Happy New Year, friends! We cannot believe how quickly the time has passed as we now close the chapter on
2015, and look ahead at a brand new beginning in 2016. This is the time of year when many people begin to
make resolutions – to get back in shape, eat better, or make more time for themselves. Chief among New
Year’s resolutions is the ever important “Get More Organized!” Have you thought about making a resolution
this year to be more organized at home? Even if you aren’t planning on moving anytime soon, having an
organized home can help you in a multitude of ways, making it easier to clean, giving you less anxiety about
clutter, and even providing a sense of much-needed simplicity.
To help you out, we’ve teamed up with Lisa Giesler, Professional Organizer and Author of Uncluttered:
Discovering Strength and Purpose in the Chaos of Life,” to give you some great tips on getting (and staying)
organized in 2016.
1. Make a Plan
Don’t try to tackle the entire house in one day, instead, make a plan to tackle one room at a time. If you’re
more comfortable starting in the most cluttered room, begin there. In her book, “My Life is a Mess:
Organizing 101,” Giesler suggests starting in a smaller room, perhaps the pantry or a small hall closet, and
working your way up to the bigger tasks. Also, pace yourself. The entire house doesn’t need to be organized in
one weekend.
2. Cut the Clutter
As you begin to organize, stick to a simple rule – if you haven’t used it or worn it in six months, it has to go.
According to Giesler, “Cutting the clutter is one of the hardest parts of cleaning out your home, because as
you come across things you haven’t seen in months, you reason with yourself that you may need it in the
future. Don’t fall into that trap!”
3. Donate Your Gently Used Items
Find a local non-profit or community organization that can accept gently used items you’re going to get rid
of. Whether you decide a room has too much furniture and needs a little more open space or you have
a bag of clothes that you haven’t worn in months, contact local non-profits and organizations to see who
would be the best suited to take your gently used items.
(If you’re in the Lake Norman or Denver, NC, area, we recommend Our Towns Habitat for Humanity
Restore!)
4. Get Organizing Containers and Storage Bins
Many people want to save the bulky plastic Rubbermaid bins for the attic, which is completely
understandable. While they stack and store quite easily, they are definitely not a centerpiece to any room.
However, many different stores carry unique and creative pieces of furniture that can double as storage.
Giesler recommends finding a sturdy cedar chest for office storage or a beautiful ottoman with hidden
storage to keep blankets in the living room.
5. Identify Places That Will Need Daily Focus
Giesler’s favorite organizational saying is, “A Time and Place for Everything.” (She uses the saying so often,
she even named her business that!) Some areas of your home will be magnets for clutter, such as your
kitchen counters. Identify the problem areas where papers, bills, homework and other things tend to pile up
and create a space that accommodates them. If your keys are always lost under the clutter on the counters,
purchase a simple hook that can be installed near the entryway or inside a cabinet in the kitchen where your
keys can have a spot of their own. Small changes can make a big impact.
It’s often a daunting task to think about organizing your home. However, the end result will leave
you feeling accomplished. And once the de-cluttering and organization is complete, you may
even look at a room in an entirely different light and jump to the next thing on your to-do list:
As 2016 approaches, we want you to know we are always here, ready to help you however we can as you
prepare to sell or buy a home (of course). But if we can help you in any other way, don’t hesitate to give us a
call. At Cloninger Properties, we aren’t just your realtor, we are your community.
Keeping it real,
The Cloninger Properties Team
Keller Williams Realty