- my iParenting
- quick clicks
- home style today articles
- home style today q&a
- traveling today articles
- traveling today q&a
- message boards
- research baby names
- prepare a birth plan
- content channels
- ip channel rss feeds
- read birth stories
- read parenting stories
- recommended books
- e-newsletters
- safety recalls
- ip diaries
- ip store
- mom of the month
- dad of the month
- editor's letter
- letters to the editor
 |
- e-newsletters
- Sign up to receive our free weekly e-newsletters
- award-winning products
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families.
A Place for Everything and Everything in Its Place
Tools and Techniques to Attack Home Organization By Suzy Feine
. This booklet leads you through the cleaning process and offers step-by-step organization suggestions for each room in your home.
Second, determine when something should be discarded. "Always ask yourself if an item is beautiful, useful or loved," says Creel. "If it doesn't meet that criteria, why keep it?" If you find an item is useless to you, remove it from your home to reduce clutter. If the item is still useful, find someone who can use it. "Donate it, give it to a friend or recycle it," she says. "Many times, people are reluctant to get rid of useful items so find a way to give it to someone."
Third, develop systems for keeping the home organized. "The key to overcoming disorganization is developing systems," says Creel. "One important system is having a set place for things, not just sticking something in a cabinet or closet because you don't know where it goes. Each storage space in your home should be designated for a particular item, and nothing but that item should be kept in that space."
"Once you have a place for everything, there is never a question about where something goes. It's simply a matter of making time to put it there," says Creel. "I recommend that clients institute a '15-minute rule' 15 minutes at the end of the day putting things back where they belong. This is especially effective if you involve the whole house kids and spouses too and make it a regular part of bedtime."
Finally, purchase products that can help with home organization. Creel has created OnlineOrganizing.com to assist others with home organization. Her Web site is brimming with helpful products and tools to keep a home organized. Closet dividers, label makers, bill organizers, stacking bins and even home inventory software to keep track of your possessions are all available.
A Family Affair
