10 Simple Steps to a More Organized Household

1. Divide big jobs into smaller jobs. Make a list of all the places in your house that you would like to see become more organized. Now you may seem overwhelmed by some of the jobs so break those jobs down into smaller jobs. Now each task is more manageable. Take each job one at a time and before you know it you'll be done.

2. Store items in clear plastic boxes and bags. This one just hit me one day when I was looking for something and having to un-stack all my boxes and open each one to find the item I was looking for. I thought what a waste of my time and energy, now I use clear boxes and bags everywhere I store things.

3. Make a list of what's in the boxes or on the shelves in your basement and attic. This again is a time saver and the way a truly organized person goes about things.

4. Before you buy anything know where the item is going to go in your home. This is a really great habit to get into. It makes you stop and think before you buy and may even save you the hassle of taking the item back or worst storing it in your basement or attic.

5. Think item in, item out. If your home is already cluttered or filled to capacity then when you make a purchase you've really got to get rid of something. Even if your home is comfortable this is a good practice to get into to prevent clutter from building up.

6. Prevent junk mail pile up. Paper clutter is one of the biggest problems people face today. We get bombarded with junk mail and other paper daily. The solution is to have a plan. So here it is, its really quite simple. A trashcan! Go through you mail daily and throw away any unwanted mail as you open it. Then have a to do files or folders. You're to do files or folders may have heading such as to do, to mail, to fax, to pay, to sign, to return, to call, to redeem.

7. Store out of season clothing in empty suitcases either under your bed or on the shelf in your closet. If you use bed risers you can use the space under your bed more efficiently. Clear plastic under the bed containers, especially on wheels work well for this task.

8. Avoid hunting through your closet each day hang like items together. This means hang all your shirts together, pants together, skirts together and so on. It makes your closet look more organized and it's easier to pick out an outfit quickly. I also recommend using hanging weekly organizers in each child's bedroom closet this way their clothes are laid out a week in advance and you're not scrambling in the morning to find them an outfit.

9. Group like things together. For you it may be keeping all your sewing stuff together or your scrap-booking stuff together or your tools together in one place. But last night when I was organizing my basement (yes, I am also working on becoming more organized) I decided to break it down into categories, my went like this: outdoor gear, Christmas decorations, arts and crafts, laundry, exercise equipment, keepsakes, I will probably find that I will need one or two more but I will add them as I see the need. You can even break it down further by making groups inside your groups. Christmas is a good example. Once you have all your Christmas stuff together divide it into smaller groups such as ornaments, Christmas lights and outdoor decorations.

10. Don't hang on to things because you might use them. So many times we hang onto things because we might use them but the items actually sit around collect dust and take up valuable space. Unless you just have a huge home with plenty of closet space the rule is if you haven't worn it or used it in over a year you should probably get rid of it. I can't tell you how many times I knew I had something but couldn't find it because I had so much clutter. So it wasn't worth keeping, I wore myself out looking for it and then ended up buying it again. That's what clutter does to us, drains us of our energy.

Tina Seay is the webmaster and author of a great home resource website http://learnsomethingtoday.com where you can get more tips and advice on organizing. She is also the webmaster of http://learnsomethingtoday.com and http://learnsomethingtoday.com

recurring cleaning service Mundelein ..
In The News:

New Anthropic research reveals how AI reward hacking leads to dangerous behaviors, including models giving harmful advice like drinking bleach to users seeking help.
The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.
Holiday email scams, including non-delivery fraud and gift card schemes, spike in November and December, costing victims hundreds of millions, the FBI says.
Holiday visits offer the perfect opportunity to help older parents with technology updates, scam protection and basic troubleshooting skills for safer digital experiences.
Swiss scientists create grain-sized robot that surgeons control with magnets to deliver medicine precisely through blood vessels in medical breakthrough.
Researchers exploited WhatsApp's API vulnerability to scrape 3.5 billion phone numbers. Learn how this massive data breach happened and protect yourself.
Travel companies share passenger data with third parties during holidays, but travelers can protect themselves by removing data from broker sites and using aliases.
Xpeng's humanoid robot moves so realistically that crowds believed it was fake, marking a major advancement in robotics technology ahead of 2026 commercial launch.
Researchers discover phishing scam using invisible characters to evade email security, with protection tips including password managers and two-factor authentication.
iPhone and Android users can reduce battery drain and data usage by restricting Background App Refresh to Wi-Fi connections instead of mobile networks.
Scammers nearly stole an Apple account by exploiting the support system with authentic-looking tickets and phone calls, users can protect themselves with safety steps.
FoloToy restored sales of its AI teddy bear Kumma after a weeklong suspension following safety group findings of risky and inappropriate responses to children.
Threat intelligence firm Synthient uncovers one of the largest password exposures ever, prompting immediate security recommendations.
Viral video shared by Elon Musk shows Tesla's Optimus humanoid robots performing tasks from cooking to construction, garnering over 58.5 million views on social media.
Chinese hackers used Anthropic's Claude AI to launch autonomous cyberattacks on 30 organizations worldwide, marking a major shift in cybersecurity threats.
Apple's new Sleep Score feature gives you a rating for your nightly rest quality. Learn how to set it up on your Apple Watch and iPhone today.
Essential phone settings to enable before losing your device, including Find My network, location services and security features for iPhone and Android.
The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.
Cybersecurity research shows weak passwords remain a major threat, with simple patterns and number sequences putting millions of accounts at risk.
New Android malware BankBot YNRK silences phones, steals banking data and drains crypto wallets automatically. Learn how this advanced threat works.
FDA approves first human trial for Paradromics' brain-computer interface that could restore speech for paralyzed patients through neural technology.
New phishing platform QRR targets Microsoft 365 users across 1,000 domains in 90 countries. Learn how to spot fake login pages and protect your accounts.
OpenTable now uses AI to track your dining habits and share insights with restaurants. Learn what data they collect and how to protect your privacy.
Google's discontinued Nest thermostats still secretly upload home data to company servers despite losing smart features, raising serious privacy concerns.
New Android malware NGate steals NFC payment codes in real-time, allowing criminals to withdraw cash from ATMs without your card. Learn protection tips.

Finish in Style - Organizing Works!

One of my mother-in-law's many oft-quoted and wise declarations was... Read More

Simplify Your Life! No Really...Simplify Your Life!

We hear it every day."Buy this product, and simplify your... Read More

Getting Things Done: A Guide To Next-Action Lists

Getting Things Done (GTD), is a productivity methodology designed by... Read More

Kids Clutter: Organizing at Every Age

Our children are probably the biggest clutter creators we have... Read More

What Clutter Clearing Can Do For You

You can get a pretty good idea of the benefits... Read More

Breathing Life Into Dead Spaces

"I don't have enough room!" -- this is a common... Read More

Can Someone Step Into Your Job Or Role And Function Effectively?

Working for one of the top Marketers online (David Ledoux)... Read More

Clutter Crisis?

Clutter costs you time, money, space, and peace of mind.... Read More

Organizing Lessons from a Bookstore

The store reminded me of a well-worn slipper ? tattered... Read More

Its Time To Clear Out! Clutter Busting For Every Aspect Of Your Life

'A well-ordered life is like climbing a tower; the view... Read More

The Natural Law of Attrition

I'm cheap and proud of it.I use and re-use things... Read More

Clutter Campaign - Commit Your Time

Decide When And Where To StartDecide when and where to... Read More

Addiction to Clutter

Clutter is a big problem for many people. At a... Read More

Sticking to Your New Years Resolutions: Ten Tips for a More Organized Life

1. A calendar is an essential organizing tool ? start... Read More

Introducing the Power Hour Concept to Plough Through Mountainous Tasks

Have you ever been totally overwhelmed by a massive task... Read More

10 Tips on Color Coding Your Paper: From Chaos to Coherence

Color-There Is No SubstituteIn anatomical illustrations you see the brain's... Read More

Identifying the Rocks: Organizing Your Priorities

In one of my favorite books, First Things First, written... Read More

Clutter-Clearing and Your Authentic Self

Have you ever felt so discouraged, your life so out-of-control,... Read More

Balance - And Other Things

The Mexican VillagerThe American investment banker was at the pier... Read More

Organizing for Today, Tomorrow and the Next Day

Getting organized is hard. If it weren't, we wouldn't put... Read More

Without a Plan, You?re Doomed to Failure

"My job is an endless series of deadlines, I am... Read More

Is Your To Do List The Problem?

You start each week with great intentions. You are determined... Read More

Spring Makeovers: Organizing Tips for the Home and a Virtual Makeover for You

Winter is starting to retreat, and hints of Spring are... Read More

Choose Spice Racks That Help You Organize Your Home

Today you have almost as many choices of spice racks... Read More

Organizing - Time is of the Essence!

What does "time" have to do with getting organized? Everything!... Read More

tidy up service Buffalo Grove ..