What are some easy ways to organize?
Toss, donate, or sell. Once or twice a year, do one of these three things to everything you haven’t used in the past 12 months. But remember that compromise is key. Allow each person three vetoes. So when your magazine collection is heading for the garbage, you can use a veto to save it.
Sort mail over the trash. Open your mail over a trashcan or shredding machine. Whatever you have left should go into three separate (and decorative) mail bins or folders: “Bills to Pay,” “Things to File,” and “To Do.” Update and empty them on a biweekly basis (about the same time you pay bills). If space is tight, use three fridge magnets to hold the piles or hanging files.
Create a command center. Agree on a certain place in the house where miscellaneous papers will be kept. Use a binder with plastic inserts to store brochures, takeout menus, and other loose papers you want to hold on to. And minimize your paper trail by getting all bills and bank statements online.
Invest in double-duty items. Buy furniture that's also storage. A coffee table with baskets can store DVDs, magazines, and books in the living room; a bench in the entryway can be home to nasty-weather gear; and a lidded ottoman in the living room can hold extra linens or files.
Start a chore chart. Something as simple as a job list (with deadlines!) on the refrigerator can save time and reduce stress.
Establish a sanctuary. If you can keep only one place in your house clean and organized, make it your bedroom. It should be your place to relax and unwind together -- at all times.
by The Nest Editors
1/31/08
See more:
cleaning & organizing,
Decor Tricks