Give Thanks for a Clutter-Free Home (compliments NAPO)
In looking for some organizing statistics at NAPO's website, I stumbled across these tips and wanted to share. You may find them inspiring (or same-old-same-old) this holiday season:
If the thought of cramming your extended family into your home this holiday season is making your living quarters feel more stuffed than a Thanksgiving Day turkey, you might want to consider enlisting professional help. The following advice from the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) is the best avenue for de-cluttering bedrooms, kitchens and other messy areas in anticipation of holiday guests. NAPO hopes to add yet another item to the list of things to be thankful for this Thanksgiving: A tidy home. NAPO is providing tips and information to help individuals prepare for — and even survive — the holiday season.
Reap the Benefits of Being Organized
“Holidays can be extremely stressful, but with the right organizing tools and plan in place, anxiety can be dramatically reduced,” said NAPO President Standolyn Robertson. “It’s about creating — and keeping — order and developing organizational systems that make sense to you and your family.” NAPO’s tips are as much a holiday staple as turkey and all the trimmings. Use these as a guideline when readying your home for holiday guests.
Bedroom Tips
• Decide what you want at your fingertips and what these can be stored in decorative containers
• Go through your closet regularly and pull out everything you have not worn in the last year and donate those items
• Hang like items together—group shirts together, pants together, dresses, etc.
• Donate to local charities or friends and family items that are still in good condition but you no longer need
Customize Your Kitchen
• Determine the flow of activity in your kitchen before you decide to place items
• Things that work together should be stored together, such as baking supplies, plastic containers (with lids), pots and pans with lids, and large platters and bowls
• Drawer dividers are a good way to keep smaller items separated
• Create menus around food items you already have in your cabinets to make room for holiday specialties
• Place glasses near the sink or the refrigerator
• Put snacks in an easy-to-access drawer or cupboard
Garage Tips
• Sort, purge, and then decide the proper storage containers or fixtures for the treasures that you must keep
• Design a floor plan for storing holiday season items and stick to it
• Get rid of things that don’t work
• Clearly label both the tops and the sides of containers
• Consider floor-to-ceiling possibilities for shelving, racks, stackable drawers, hooks and pegboards, and don’t forget the rafters
