It’s that time again – Life is full of the promise of a new year and the hope that it will be spectacular. To that end, we are all making our own little resolutions whether we acknowledge it or not. One of the most common and most frequently broken ones is the goal to de-clutter and get organized.  And it’s also one of the resolutions most doomed to failure.

I propose a new approach to this. Instead of simply starting with a clean slate; start with a new system … maybe even more than one.

The Basics of De-cluttering

The trick here is to actually remove things not just shuffle them around. We are all guilty of it and it becomes a nightmare when you are trying to move. If it hasn’t seen the light of day in ten years, what makes you think it will be a perfect fit for your new home? My parents actually moved garbage … twice. Not a proud realization I assure you.

• Gather four boxes (you may need big ones) – Trash, Give Away, Keep and relocate.
• If it doesn’t have a home now, it won’t tomorrow. Let it go …

Figuring Out the Paper Trail

I have relatives that I swear the TV show Hoarders have passed on deeming them too far gone. These individuals seem to poop paper. And quite honestly it’s not hard to find yourself in an avalanche of old newspaper clippings, paid bills, and documents that you don’t know what to do with but are afraid to throw out.  This is where a good system is critical. First, honestly assess your habits: are you a filer or a stacker?

Systems for traditional filers:

• Start by separating your paper into two piles: papers you may need to access immediately and those you can store
• Have a file cabinet handy or several file boxes that if they cannot be hidden must be somewhat nice to look at. The Container Store has some nice options as does Office Depot and Office Max. I always look on line for deals as well.
• Create folders and tabs that anyone could easily recognize and find. You never know which family member may have to access something quickly and while it makes awesome sense to you, When Fido starts vomiting after eating a few rocks, Aunt Alice isn’t going to look under Pet for Fido’s vet.
• Important papers such as wills, life insurance policies, and titles deserve special care. Put the originals in a lock box or a safety deposit box and scan them for placement with an online storage service such as Carbonite, Norton, or SOS. There are many options. Do your research.
• Get rid of paper bills. Most are maintained on-line by the company or your can scan and store them. If you MUST keep a paper copy, just hold on to the last paid bill.
• Evernote and Dropbox are excellent options for storing pictures and having one place for your notes and communications.

Systems for stackers:

• You like your paper – just admit it. You need to start with four piles. Pile 1: Immediate attention; Pile 2: Address by the end of the month; Pile 3: Important papers that need a permanent home (see filing options) and Pile 4: Likely to go in the trash bin.
• Gather open boxes of various sizes that look nice and can fit neatly either in drawers or on open shelving.
• Label your boxes depending on your needs. For example, a box for receipts and tax information just labeled “tax 2015” will do.
• Take ten minutes every morning to review the boxes and see if something can’t be moved. Dump the “likely to go in the trash pile” every two days.

OTHER TIPS FOR PAPER ISSUES:

Get a good back up system – carbonite, SOS, or Norton are all good.

Take advantage of on-line bill pay (it will make your life much cleaner!)

Clean out address books. If you haven’t communicated in ten years, it’s time to take them off the list.

Instead of keeping every art creation your child has made, take a picture, date it and create a book.

Develop a calendar you will use – ideally put everything on one calendar that syncs with others such as
Outlook. If you need a paper one, make it huge and update it DAILY.

Closet clean outs

This is a tough one for some people. Clothes and shoes take on sentimental value for adults just as toys do for children. Here is my rule of thumb. I get rid of anything I haven’t worn in two years, anything with a stain, anything with a tear or rip, and anything that I fantasize I might wear again someday if I lose those stubborn five pounds. It’s really just masochistic to hang on to those. And I use the replacement system on myself as well as my kids. For every new piece you want to add, one must go. This isn’t always practical, but it’s a good guide.

• Shoes need a place – invest in clear shoe boxes. I like these better than hanging systems. I like to see what I have.
• Organize clothing by color and category. Your mornings will go smoother.
• If you feel like investing – keep your hangers all matching. I like wooden hangers personally. They make the closet look lux and uniform.
• Use hanging shoe trees to store clutches; bigger bags go on top of shelves.
• Hang boots by pant hangers or paint can clips.
• Utilize cubby storage systems for children’s toys. Hidden storage is ideal. Look to IKEA, Container Store, Target, and Walmart for less expensive solutions.

Create hanging or stacking storage in cabinets and pantries

• Free up floor space in laundry areas by installing hanging systems for brooms, mops, etc. And no one needs four mops – get rid of unnecessary items.
• Use stacking shelves under the kitchen sink and Lazy Susans under bathroom sinks to maximize space.
• Use the space under your bed to store unused linens
• Magazine file boxes can organize plastic wrap and aluminum foil; baskets can organize canned goods.
• Remove stuff from bulky boxes and transfer into stackable containers or zip lock bags (see previous tip for organizing those)

And my last and favorite tip: The “it’s yours put it away box.” Every family member has his or her own box. When picking up, throw the item in that individual’s box and they are responsible for putting it away before they do anything else. This works great with kids, not so much with spouses.

Of course none of this works if you don’t stick to it, so I recommend allocating 5 minutes every day to reviewing each area.  A half hour a day is ample time to keep it up and you will be so much happier. I wish you a happy and organized 2015!