Fall Organizing Tips
The kids are back in school and the holidays are around the corner. What better time to get your home organized in time for the New Year? Here are a few simple tips that will help you streamline your space and simplify your life in a jiffy. Happy organizing!
Tackle Your Junk Drawer
First, grab a trash bag and get ready to purge. Quickly review your junk drawer and toss anything that has had its day. Make a pile of things that need to be relocated (i.e. your daughter’s hair clips) and put them back where they belong. Now assess the remaining goods: Make piles of like items (paperclips, pens, take-out menus) and organize each category using drawer dividers. Presto change-o!
Streamline Your Linen Closet
Balled up old sheets and unraveling towels are, well…sad. Review your linen situation and donate the duds to a local animal shelter. It’s worth it to invest in a few sets of crisp, high quality sheets and towels. I recommend two sets per bed in high-thread-count cotton and neutral colors. Once you’ve stocked up, it’s time to organize the closet. Wipe down the shelves and place the sheets in stacks arranged by size. Toss in some acrylic dividers (found at the Container Store) and slap on some pretty labels so everyone in your household can easily find the right sheets for the right bed. Voila!
Refrigerator Makeover!
First, pitch anything that has expired or gone bad. Next, ditch the junk food and replace it with healthy alternatives. Skip the soda and make “spa water” by filling a few glass pitchers with water, lemon, and cucumber slices or fresh herbs. Instead of buying TV dinners loaded with salt and preservatives, try making a lasagna or turkey meatloaf that can be frozen in individual portions. Store nuts, veggies, and fruit in grab-and-go containers so you’ll have healthy snacks for yourself and the kids when you’re on the move.
Wrapping Station
The holidays are creeping up and it’s time to ruthlessly purge your wrapping paper and ribbons. That’s right. I am giving you permission to toss the Dora The Explorer Christmas paper you bought on sale last year along with the tired old wheels of cheap ribbon. Donate what you don’t want to a school or use it for crafting with your kiddos. Set up a simple gift station with everything in one place and holiday wrapping will be a breeze this year. Pick up some brown or ivory butcher paper at a craft store and invest in pretty cloth ribbon, scissors, and double-sided tape. You can go chic (brown paper with a thick red bow) or crafty (have your kids play artist and decorate the paper with water colors or crayons). Happy wrapping!
Sell & Donate 101
Need some motivation to streamline and organize this season? Schedule a weekend garage sale and designate an area to store your items to sell. Each week prior you can attack a single room or area. Then review your goods. Pricier items can be sold on eBay or Craigslist. Schedule a Goodwill pick-up for after the garage sale, post items on the Craigslist “free” section, or donate unsold stuff to the local charity of your choice. You can also get the kids involved and empower them to decide what they’d like to donate to children who are less fortunate. It will feel great to clear out the clutter and even better to help others in need. A total win-win.
Shira Gill honed her skills as a personal organizer in Los Angeles, bringing order to the frenetic lives of agents, actors, and producers. Now back in her native Bay Area, she owns Simply Sorted, where she works with individuals and families to streamline their homes and simplify their lives. Shira lives in an enviably-organized home with her husband and two daughters, and blogs at Simply Sorted.
