Organizing tips that will reduce frustration

What an unprecedented couple of years we have had.

Time to focus on the new possibilities 2022 is bringing us and set our intentions for the upcoming year. If you’re feeling frustrated by the sheer volume of stuff in your home and you are unsure how you’re going to find a place to put everything new, try a few of my top 10 tips to ensure this year is your most calm, clutter-free and organized ever.

Before you put those decorations away, get rid of the ones you didn’t use. I know you have good intentions but if you didn’t display them this year, you probably never will. It’s better to have a little extra room in every box and tote.

Clothing: I tell clients we wear 20 per cent of our clothing 80 per cent of the time and that might even be an understatement. If you didn’t wear it during the pandemic, say goodbye. Create bags for donation and make room in your closets so hangers can move freely and clothes don’t get crushed and relegated to the floor.

Basements, attics, storage lockers: Purge them! If you’re renting storage to house stuff you don’t have room for, now is the time to clean out and start recouping money immediately. If your home is feeling like stuffed sausage, put it on a clutter diet and embrace a simpler, more streamlined approach.

Meal planning: If there is one sure fired way to eat better, save money at the grocery

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Organizing and cleaning out the garage, and other areas of your house and property, will help get 2022 off to a good start. store and save a few hours of time every week, it is to plan your meals. I sit down with my flyer app for a few minutes every week and create a menu and grocery list. Utilize leftovers, get out of the dinner rut and delegate help with meal prep all by posting a weekly list of “What’s for dinner?”

Gift and re-gift box: Have a designated location or tote for last minute gifts, hostess

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gifts, tokens of appreciation, etc. Give yourself permission to re-gift if something doesn’t suit you.

Warranties: Create a binder with clear plastic inserts to store all your warranties and manuals so you can put your hand on paperwork when required. Make it your own. Staple receipts to manuals. Make notes such as date of purchase and any repairs done. You’d be surprised

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how amazing warranty policies are for certain products nowadays. Sometimes you just have to email the manufacturer, send a few details or photos and they send you out a replacement the next day! Having a good paper trail is helpful.

Tame the paper tiger: It’s time to get a handle on your papers and receipts once and for all. Create a system that works for you and try not to

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be paralyzed by perfectionism.

Get a handle on the recycling/garbage. Waste disposal rules require a lot of household space dedicated to sorting. Once you establish clear zones for each, delegate family members to have specific responsibilities and make sure getting it out of the house is a top priority.

Park your car in the garage. Current stats show 80 per cent of people can’t get their car in there. Be the envy of the neighbours and do the purge work necessary to make this convenient luxury happen.

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Schedule time with friends and family. Make a commitment to try a new restaurant with friends once a month (if COVID-allowed) and put it in your calendars. If you’re planning on visiting an elderly relative once a month this year, commit it to your calendar. If you want to have family game night or Sunday hikes, carve out the time and write it in stone. Time has a way of slipping by us and if we don’t stay organized with our time maintenance, all of a sudden it will be 2023.

As the Chinese proverb says, “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is today.” Take charge of your home, its contents and your life to ensure absolutely every little thing contained in those walls is either useful to you or beautiful to you.

I assure you that creating a blissfully organized home now will bring you much joy this year and in years to come.

Lisa Macdonald-Faulkner has been a professional organizer in HRM for almost a decade. She is passionate about helping people clear the clutter and get aboard the organized train. Connect with her about premove purges, estate organizing and your dusty boxes.