tools and DIY things all round the house. I try to contain things as much as possible but my hubby has a tendency to leave things where they were/are used or just puts things on any available high surface (to keep it away from the tots).
Trendy Home Design says
I too am an organization lover, but sometimes it works against me in the strangest ways. I have attempted to bring my bags of things to donate to the charity shop three times now, and each time it has been closed. Now what I have is clean closets, but a cluttered trunk! Just hate that.
Suzanne says
This is exactly what I’ve been doing! A lot of projects on my 52-weeks list have to do with sorting and purging. Now that my husband is seeing the openness and space created, he’s finally on board with going through and either properly storing, getting rid of, and NOT replacing or buying more!! Yea – doing the happy dance! I’d already done my kitchen sort and organize this year, but decided on a whim to get my spices more accessible. So I thought it would be a quick little after supper project. It took all evening – and I ended up with another box of stuff I don’t really love to donate. And I LOVE it! Much more functional. I’ve become a true believer and utilizer of “Purge until it fits.” Thank you so much for everything you do and the inspiration you provide!
Savorique says
I’d add a 5th reason for which it makes sense to bring it all together: A feel of comfort, pride and happiness!
Rhonda says
Through this whole 52 weeks of organizing, the one thing that has been helpful to me is summed up in this post’s Reason #4 for consolidating like with like: It provides a way to establish some limits and boundaries to what you own. This journey is slowing bur surely revolutionizing my home and family life. Thank you!
Beneath The Clutter says
I’ve recently moved so I’ve been and will continue to document my organization journey. Like with Like is so important! As I was moving, I found shoes everywhere!!! In the closet, under the coffee table, by the entrance door, under the couch. It was ridiculous!! Like with Like and making sure every item has a home has been helpful.
Monica says
I believe this may be the key to those of us that get overwhelmed with all of the clutter that happens in a short amount of time. In my case it’s papers and books consisting of my husband’s and my stuff, 5 kids’ belongings, financial papers, volunteer papers, homeschool stuff, and my 30 piano students stuff. How many trees can I fit into my house anyway?
It is worth handling the items once to put “like” together and then a second time to go through each “like” and clear clutter. My brain is organized doing it this way, so it doesn’t flit from one thing to another. Now I’m off to my library where many of those trees have landed.
Sinea Pies says
I’ve used this technique and it really works.
Ranelle says
I moved a couple weeks ago and being unorganized has been stressing me out! Organization is definitely the key to sanity!
Rosario says
Hi Laura, I linked a Post to your post but I made a mistake and put my name on the title area. Do you know how can I delete my link.
Laura says
Hi there, I deleted your link for you, no worries.
Laura
heidi of operation organization says
So true! You never really know how much you have of one particular item if you’re not storing it all together either. I once helped a neighbor organize her home. She is a self proclaimed ‘stationary junkie’ but didn’t have a clear space to store all of it so it was scattered all over. By the time we collected all the stationary to store it all together we had filled an entire printing paper box! 🙂
Melissa says
I am not sure how to link up my blog post to your website. I have some questions for you because I would like some advice on how to keep up with baby’s clothes. So far I haven’t been able to find my couch for several weeks now because with a baby and a 4 year old I can’t seem to keep up, so I am not sure if you have any advice. Let me know. Could certainly use some. Would like to see my couch again:)
Laura says
Here are some posts that might help:
https://orgjunkie.com/2011/03/how-to-organize-kids-clothing.html
https://orgjunkie.com/2010/07/taking-inventory-of-your-childrens-clothes.html
https://orgjunkie.com/2010/06/keeping-track-of-childrens-clothing-sizes.html