The Basic Steps to Organize Anything, Anywhere!
Whether you want to organize an entire room, your clothes closet or even a small drawer, there are a few steps that work well to successfully tidy up a space to make it work most efficiently and even look amazing.
Step 1: Determine the purpose of the space - Ask yourself, what does this space need to do for me? How can this space be utilized best? This is very important because without a focused goal, you have nothing to guide your decisions and choices throughout the process.
Step 2: Envision what you want the space to look like and how it should function - Once again, this vision will guide the entire organization process. Get inspired by our webpage, our showroom, Pinterest or your favourite magazine. Think about the issues you have with the space currently and what specific problems you need to solve. Canadian Closet can help you with this!
Step 3: Remove everything! You need to get everything out to see the actual space and start fresh.
Step 4: Clean and repair the space - Now is the time to really clean out the space, repair and fill holes, paint, wallpaper and do any other structural additions you need.
Step 5: Purge and sort - This is where it gets REAL! Now is the time when the decisions are made as to what we keep in this space, what you want to keep but store in a better location, what needs to be donated or recycled and also what needs to go to the trash.
Have 5 bins or boxes for each of these 5 categories and begin going through all of the items. This is a tough step as we can become sentimental towards items and it is hard to part with them. Be easy on yourself with this. Perhaps take a picture to remember the item? Maybe knowing someone else can really use this item more that yourself will help you let go? Keep what really makes you happy; otherwise, say ‘goodbye’ and thank the item for serving you.
If you are working with food items, be sure to check expiration dates before keeping it. Give yourself ample time for this step.
Step 6: Make an Organization Plan - After your great purge, you now know what items you intend to put back into your space. It is now time to group and organize your items. Sort ‘like’ items together. For example, if you are organizing your pantry, group canned items together, baking ingredients together and cereals, pastas together etc. You can then see how much space each group will need to so you can figure out where everything should go. Now ask if the items would be best placed on a shelf, in a drawer, on a turntable for easy viewing, on hooks, on the back of the door. We can help you here too!
This is where you may want to get some inspiration or some advice from folks with experience with products and ideas for storing and organizing all kinds of items. Canadian Closet is such a place!
Now that you know types of products available to organize things, make a plan. Draw it out, make a list - whatever helps you visualize the layout of your plan.
Step 7: Choose your organizers - Armed with product knowledge and a plan of how you want your space organized, it is time to gather or purchase the organizers that you need to complete your plan.
Step 8: Now is the fun part place your items! Have fun putting your belongings into your new, clean space with the organizers, shelves, or closet organizers you’ve chosen.
Step 9: Final step. ENJOY! Now that everything has a place, it will be easy to put items back where they belong.
These steps will help you to become motivated to get started on your next organization project.
Give yourself ample time to do your project so you don’t feel rushed and “abort the mission”.
It’s a process. Happy organizing!
