Everything in its place
Who hasn’t had one of those days where you have been busy all day but don’t feel like you’ve accomplished anything. It could be because you spent half of your time looking for a key piece needed to complete a project.
Take heart. All you need is a little organization, says Brenda Prinzavalli, founder and owner of Balanced Organizing Solutions of Las Vegas.
Being organized provides you with a sense of empowerment, she said.
“There are so many things outside our control in life, but there are parts of your day, your life, where you do have control.”
Getting control helps you create the life you want, eliminates that nagging feeling of something hanging over you and provides you with time to do things you want to do.
“There’s nothing like coming home at the end of the day and saying, ‘What do I want to do,’ versus coming in and have 50 million things to do,” she said.
Prinzavalli said there are nearly as many ways to approach organization as there are people. What works for one person may not work for another. So, create a process and then tailor it as needed until it functions the right way.
For example, Prinzavalli said if you make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich each day for lunch, put all the ingredients and supplies in a basket in the refrigerator. Having everything in a single place can save you five minutes a day. “It may not sound like much, but at the end of the week you’ll save a half hour. Every mom I know would love to have 30 minutes for herself.”
Prinzavalli has five basic steps to create an organizing system. She starts by sorting and making a list, then she surveys the situation to establish what works and what doesn’t. The third step is to find solutions. The fourth step is to set up the system and start using it. The key to this is using the system “from this day forward. If you try to catch up, you’ll only create more history and make the task more difficult.” Finally, make sure to sustain your system and supplement it as necessary. “Even if you only have 15 or 30 minutes, every time you visit a process you have a greater chance of success.”
She suggests that one of the best places to start organizing a home is to address the most frequently occurring processes. And, if there is one room in the house that really should be organized it would be the kitchen, Prinzavalli said. “The kitchen is touched every single day by everyone in the house.”
Prinzavalli also said you should divide your time between tasks that are considered maintenance — basic chores that have to be done, such as checking the mail, buying groceries, cleaning the house — and those that help you move forward in life.
“It creates balance in your life,” she said.
Personally, Prinzavalli said she and her husband like to devote the first week of every month to maintenance chores, including housekeeping, getting out birthday cards for the month, making sure minor repairs are done and planning menus and shopping for the entire month. The other weeks are devoted to new projects or events outside the home.
While this system may not work for everyone or in every situation, Prinzavalli said it can be modified by days in a week or even hours in a day. At work, for example, the morning hours can be spent on maintenance chores such as responding to telephone calls and e-mails while the afternoon is spent on moving forward.
Creating an organized space inside your home is only part of the task. You need to consider the garage, too.
A recent survey by Whirlpool Corp., parent company of garage organizing specialist Gladiator GarageWorks, revealed that the garage is the most neglected space in the home when it comes to organization; yet 80 percent of consumers said they use their garage for storage.
“As more Americans spend time at home these days they are realizing just how much junk and clutter builds in their garage. Now, consumers are looking for ways to transform their garage by starting to get organized and looking to truly maximize the value of such a large space,” said Lou Ann Schafer, senior marketing manager for Gladiator GarageWorks.
Gladiator brand offers the following garage organization tips:
Keep only the essentials. The first step to achieving an organized garage is to minimize what’s in it. If you haven’t used an item in more than a year, sell it, donate it or throw it out. The first two options can mean extra cash in your pocket or a tax write-off.
Identify zones to organize. If your family has competing interests, it’s necessary to create functional zones to organize equipment for the sportsman, tools for the woodworker or gear head, or pots and soil for the gardener.
Condense your clutter. Research various storage options that are specific to household needs. Whether it’s cabinets, workbenches, wall systems, ball caddies or bike hooks, the right storage solution can help clear clutter and uncover more space.
