Jump Start Checklist For Organizing Your Home For The Holidays

Need some basic tips for organizing the most used rooms in your home before the holidays? Here is a room-by-room checklist that will help you get started.

Bedroom

☑       Decide what you want at your fingertips and what things can be stored

☑       Go through your closet and pull out everything you have not worn in the last year and donate those items

☑       Hang like items together—group shirts together, pants together, dresses, etc.

☑       Donate to local charities or friends and family items that are still in good condition but you no longer need. Schedule a donation pick up with DonationTown.org

Kitchen

☑       Determine the flow of activity in your kitchen before you decide where to place items

☑       Things that work together should be stored together, such as baking supplies, plastic containers (with lids), pots and pans with lids, and large platters and bowls

☑       Drawer dividers are a good way to keep smaller items separated

☑       Place glasses near the sink or the refrigerator for easy access to beverages

☑       Put healthy snacks for your kids in an easy-to-access drawer or cupboard

Home Office/Den

☑       Make sure you have a good chair, good lighting and ample workspace. Without them it’s harder to be organized and effective.

☑       Keep only supplies you need on a daily basis on your desktop

☑       Assign a contained space or “in-box” for your incoming documents and only use it for items that haven’t yet been reviewed such as paper mail, receipts, and catalogs.

☑       Make a decision about what action or task you need to take with each document (including recycling) and follow through during dedicated “admin” appointments

☑       Keep the most recent papers in the front of the file. Whenever you open it, the current information will be on top.

Garage

☑       Sort, purge, and then decide the proper storage containers or fixtures for the treasures that you must keep

☑       Design a floor plan for storing items and stick to it

☑       Get rid of things that don’t work

☑       Clearly label both the tops and the sides of containers

☑       Consider floor-to-ceiling possibilities for shelving, racks, stackable drawers, hooks and pegboards, and don’t forget the rafters

REMEMBER: When you are done organizing, make sure you donate clothes, books, furniture and other household items to a local charity.

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