Thursday Tippity Tip: Top 5 Short Cuts to Organizing Like a Pro!

Organizing is a love-hate problem for me. On one hand I love just throwing things in bags and sending them off to the nearest thrift store for someone else to use. But once everything has been cleared out, trying to figure out how to best organize what is left can be...well challenging!!Should I use clear plastic tubs?Or those adorable baskets I saw at Hobby Lobby?But what about a shelf organizer?Oh wait! What about that cute cubby organizer I saw?No...maybe that IKEA drawer organizer would be better...There are just so many options to choose! EEK! If you have ever felt that way, you now know you are not alone. You are not the only one who has looked at other people's fantastically organized rooms and wondered how they got it to look so nice and put together. After much trial and error (and drooling over dream organized rooms) ;) ), I hit upon these 5 top short cuts that actually create picture worthy fluid organization. Ready to become an organization pro too? Let's do it!

1. De-Clutter FIRST! Trust me, this step is probably the MOST important step of the organization process. Get rid of all the excess FIRST otherwise you will be working against yourself. You won't know what to organize if half of it is junk and it is pointless to go through all the trouble of organizing stuff you don't need or use.
2. Choose your shelving carefully! Stick with the same style organization of choice through out the whole house or per room. You want to create fluid organization throughout the room and/or home. The best way is to study the room or rooms you want to organize and figure out what exactly you want the end result to be. Do you want the room rustic chic? Or sleek and modern? Do you want clear and practical storage? Or cute and practical storage? Do you want baskets or plastic bins? Do you want wood, or open metal cubby holes? Do you want open shelving or doored shelving? Or a hybrid of both? What kind of color do you want? Do you want IKEA style drawers that you can label? Or metal piping and wood shelves with cute letter style boxes for a more open look? Figure out what style of shelving you want AND STICK WITH IT! Remember to keep the end goal of what you want the room to look like as you pick out your shelving.
3. Choose your style of organizers! I would often find that even though I had given everything a place, my organization bins and shelving they went with were so mismatched that in the end all I was left with was organized chaos. Don't do what I did! I know there are so many options out there and let's face it, Pinterest makes EVERYTHING look AMAZING BUT saying NO to the temptations now will create a beautiful and fluid organized room that I think Pinterest would be envious of. ;) For example, when I look around my house, I can see that I have dark, rustic looking open metal shelves. So my choices for organizers that would go best with that look are either sturdy metal industrial style baskets, softer woven baskets with leather handles, or colorful or flowered letter boxes that will add a pop of color. Glass mason jars for pencils would be cute additions to add here and there if the shelving was mainly for books. Even though all those are good options, what I would choose would rest on what I wanted that shelving to be used for. If I just wanted it to hold toys then I would use the woven baskets. If I wanted it for paper or stationary then I would go with the letter boxes. If I wanted it for clothes I would go with the metal style baskets. Once you decide, then you need to figure out approximately how many bins, baskets, jars, or whatever organizers of choice you will need. This eliminates multiple trips (if you go to the store) and returns and will also help you know what a good second option would be in case you can't find enough of what you need for the first option. Is it starting to make sense? Good. :) Onward!
4. Organize prepared! Here are a list of things you will want to keep on hand with you so you don't have to keep getting up to go find them a) Scissors (for cutting off any tags or unwanted strings etc. b) Trash bags and/or boxes. Trust me, you will need these especially during the de-clutter stage c) A couple of damp towels for wiping down any dusty or dirty surfaces. d) Labeling tools. This could be a label maker, pre-cut sticky labels you peal and stick, permanent markers, chalk (for if you have tiny chalk board labels. Figure out what kind of labeling you will use and make sure to have a good supply on hand before you start. Labeling just makes finding things way easier. When all the tubs in my closet look the same, being able to quickly glance at a label makes finding things a breeze. I mean, why go through all the trouble to organize if you can't find what you want because you can't see what you want? And incase you are wondering, clear tubs are not as clear and helpful as you think once stuff is in them. ;)
5. Do one room at a time! When I get on the organization train it is hard for me to get off. I literally get so focused on getting everything in order that I forget to eat. You don't want to do that or else you will find what I found, a nagging headache, blurry vision and a sugar crash that will leave you feeling less then energetic about finishing up the organization process and just plain exhausted. Have your plan laid out and then tackle it room by room or even just sections of the room at a time. It will be tempting to think "oh I can just quickly organize _________" and before you know it you are stuck in that never ending organization trap of "just one more thing" DON'T DO IT!! If you just focus on one room or section at a time, your home will be organized in no time. Plus you will be fed and happy which makes for a win-win. ;)

So there you have it! Follow these steps and you will be a pro at organizing! I have personally found this to work from simply organizing a closet to organizing a whole house. Please comment below with any questions or organization short cuts you have found to help you. :)Blessings!Erin