Home Organizaton

Take it from me, I learned the hard way. I waited for my stuff to organize itself but stuff doesn't do that.

And don't just buy a labeler, boxes and files and let it all sit around. It just becomes more stuff.

Baskets, friends. This is all about baskets. Buy lots of them. If you're on a tight budget, you may wish to consider a second or third job so that you can afford to be organized. Or, you can use those giant cardboard boxes that the jumbo pack of diapers come in. They're ugly, though, and if you use enough of them your home will look just as jumbled and disorganized as before.

When you accumulate the desired number of baskets, put everything that's on the floor/bed/dining room table/counter tops/sofa/coffee table into the baskets. If desired, sort the stuff first. Another optional step is actually reading through and filing that pile of year-old bills before you toss it into a box. Remember, the goal is not to be a tidy accumulator. the goal is to be organized, minimalist, zen. You and your family can have a very full life with just a tatami mat, some polished stones and a bamboo shoot.

This work will be boring-- mind-numbing, even. Is a numb mind really a bad thing? You may experience intervals of lost time when you come across old letters and/or photographs. Don't be sidetracked. Decisions such as whether to keep or toss that scribble from your two-year-old can be agonizing. Music helps pass the time. Never think it's a good idea to do this stoned.

The most important piece of advice I can give you is to create a system. Once your stuff is put into the boxes or baskets, put some sort of labels or color coding on it. This way, others will know how to do this work for you, and next time the house is a mess, you have someone other than yourself to blame.