RealTime Solutions Newsletter

7 Steps To Simplify Your Home - Part 1: How To Sort
A 7 Part Series To Answer Your "How Do I" Questions!

This 7 part series will cover the some of the most often asked organizing questions: How Do I Sort? What should I keep? How can I preserve my family heirlooms? What do I do with all those photos? Is my stuff valuable? Where can I donate? Dispose? Recycle?

This week's article - How Do I Sort? will walk you step by step through decluttering any room in your home!

Begin in the areas of the house that you are currently not using � guest bedrooms, the basement or attic. Starting here will be least disruptive to everyday life. These areas often contain items that haven't been used in awhile, so it's easier to make decisions on them.

Throwing things out (other than obvious trash) should NOT be your first step! Take your time and carefully sort first.

Start with large items in the room and work your way down to the small items and boxes of clutter. It is easier to start with furniture and the bigger pieces. You�ll feel like you are making some progress. If you start with the small items, you may get overwhelmed and frustrated before you even get started.

Sort the items in each room as follows:

Items you want to keep.
Items you want to give to family or friends.
Items to be returned to someone else.
Items you want to sell. (we'll discuss appraisals)
Items that you are undecided on.
Items for donation.
Items for disposal or recycling.

For many people, starting the sorting and decision- making process is as difficult at walking out to a yard piled with leaves in the fall and deciding where to begin raking. It may feel overwhelming! Just start somewhere. Stay focused as much as possible because it�s so easy to do a little bit here, a little bit there and never feel like you�re getting anywhere. Stick with your pile or area until it is sorted. When you see the results you'll be inspired to continue the process.

Check everywhere! Don't be hasty throwing things away. Go through boxes, books, pockets of clothes, envelopes and other unlikely areas. You�d be surprised at the stories I hear of unexpected stashes of money, jewelry, historic documents and other treasures found hidden away.

Keep items you�re donating or giving away in one room or area of the house. (preferably somewhere you don�t go very often) Better yet, once you have a lot of items ready, call the people whom you�d like to have it, whether it�s your family or a charitable organization. Get items out of your reach as soon as possible. It�s so easy to change your mind and start taking items out of the pile.

Remember - the goal is to simplify! I tell my clients that they don�t need to get rid of everything but they do need to pare down to the things they really love or need. Try to think of sorting through your possessions as a natural process of completing and releasing � like leaves falling from a tree in autumn. Just allow plenty of time and flexibility for the sorting and trust the process.

For help or encouragement please contact me....