Practical Organizing Solutions: What are the Next Steps

Most people take everything out and sort into piles by category right away. An example of some categories could be office supplies, clothes, shoes, tools, toys, etc.

*DON’T start pulling items out of a space and putting them into piles! This can create more work than necessary.

As items are being taken out of their initial spaces, it would be best to decide if an item is “keep” or “not keep” right away before sorting into other categories. Yes, that means that the “keep” items will still need to be sorted again. You can do that as you are going through the items at this time or come back to it later if you only have the time or energy to get the first sort done for the space you are in. The goal is to declutter and remove some of the items from the space immediately making it easier to sort the items that will be kept.

Now you may be asking what to do with the “not keep” pile.

Some items may be broken and/or used up so they will need to be recycled or discarded depending on local availability. Any items that still have life left can be donated to a variety of organizations. Simply google, “where can I donate…..near me?” to find some local organizations to donate to. Depending on the items, some organizations such as Am Vets or Paralyzed Veterans of America will pick up at your door when they are contacted in advance. If those organizations are not available in your area, other locations would be: Goodwill, Salvation Army, local Thrift Stores, consignment stores, Free local social media pages, etc.

Be sure to come back for even more tips and help with getting your space decluttered and organized to help reduce the stress and anxiety caused by either having too much stuff or a lack of a “home” or system for the items that you want to keep.