Mar 5, 2009 1:49 pm US/Eastern
Angie's List: Organizing Your Home
Almost every home has them - closets
or junk drawers filled to the brim with stuff! Maybe it's clothes or even
paperwork and of course, when you really need something you have to sort
through all the clutter to find it. In this week's Angie's List report Jim
Donovan takes a look at some simple things that could help you keep things in
order.
Are you looking to get more
organized? Angie's List founder Angie Hicks has some advice from the experts.
Angie says, "We spoke to some highly-rated home organizers on Angie's List
and the best tip they gave for getting rid of clutter is to get rid of
duplicate items. If you buy a new black sweater, get rid of the old one, either
throw it away or donate it to a charity."
At tax time, trying to find all your
paperwork can be a challenge for many. But if you start thinking about it now,
filing next year could be a lot smoother. Angie says, "The best thing to
do is to keep your documents organized throughout the year. set up a shoe box
of a file folder that you can put all your 2009 expenses and documents
together. That way you have them ready to give them to your tax preparer or
when you need to tackle your tax return yourself."
Angie's List contacted its highly
rated organizing professionals for advice and came up with these tips for
cleaning up and cleaning out:
Make a list: Not sure where to begin? Make a
list of the tasks you want to accomplish and prioritize by putting the tasks
most important to you at the top of the list. Then, as you accomplish those
tasks, mark them off to track your progress.
Start with one room or area: If you try to do it
all in a day, you'll likely find yourself frustrated and spinning your wheels.
Instead, start small and allot an hour or two dedicated to one area to avoid
becoming overwhelmed.
Avoid buying duplicates: Return those scissors, screwdrivers
and other items easily misplaced to their designated spot. Not only are you
spending more money each time you have to purchase a new one because you can't
find the old one, but you end up with more stuff than you actually need.
Purge your wardrobe: If it doesn't fit or it's out of
fashion, donate it. If you're keeping it because it's "vintage", then
put it to use and wear it. Also, if reorganizing your wardrobe closet, consider
hanging pants long ways, rather than folding, which takes up twice the space.
Use stacking hangers that can hold multiple garments. Organize your clothes by
color or by type; for example, all of your tees are together, followed by long
sleeve shirts, sweaters, etc.
Invite a friend: If you're not using a professional,
or you hired one to get you started and now you're ready to take over on your
own, consider inviting a friend or neighbor to help you organize and, of
course, reciprocate in kind.
Cut the ties: If you're a family of four, you
probably don't need 22 plastic storage containers. If the plastic bowl you've
been hanging onto for two decades doesn't have a lid to go with it, maybe it's
time to donate or recycle it. Keep only what is necessary to accommodate your
family's needs. Also, keep in mind that round containers take up more space
than square containers.
Box, label and stack: If you're organizing a garage or
other storage area, purchase several large plastic storage bins with lids.
Organize items according to their use and label the bins accordingly, for
example: "Beach toys"; "Holiday
decorations"; "Kids clothes", etc.
When dealing with your financial
documents, keep this advice in mind:
Organizing your
tax documents throughout the year can prevent 11th-hour filing headaches and
prepare you in the event of an audit.
Keep all tax
records for at least three full years after they are submitted or after April
15th, which ever is later. It's also a good idea to keep all financial records
for a particular year with that year's tax return.
Start a new check
register each Jan. 1st and put the check registers with the tax records.
You don't have to throw away and create additional waste
when you purge. An environmentally-savvy organizer will look to recycle
whenever possible and remember; those donations to authorized charities can be
used as a tax deduction.
RELATED LINKS:
http://www.angieslist.com/Angieslist/
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