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Manage Your Time to Manage Your Clutter

“I would love to get more organized around the house, but there never seems to be enough hours in the day.” It is one of the most common excuses for staying cluttered, and it is also one of the most worn. Why? Because it may take some initial hard work and time to get organized, but organization will save you a ton of time in the future! Before you organize your stuff, try organizing your time with the following tips:

• Make lists. Poorly made lists can actually stop you from getting things done (you know, those lists which tempt you to always do the easiest and least important tasks first, leaving the rest perpetually at the bottom). But prioritized lists can help you stay on target. Divide your lists up according to different areas of your life to keep them manageable. Helpful lists can include holiday lists, trip planning lists, emergency lists, and even decluttering and cleaning lists.

• Create schedules and routines. When you do things differently each day, you are constantly trying to adjust. Instead, come up with efficient routines which help you save time. A morning routine is great for getting everyone ready for work and school. An afternoon or evening routine is helpful for getting everyone settled again. You can also come up with schedules for cleaning and organizing tasks which help you get a little bit done each day.

• Create an organizational center for your family. You can set this up using baskets or plastic storage bins. Many simple organization ideas can work. You just want a system where every member of your household has an applicable plastic bin box with important documents, incoming and outgoing mail, and scheduling information. You can use this area of your house to keep everyone as organized as you are. You will be amazed how much this can simplify your life.

• Actually do your organizational chores and get your clutter out of the way. Believe it or not, one of the best tips to organizing your time really is to organize your space! You say you don’t have the time, but what if you just do one thing every day, take one little step forward? Gradually your clutter will disappear, and you will have more and more space. You will find it easier to live and work in your home once you know where to find everything. Many people also discover that they are able to think more clearly when their environment encourages clarity. So get rid of that clutter and pick up some cheap organizing bins, and get everything in order.

Getting your time organized is in some ways even more challenging than getting your space in order. There is a lot to think about, and you will have to find a system which suits your personality and your family. That should only encourage you to start organizing your space, since that is actually one of the simpler things you can do to start organizing your time!