Organizing Checklist

As we were organizing "Janis's" attic storage, she came across this list. We had a bit of a chuckle and she suggested I share this with you. Overtime Janis's home became overwhelmed with stuff, or junk as referred to on her checklist.

Let's look closer at this checklist:
1. Pick up our junk - A very good start, don't you think? Leaving items lying around for you to grumble as you walk past does not lend itself to help in the happy harmony of your home.

2. Put our junk upstairs - OK, this is alright though just putting item upstairs could be where this list begins to stumble. You want to put your "junk" back in its home. If you are keeping an item, the item needs to have a positive purpose in your life and it needs its own home or place to live in your home.

3. Clear our tables - Another good start. Tables and other nice flat surfaces are perfect places to set your "junk." Tables are also great places for your stuff to begin to pile upwards ... this is not such a great thing. Work to keep your flat surfaces clear by putting your items away in their home after you are done using them.

4. Do any other little think you can do - Uh oh. This will tend to lead your family to do whatever they wish, which will be the easiest, fastest path to nothing. Hey, if you gave me the opportunity to do anything I could think of ... whoa, I'm lying on my hammock to take an afternoon siesta ... zzzz... You have to give direction to what you wish to have action taken or you will end up with your teenage kid sleeping, eating, texting ... repeat.

5. DON'T YELL!!! - My personal favorite, even blogged about screaming. Yelling has it's time and place, though in the midst of your organizing project ... maybe not so much. Getting organized can be a big task and staying organized is a daily battle (even for me the professional organizer and don't let other organizers kid you. They struggle too). Take your time. Remember you will be far more successful breaking down your big organizing projects into smaller ones.

Janis thank you for sharing your family's checklist with us. You are doing a fabulous job at getting organized and staying organized.

What is your organizing checklist?