Hellloooo Organizing Gurus!
Are you working through your summertime purging between
trips to Summer Camp and a Family Vacation?
It’s time to Sort – It – Out – In – Seconds with these easy-to-implement tips for
purging the excess and unnecessary in your home!
Home Purging Checklist
Summertime means it’s time to fling out the old and embrace some fresh space in your place… I didn’t mean to make it rhyme but heck I am going with it! When we are mentally exhausted from daily decision-making, it is hard to make even the simplest of choices.
My home remodeling project this year has especially made me even more aware of what I truly need to store, what to purge or passed on to another. Time to shove out the shame and bring in the shine!
#1 : Stained Bed Linens
We have learned now more than ever the importance of a sanitary space.
- If after multiple attempts to clean stains from your soiled linens, then those linens are at a point to discard.
- Identify 2 sets of linens per bed in your home and perhaps 1-2 sets for guest stays, then freely donate or discard the rest!
#2 : Frayed Towels
Avoid the mental madness of what to keep and how many of each. Follow my Linen Logarithm shared in my best-selling book, Ignite the Organizer in You:
- (3) Bath + (3) Hand + (1) Face Towel / Per Family Member
- Example: Total Family of 4 = 12 Bath + 12 Hand + 4 Face.
- (If you fear this isn’t enough for your family’s showering needs then store the excess towels in a zippered comforter bag.)
- For Pool Towels: (1) per family member + 2 for guests. You are not expected to host like a Hilton Hotel so request guests to bring their own.
- For Car Washes and household cleanups. I just keep a handful of each size in my laundry room marked “clean cloths”. After just a few years your new towels will have run their course and can rotate your inventory from everyday towels to clean up towels guilt-free.
#3 : Excess Bath & Body Products
Do you have enough products to stock a mini motel?
- Decide on your main stock to be placed in your immediate vanity drawers and then place the balance in back stock for visiting guests.
- Divide your themes from oral care, skincare, and body care.
- Considering converting the excess inventory into Care Bags, insert an uplifting message on an index card and hand it out to the homeless or another in need.
#4 : Tech Gear & Power Cords
Coral and wrap cords up tightly with a handy binder clip.
- Match up family members plugs & cord sets and label each accordingly.
- If you don’t own a label maker, I highly suggest you buy the Brother Label Maker. Hands down my favorite model to resolve everyday challenges.
- Another clever alternative is to use glow-in-the-dark Duck Tape or Washi Tape to identify each family member’s tech gear.
- It is helpful to store an extra phone cord set for the travel/car.
- Bring the balance of your old tech to your nearest tech supply store for them to to transfer the data and donate with peace of mind at their recycling center.
#5 : Expired Food, Spices & Oils
This one will be a shocker! Whenever we organize a pantry or kitchen, I warn the client to not be surprised when we find about 50% of their inventory may be expired.
- Quickly review each item and recycle the containers separating glass from plastic.
- Mark on your grocery list what core items need replacing. Be mindful of why it went expired or didn’t get used in a recipe in the first place.
- For excess canned or boxed food that is still current, offer to a neighbor in need or vendor currently doing work at your house.
#6 : Unnecessary Office Supplies
Do you have a stock of staples that could take you until the year 2050 to use up? Oh girl you are so not alone! When I redesigned my office some years back I had one-clear-epiphany … only own supplies that make me smile super big time AND were in my brand colors.
- Identify your top favorite writing pens, pencils, erasers, notepads, sticky notes, and envelopes.
- Office supplies can be pricey so bag up the balance of your excess supplies. Keep binders or folders for your kid’s school presentations
- Donate the extras to their school or even a small business you support.
- You will think clearer having the extra space to be more creative.
#7 : Clear Out The Cleaners
Most people own an exorbitant amount of house, fabric, and floor cleaners. Like-way-way-way too much. This excess occurs quickly when you don’t have an organized system.
- Decide how many types of cleaners do you truly need, will honestly use & what surface/purpose does it consistently serves.
- Is their one multipurpose product to serve multiple surfaces? For our family, we are die-hard white vinegar fans for so many purposes.
- Create one spot as your core stock zone or go-to-caddy and place the balance in back stock.
- Don’t complicate using cleaners, you either use them or you don’t.
#8 : Remove The Clothes that Don’t Follow my Triple “F Rule”
Life is too dang short to wear clothes that don’t enhance your best assets and reduce your body shape liabilities!
- FACT: Clothes are by far the hardest to purge because it is so very personal.
- In short, I realized the importance of my Triple “F Rule”: Identifying items that not only Fit but Flatter & are in Fashion.
- Years back, North Scottsdale Lifestyle Magazine reached out to me with interest in writing a fashion article for their September Issue. I have written many organizing articles on how it relates to closet space, but not how it relates to fashion. This one covers it all and will guide you through how to conquer the closet.
TRUTH: Purging doesn’t have to be painful!
Just select the easiest category to work thru of these 8 Key Categories.
You can efficiently and effectively purge your little heart out once you start getting motivated and see the results!
