Spring is a great time to start an organizing project. Most people have spring cleaning projects that they start, but a way to make your clean house even more enjoyable is to get organized as well. What’s more, an organized area is easier to clean and keep clean.

During spring you naturally think about cleaning more thoroughly than you normally do. It’s the perfect time to tackle those jobs that are only done occasionally, such as taking your winter clothes and coats, comforters, and drapes to the cleaners. In the process, why not sort through and throw out, donate or sell items you no longer use. If you declutter and organize before deep cleaning, you will be able to reach spots that were formerly covered up by things. Work on one small area at a time so you can complete it in one session

A good way to enjoy the beautiful spring weather while you work, is to open some windows. Then it will feel like spring inside your house as well as outside! Also, make it an enjoyable task by playing your favorite music and dancing around a bit.

This will give you a great feeling of accomplishment and you will be able to enjoy the fresh, clean feeling of spring.

Before you declutter, it’s important to understand what clutter is.  Clutter is something superfluous or unneeded.  Clutter can even be emotional, or mental rather than just physical.  When it comes to physical clutter, there are three questions that can help you decide.  If the answer is no to all three, the item is clutter.

Do you Use it?  The toaster that you use every day to make toast. This is something you would be lost without.

Do you find it Beautiful?  Your favorite outfit that makes you look like a star and makes you smile every time you see it in your closet.

Do you Love it?  The gift brought back from another country by your best friend that reminds you of her every time you see it.

Once you have asked these questions, you will find it pretty simple to figure out which items are clutter and which are treasured possessions.  Decluttering is about pairing down to only what you use and love.

After you have decluttered and freed up space for your valuable items (the ones you identified with the questions above), you will see how much simpler it is to get organized and to maintain it.  You will be able to enjoy being free of clutter and the benefits will pile up.  You’ll have more time, more energy, more happiness and you will have a better perspective on things.

1) Get a planner. Whether it is digital or physical, it is a great tool that can help you plan out your year and keep you organized throughout that time! It’s important to write down birthdays, upcoming events that you are planning to attend, appointments, deadlines, etc.

2) Write down your goals and plans for the year. If you feel yourself losing focus, go back and look at those goals to help keep you on track and look at the bigger picture.

3) Reexamine all your subscriptions to newspapers or magazines. If there are some that you no longer read on a regular basis anymore or don’t like anymore, cancel those subscriptions. This will eliminate a lot of incoming clutter, and you can always buy a magazine or newspaper at a news stand once in a while if there is a certain issue you want to read. It is also important to set up a system to deal with mail when it comes in the house. Have a place to separate mail that needs to be acted upon (bills, invitations, etc.), mail that needs to be filed, and mail that needs to be read. It is also helpful to place a trash can near your mail area so you can throw junk mail away as soon as you receive it. Also, remember to shred papers that have personal information so no one could use them for identity theft.

4) Make a file for all of your important financial documents and put aside time once a week or once a month (depending on what works for you) to file these documents as they come in.

5) Start at least one organizing project in a small area of your house or office. Once you have accomplished that, you will see how good it looks and feel you can do anything! Hopefully it will get you motivated to do another project or two! Start by sorting the items into different categories: Keep, Trash/recycle, Donate, and Doesn’t belong there. Group like items together.

6) Spend a set amount of time every day or once a week deleting emails you no longer need.

7) Clean out your refrigerator and get rid of holiday food that has gone bad or that you don’t plan to eat. Group similar items together so it will be easier to find things and know where to put things away.

Make sure you reward yourself every time you accomplish something – whether it is achieving one of your goals, or finishing an organizing project. This will keep you motivated to achieve more.

BONUS STEP – Use a Professional Organizer to help with a problem area. Also, visit us at www.organizeddelight.com for more info on how organizing can give you more time and reduce stress at the same time.