Tips to organize your space and eliminate clutter

The prospect of organizing your home can be an intimidating one. Who doesn’t get disheartened in the face of overflowing closets, jumbled filing “systems” and messy garages?

But cleaning up that mess is a great way to save your family time and money. The National Association of Professional Organizers estimates that we spend one year of our lives looking for lost items. And a Harris Interactive poll reports that 23 percent of adults say they pay bills late because they lose them, incurring fees.

“Generally, people dislike household organizational tasks such as record keeping and filing because they are both inconvenient and time-consuming,” says Joanne Lang, CEO of AboutOne.com, a secure online family management system. “But with technology, it can be quick and easy, and perhaps even fun.”

Here are some tips to help you get a handle on all those little details:

Make Room For That Car

If there’s no room in your garage for your car, it’s time to do a massive overhaul. Install adjustable shelving and hanging tool racks. This will get toys and supplies off the ground. Use stackable, clear plastic containers with lids so your items are safe from garage dust and rust, and easy to locate.

Stack frequently needed items toward the bottom and middle shelves, and the rest on the upper shelves. Don’t be afraid to stack high. After all, a garage is where you store your ladder!

Go Paperless!

Advances in digital technology are making it easier to store and manage information in a centralized location that is accessible from any computer or web-enabled device. For example, AboutOne has developed a platform that stores vital household and family documents, like children’s health information, photos and other records, in one secure space.

“As a mother of four, I had several personal experiences in which I needed immediate access to our critical household information while at home or from on the road,” says Lang. “I decided to develop AboutOne to make it easier for busy moms like me to manage family life.”

Clean The Closet

Before lamenting your lack of closet space, take stock of every garment you own. Have you worn this shirt in the last year? Does it fit? If not, then donate it or throw it out. Places like Athens Goodwill, ReUse and New to You will be happy to receive it.

Consolidate the remaining items with cascading hangers, belt and tie organizers and storage bags for out of season gear. This is especially helpful in the tight quarters often found in apartments and rental houses. Don’t forget that you can stow some items under the bed, on wall racks, or in your newly organized garage.

Take charge and get organized. It’ll bring you peace of mind, and perhaps save you some time and money as well.

– StatePoint