| ABOUT ORGANIZING |
 |
 |
|
So, what does all this have to do with decorating your apartment? Well, plenty, actually. Getting organized is a very important step in the decorating process. Until you have sorted through all your belongings and achieved a level of order, it's very difficult to know what you need to purchase for your decorating efforts. But why is getting organized so important? Think of it this way: Have you ever gone to the grocery store and forgotten the one item you really needed, like a loaf of bread? And on that same trip to the store, did you manage to pick up a jar of mayonnaise, only to realize when you arrived home that you still have three unopened jars in your refrigerator? (If you have, you're certainly not alone!) Now, think of the same example in terms of furniture and accessories. You may never bring home a complete new bedroom set by accident when you set out to buy a dinette. But you may, for instance, find yourself buying yet another piece of Depression glass, even though what you really need is a new shelf to hold the glass collection you already have. If you have an extremely tight budget, you must know exactly what you have and what you need to purchase, borrow, or even make. Of course, if you're moving to a new apartment, getting organized has even greater advantages. If you spend some time organizing your belongings and you throw out, give away, or otherwise clean out six boxes full of things, that's six fewer boxes you'll have to pack up, move, and unpack when you arrive at your new place. There's no reason to move something you don't want from home to home year after year. For some people, getting organized can seem like a scary, overwhelming task. But it doesn't have to be. Just try to remember the following tips: Start small. If you have lots of stuff and the thought of organizing it all makes you feel like you're hyperventilating, slow down. Rather than approaching the task of organizing as one huge project, break it down into several smaller projects. When you begin, tackle a single closet or room. When you have completed this first step, cross it off your list. Set aside another day to organize another small area, and continue until you have completed your entire apartment. The key is to build up your momentum and to allow your successes to inspire you to organize even further. Taking on too much, like trying to tackle your entire apartment in one afternoon, can be overwhelming and tiring. Starting out this way can also lead you to give up before you get very far, because it simply feels like too much work and the rewards are too far out of your reach. Box it up. As you organize, keep several boxes on hand. Separate your items into several piles, such as items you must keep, items you'd like to donate, and a limbo box for items you don't really need but can't seem to give up. Record the current date on it and stash the limbo box in a place that's out of sight and out of mind, if you can. If you haven't opened the box six months or a year from now to retrieve an item, pitch it. Maintain it. Getting organized may be difficult, but it's staying organized that's really tough, according to Atlanta-area professional organizer, Peggy Duncan. Duncan says maintaining organization is all about making choicesevery time you finish using an item, you must decide whether to put it back where it belongs. |
Discuss this item on the forums. (0 posts)