How to Stay Organized

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

Rate: (4 Ratings)

Getting organized is one thing; staying organized is another. Breaking the habit of being unorganized takes longer than initally making sure to put things in their place. Once you get your possessions sorted and organized, take care to continue to have a place for everything. These suggestions help you develop new habits to stay organized.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Step1

Watch the time. If you have to leave at 3:00, stop working at 2:45. Give yourself time to tidy up your desk or put away your project. Rushing from one thing to the next invites clutter and chaos.

Step2

Fill a trash bag once a month with clothes, shoes and other items. Donate them to charity. Leaving more space for your wardrobe helps you realize what you have and need.

Step3

Purchase a 12-month accordion file for paid bills, receipts and paperwork. At the end of 12 months, discard the oldest bills and receipts.

Step4

Get rid of something every time you bring an item into the house. When you buy a new item of clothing, a set of dishes, a cookbook--something in the same category has to go. Overcrowding items invites disorganization.

Step5

Clean out your closet, then every time you wear a garment, reverse the hook on the hanger when you put it back on the closet rod. At the end of 6 months, everything on a hanger that has not been turned goes to charity. It's easier to keep a closet organized when you have fewer clothes.

Step6

Think of your home in terms of zones with a place for everything and everything in its place. Specify areas for paperwork, books, magazines and cleaning supplies; it's easier to find household possessions when you need them.