Barriers!

In John Mulaney's Netflix special John Mulaney: Kid Gorgeous at Radio City he has a quick bit about his wife asking him to finally take the donations to Goodwill. He continues that he did indeed take them to his car. He adds, where they stayed for four months.

A lot of our challenges with time management can be blamed on procrastination which is really about priorities. However, when it comes to getting organized there can be several barriers to reaching our space goals.

Time

How many times has this thought entered your mind, I will do it tomorrow. Sounds easy enough, tomorrow is just a few hours away, what’s the difference? Here is the rub, there is not such thing as tomorrow because you are always in the present and the same feelings of not wanting to do it follows you. Focus on the task instead, accepting that cleaning out the fridge or sorting Lego is something you will never want to do. Block out the actual real time it will take to complete the task and then be happy that you don’t have to do it again for a long time or treat yourself to a reward (ice cream is a popular choice).

Starting

A common issue with getting organized is not know where to start. Being overwhelmed with clutter especially if there is a lot of it, can cause analysis paralysis and prevent us from getting started in the first place. Knowing where to start often ties into the first roadblock, time. Before you even think about where to start make sure you have the time to finish. Creating the right amount of time to focus solely on the specific task is a great way to begin. Accept that you may not be able to finish the whole project in a day and plan a systematic approach. These micro steps will allow you plan for your ultimate goal, with a clear start and stop point. Having the plan first will almost make the question of where to start mute.

Limitations

Organizing is very psychical. There can be a lot of manual labor involved. When you factor in the attic and the basement, you also have to take in to account ladders and stairs. Don’t get us started on crawl spaces. Many people have medical issues with their back or knees. Additionally, they could have other health issues that prevent proper organizing. From setting up shelves and bins to carrying out donations, the stuff isn’t in our minds it is in our hands. Asking for help from friends, family or professional organizers is a must. You have a job more important than lifting, you need to make decisions.

Don’t be overwhelmed with the barriers to getting organized (we will save the discussion of other people living in your house for next time ) and instead focus on your goals. You are not alone, whatever your level of disorganization there are millions of people who are in the same boat. Remember that getting organized improves your health and productivity, don’t let anything stand in your way.

Organizing your Nightstand

These days there is so much that is out of our control.  Not being in control can be frustrating. Organizing takes time which is hard to find with everyone home 24/7. One area that is quick to organize is your nightstand. Here are some tips from House to Home Organizing to help you through:

• Take a before photo.

• Totally empty the entire unit.  

• Sort the contents into categories. For example, electronics, (cords, kindle, TV remotes to name a few) medications, keepsake items, photographs, makeup, reading glasses, notepads, jewelry, pens/pencils and books are some of the categories you may find. 

• Donate or Toss what you don’t use.  Is the makeup very old and dried up? Are the medications current or expired? Are there numerous books or magazines you started but don’t plan to finish? Can the photographs be stored with keepsake items in a more remote place? Do you need twenty pens or is three enough? Are all the remotes current or do you have some from old TV’s?  Are all the reading glasses the correct strength? You get the picture, time to discard what is taking up space and will never be used.

• Clean the nightstand. Now that everything is out, time to wipe it down and clean it out.

• Purge the non-essentials and visualize what you really want in the nightstand. What do you use regularly and needs to be kept within easy reach?  Keep what you truly need before bedtime and when you wake up.

• Drawer organization. Now that you know what you are keeping there are many ways to organize the drawer more effectively. Stores such as  Amazon, The Container Store, 

Bed Bath and Beyond, and Target have many drawer organizers in a variety of materials to help you keep the drawer neat and tidy. Remember to measure before you purchase anything to make sure it will fit to the drawer specifications.

• Try to keep the top of the nightstand clutter free. What do you really need on the top? A small clock? Tissues? One pair of glasses? A small lamp? Maybe a hand lotion? Everything else should be in the drawer or underneath. 

• You’re done! Stand back and take an after photo so you can feel good about your work and your clutter free nightstand.

Guest Post - 7 Simple Ways to Organize and Stage Your Laundry Room

When selling your home, staging it for viewing the best ways you can make a lasting impression to your potential buyers.

Leaving your home as-is isn't the best way to attract buyers. It would be best if you took the time to prepare your home for the viewing so buyers can see it under the best light (literally and figuratively).

From your bedrooms to your front yard, every part of your home will need a makeover, or, at least, a bit of organizing and tidying up. One part of your home that you might be neglecting during this entire process may be your laundry room.

Although the laundry room isn't the most glamorous part of a home, it's still a part of it. Plus, your buyers are going to look at it, whether you like it or not. Therefore, you should make sure that you took the time to organize and stage your laundry room.

If you have no clue how to do that, then here are seven simple ways to guide you on how to organize and stage your laundry room for a home viewing.

Clean and Declutter

When preparing your home to sell it off to potential buyers, no matter what part of your home it may be, you need to remember to clean and declutter. Since you're cleaning your home to sell it, you might also take the time to do a deep clean of your house instead of the usual. Of course, the same step applies to your laundry room. 

Your laundry room might have a lot of clutter in it due to poor organization. It might also have dust and dirt all over the place if it's a part of your home that you don't clean that often. Therefore, you should make sure that you take the time to clean and organize the laundry items.

If there are any items you're temporarily storing in the laundry room due to a lack of space, get rid of them. You can use organizational storage items to level up your laundry room's look.

Consolidate Laundry Products

If you are displaying too many different laundry products in your laundry room, it can make things feel messy, even if you organize them well. Therefore, when you're staging your laundry room, try and stick to a single type or brand of cleaning detergent. It should be a brand that works the best for all of your fabrics and stick to that.

Some people who want to go that extra mile are repackaging laundry products in separate and prettier containers. This extra step will undoubtedly make displaying your laundry products look more attractive to buyers. However, make sure that you label these containers, so you don't mix things up.

Consider Space Saving Appliances

It's understandable when washers and dryers occupy a large amount of space in your laundry room. However, this means that it's a lot harder to fit anything else in there. You might have to migrate your laundry products someplace away from your laundry room. Putting your laundry products somewhere else can be very inconvenient.

You can better your laundry room's situation by investing in smaller but efficient appliances instead. They still do the job, but they leave enough space to place your laundry products in the room.

That way, you won't have to move back-and-forth when you need to do your laundry. Plus, it helps you save space everywhere else in your home.

Make Your Space Visually Appealing

When you think of the laundry room, the image that comes to your mind likely isn't the most exciting thing out there. Visualizing laundry rooms doesn't give us the immediate Pinterest-home imagery in comparison to other places in the home.

Although that is the case, it doesn't mean that you can't make your laundry room more visually appealing. To do that, you can apply simple interior design rules to your laundry room.

One effective way to make your laundry room more appealing would be by sticking to a visual theme. For example, you can stick to a color scheme that applies throughout the laundry room. Adding a bit of decor or placing your laundry products in containers that match the theme will make it more appealing.

Making your laundry room more appealing will make it a relaxing place to stay. After all, doing the laundry can often be anything but exciting.

Put Clothes Away

When you're showing your home to buyers, the worst thing you can do when it comes to the laundry room would be to show dirty clothes. That's an awful idea for anyone. Nobody wants to see a stranger's literal and figurative dirty laundry out in the open like that, especially when you're trying to sell them something.

Therefore, you should ensure that you put your clothes away, including clean ones, somewhere far away. That way, buyers aren't reminded of the previous owners of the house, which can distract them from picturing themselves as the owners of the house.

Create a Place for Everything

To keep your laundry room organized, make sure that everything you'll ever need relating to the laundry room is there and has a dedicated place there. For example, you should have dedicated spaces for hangers that you're not using. Your laundry room needs a spot for your laundry products, and so on.

Having a place for everything makes it a lot easier for you (and other people in the home) to know where everything should be.

Create a Line and Folding Space

Not everyone is a fan of drying their clothes in a dryer. Therefore, you should create a drying rack where people who want to air dry their clothes can put them. A retractable clothesline is a nifty idea that gives you that drying rack while also being easy to put away when not in use.

Aside from an air-drying space, it would help if you also had a laundry room folding area. That way, all you need to do when you step out of the laundry room is put the clothes away afterward.

Conclusion

The laundry room is a crucial part of your home, but it doesn't get as much tender, loving care that it deserves. With this article's help, you can find a way to organize and stage your laundry room to appeal to you and potential buyers all-around.

Try them out and see just how big of an improvement your laundry room is going to make only by spending a bit of time and effort on its development.

Author Bio: Andrew is an NY-based writer who covers DIY home projects, cleaning, and organization. When not writing, he spends his time with his two rescue dogs, Jet and Rocket.

Guest Post - Best Storage Ideas That Will Organize Your Entire House

Getting your house organized and keeping it that way can be a challenge. One of the first steps to achieving this is to find a “home” for each object in your living space.

To find a proper place for each item, you need to have enough storage areas. It also needs to be divided in a way that makes sense for the way you want to use it. The following tips can help you make the most of the space you have.

General Tips

Declutter

Before you get started organizing, you will first need to declutter. This means separating items that you no longer use and setting them aside to throw away or donate. If you’re into selling your used items, that is also an option.

Choose Containers

Containers help break up a space to make it more practical to use. You can buy the ones you need, or if you have a low budget, you can even use cardboard boxes or repurposed plastic containers you may have at home. 

In general, square or rectangular containers are the best way to economize space. They touch each other at the corners, so nothing is wasted. This principle applies whether you are storing spices in your kitchen or small clothing items in the bedroom.

Label Everything

Labeling is essential in many parts of the house. In the bathroom, you can add names to personal care supplies. In the playroom, toy bins can be marked with a picture of the type of toy that goes in them. In the pantry, they help you keep your ingredients organized.

Organizing Your Kitchen

When you’re working in the kitchen, you want to have easy access to all the items you use regularly. Keep the appliances you use most frequently out on the counter or as close as possible to where they will be used.

Items you use less frequently can be stored in places that are more difficult to access. They can even be stored outside the kitchen if the area is small.

As you organize your kitchen cabinets, you’ll want to choose each item’s “home” according to where it will be used. In general, food should only be stored this way if you don’t have a pantry.

Bathroom Organization Tips

Cabinets

If you need some extra storage in the bathroom, consider using the inside of cabinet doors. Over the door organizers and command hooks can hold many different items. You can also find toothbrush caddies that stick to the cabinet door.

Drawers

Bathroom drawers can quickly become cluttered. To help avoid losing small items, you can use dividers to give everything a specific place. You may purchase ready-made acrylic ones or try your hand at making your own out of wood.

Bedroom Storage Ideas

Underbed Storage

If you need more storage space in your bedroom, you can take advantage of the space under your bed. Find cardboard or plastic storage boxes that fit under there and use them to put away items such as clothes or decorations for other seasons.

Dividers for Small Items

Do you have trouble keeping your socks and underwear organized in drawers? You can easily make cardboard dividers that will create small, square places into which these items fit neatly. If you have little room to spare, you might choose to cut sections of a three-inch PVC pipe and stand them in your drawer to divide up the space.

Conclusion

Organizing your home can be a challenge, but when it is done, it is very satisfying. As you work toward a fully organized home, keep the following tips in mind. Declutter first, use containers and dividers to your advantage, label everything, store things near where they will be used, and use strategic spaces like inside cabinet doors and under beds.

Do all this, and your entire home will be neatly organized, and family-friendly.

Author Bio: Patricia Evans

I am an Interior Designer, Residential Designer, Art Crafter, DIYer, and a full-time mother. I write about interior decorating, and I love working with shapes, shades, and spaces. I am also into green and simple living and enjoy cooking and having tea.