Whenever I’m asked about my business, I always receive a comment such as, oh, your house must be so organized or how do I begin?  Here’s a big secret…. PURGE.  Even though my home may be well organized, I still have to go through drawers, closets, cupboards and cabinets periodically to clean and purge.

I spent part of the day working with my girls yesterday and I was really pleased to see that they were making great decisions on their own. I have been working on sorting and organizing with them so that they can clean and maintain their room on their own.  Do they need my help?  Yes!  However, they are doing quite well on their own.  It was also fun. Giggles were high on the list and no frustration allowed.

1.  We sorted doll clothes and they were able to donate a number of items.  They also worked on making certain all the shoes had a partner, accessories were together and the system made sense to THEM.  If kids don’t understand how things are organized or categorized, then they won’t be able to help maintain.

2.  I asked them to donate two stuffed toys each, and they produced about 6 each.

3.  They understood that to make room for all the new toys, they needed to release some of the old.

I also worked in my kitchen.  I went through each drawer and cupboard to purge and clean.  Items accumulate and the big secret is that you need to find the time to weed through it.  Some quick tips for the kitchen:

1.  Utilize glass and transparent containers instead of the original packaging.  Your cabinets will look more cohesive and you can see how much product is left.

2.  Drawer organizers make a huge difference.  Keep like utensils together and purge gadgets that you do not use.

3.  Try to keep your countertops clear of clutter.

4.  For tips on your fridge, see my post from last year.

5.  Don’t overbuy!

Schedule some time in your calendar this week for a little organizing maintenance and see what you can accomplish.