Go Organize: Conquer Clutter in 3 Simple Steps (18 page)

There are countless ways to organize your DVDs. The most important thing is to find a system that you can and will follow. If you're not a highly structured person, don't try to maintain a highly structured system. Personally, I think just having all of the DVDs in one place works well. Decide where to keep them and then keep them there; that's all you need to do. If you're looking for more structure than that, you can:

 


1. Place them in a DVD stand that has slots that hold them in place.
   

 


2. Organize the discs by subject: drama, comedy, family, action. If you do this and you want the cases to stay separated by subject, apply a different colored dot for each subject (e.g., drama — red, comedy — green, etc.).
   

 


3. If you have a large DVD collection and want to save space, remove the discs from their cases and place the discs in a binder specifically made for DVD storage. If you are organizing by subject, you could have a case for each subject. These cases will fit nicely on a shelf in your entertainment center or on a bookshelf.
   

 


4. Consider renting or checking out DVDs from the library to save money and space.
   

Whatever method you use, make it as easy as possible to put the discs away after they are used. All of these organizing ideas will work for CDs, Blu-ray, and video games as well.

Are you constantly finding dirty dishes in the family room? Consider establishing a rule that all family members must take their dishes to the kitchen as soon as they leave the family room. If someone doesn't follow the rule and you are the person who removes the dishes, charge the person maid wages for your services. As the family member pays for maid service, his or her skills in taking dishes out of the room will improve. If the family member doesn't have money of his or her own, he or she can work it off by doing a chore of your choice (like washing dishes or loading and unloading the dishwasher). Make up a list of chores family members can choose from and post it inside a cupboard door.

If your family has video-game systems, place a lidless container in the entertainment center to hold all of the cords and remote controls. This way, all the cords and controls are in one place and they are easy to get out and easy to put away. You can have another container for the games, or follow one of the methods suggested in the organizing DVDs sidebar (on page 151).

Check every DVD, CD, Blu-ray, and video game case kept in the entertainment center to make sure the disc is in it. If the disc is missing, keep the case out and ask family members to search for the missing disc later. Don't get distracted and start searching for it now. Stay focused on your overall organizing plan for the room.

Bookcases

Remove all the books one shelf at a time and dust the shelf and books. As you remove the books put them in categories (children, young adult, geography, science, etc.). As you place them back on the shelves, put them together by category. I recommend removing the dust covers because they get tattered and the dust settles on the top of the book, not the front and back sides.

You can place tattered or awkward-sized paperback books in a photo-holder box that is labeled with the titles of the books.

You can also use the bookshelf to hold boxes of craft items if you or your family members work on crafts in this room. Make sure the craft items are conveniently and attractively contained.

Closet

If you have a closet in this room, decide what you want to use it for: Games and crafts are good options. Limit what you keep here so you can get maximum use out of this premium space (see page 24). Clear everything out of the closet. Decide if each item belongs in this closet or if it would be better in another closet. Don't leave the room, just put things that don't belong here in the BE basket and deal with them later. Dust all of the empty shelves. Then group the items that belong in the closet together by category and give each category its own shelf or part of a shelf. Check each item before you put it back in the closet to make sure your family still enjoys and uses the item and the item is still in good enough shape to use.

Evaluate the amount of decorations you have in your family room, specifically on the hearth and mantel. How do they make you feel? Is your wattage a 7 or above when you look at them? If there are too many things in this room that make it look cluttered, consider rotating decorations in and out or rearranging them to avoid a cluttered feeling in the room. Evaluate each knickknack and decide if you can give it away so someone else can enjoy it. Be honest when you are evaluating each item. Get rid of anything that no longer lights you up. You could also take a picture of knickknacks before donating them and put the photo in an album to bring back memories.

You'll likely have games here, so check each game to make sure it is complete with no missing pieces that prevent playing the game. If a game isn't complete and it can't or won't be played because of the missing piece, get rid of it. If your family has outgrown the game or never plays it, put it in your donation box. Store like games together (card games, board games, children's games, etc.). If the boxes are falling apart, tape them back together before placing them back on the shelf. For small games, plastic containers or metal boxes that are labeled are good, sturdy containers to use. For larger games, purchase plastic Game Savers boxes. Game Savers boxes are sturdy, plastic containers to organize and store your games. The lid is attached, and there are compartments for the different game pieces. They are available online, including on my Web site,
www.marilynbohn.com
.

Toy Boxes

Keep toys confined to one place. Toys don't have to be kept in boxes. A plastic cart with stackable drawers or bins lets you separate toys by category (dolls, trucks, etc.). A toy box without a lid makes it easier for children to get out and put away their toys. The size of the container limits the amount of toys in the room. It may be more practical for you to have a few different, smaller containers when your child is very young so the child can easily reach into the containers. See Chapter 7 for more ideas on organizing toys.

Flat Surfaces

Tables:
Clear everything off the end tables and dust them. Then decide what belongs on them. End tables are good for holding a lamp, a few family photos, or souvenirs from family trips (limit the number to three or under depending on the size of the table). Sort the items you're not placing back on the table into one of your four containers (trash, recycle, donate, or BE basket) or find a home for the item somewhere else in the room. Remember to keep likes together; if it's a DVD or book, place it with others like it. On the coffee table, three to five magazines neatly stacked or a few books and a centerpiece leave enough room for bowls of snacks and drinking glasses. Make coasters available and teach your family members to use them. The coasters will help prevent water marks on the furniture.

Tip:
To keep track of remote controls, designate a basket for them. Keep the basket on the table where they are used most often, near a chair or on the coffee table. If young children play with the remotes, place the basket out of their reach. The more convenient they are to get to, the easier they will be to put back in the basket. If there are remotes that are used infrequently, place those in a separate basket and keep them in the entertainment center. Only keep those out that are used frequently.

Do you like to watch television while you iron and fold laundry? There's nothing wrong with that, but to keep the family room organized, put the laundry in baskets to be delivered to the bedrooms as soon as you finish folding them. When you are finished ironing, immediately unplug the iron and wind up the cord to prevent any accidents. Let the iron cool and then put it and the ironing board away. Make space for the board in a closet or in the laundry room. Leaving the board out takes up valuable space and makes it hard to relax because you're constantly reminded of that chore. If you clean up your projects, you set a good example for your family members, and they will be more likely to honor the rules you establish for keeping the room clean and organized.

Fireplace Mantel:
Take everything off the mantel and dust it. To keep the family room from having a cluttered look, do not over crowd this area by having too many things placed here. Possible things to put back on the mantel are figurines, candles, holiday decorations, collections, or family photos.

Fireplace Hearth:
Remove everything and dust the hearth, or wash it well. You can keep your hearth clear with nothing on it at all, or keep floor pillows and quilts stacked in a basket there. If you build fires in your fireplace, you can keep a container of wood and the fireplace tool on the hearth.

Game Tables:
Surfaces such as Ping-Pong, foosball, air hockey, and pool tables can be clutter magnets. When someone wants to play, they either have to unload the table or not use it at all. At a family meeting, enlist everyone's help in agreeing that these will not be used as dumping grounds. If everything in the room has a designated place other than that table, it will be easier to keep it clutter-free.

WRAP UP

Now that you have organized your family room, it is a comfortable place used by all members of the family. Doesn't it feel good to have a home for everything and to have everything arranged in a pleasant and inviting manner?

You really did a good job working on your goals and completing all of them. It can be a lot of work to get things just as you want them, and you did it! Don't you feel good about what you just accomplished? Give yourself a pat on the back!

Congratulations on:

 


• setting your goals and checking each one off as you finished
  

 


• getting the DVDs, video games, CDs, and Blu-ray discs organized in the entertainment center
  

 


• organizing the books in the bookcase; donating those no longer being read; mending books you keep; and removing the covers to make the books look tidy on the shelves
  

 


• placing containers in convenient locations for crafts, newspapers, magazines, and quilts
  

 


• holding a family meeting to establish rules about eating in the family room and what is expected
  

 


• sorting through the games and keeping the ones that are used
  

 


• containing the toys in an easy-to-use way
  

 


• assigning places for everything
  

Because of all the things you did, it will be easier for your family to keep this room organized. Now use the wattage scale to rate how you feel in this room.

When you think of paper in your home, do you cringe from the sheer volume that you have to deal with every day? How long has it been since you saw the top of your desk? Are papers scattered all over your house? Do you have a working filing system? Do you blame yourself for the paper clutter in your home? It is not your fault paper has become such a large organizing problem. We receive more mail and paperwork in one day than our grandparents received in a month. The good news is that a good, working filing system can help you virtually eliminate the paper piles in your home.

You need an effective plan for dealing with the papers that manage to find their way into your home. This chapter will help you take control of your incoming mail and get your files and home office organized.

SEARCHLIGHT

With the Searchlight, look in each room in your home where you have

paper stashed — in the kitchen, office, family room, living room, the bedroom(s), and anywhere else paper may be piled. In your notebook, answer these questions:

 


1. What currently works in your paperwork system? Write down whatever you do that helps you answer the mail, pay bills, and complete other deadlines on time.
   

 


2. Is paper a hassle for you, and is it taking over your life? Identify what you need to change by asking yourself the following questions:
   

    
   

   1. Is mail sorted and dealt with in a timely manner?
      

    
   

   2. Is there a landing place for all papers that come into your home? Is there a place for mail?
      

    
   

   3. Do you have a hard time deciding what to keep and what to toss?
      

    
   

   4. Does junk mail live in your home?
      

    
   

   5. Is the desk area functional? Do you use this area, or do you answer mail and pay bills in another area? Are all the items that you use to pay bills and to respond to other correspondence organized and within easy reach (calculator, calendar, pens, postage, envelopes, etc.)?
      

    
   

   6. What is the condition of the filing system? Is the current one working for you and is it efficient?
      

    
   

   7. Do you need to reduce the personal items and decorations on your desk to create more work space?
      

    
   

   8. Do you have adequate lighting?
      

    
   

   9. Is there space to store office supplies, such as paper and other necessities?
      

    
   

   10. Are there items you need to relocate, donate, recycle, or trash to reduce clutter in your office?
       

    
   

   11. Is your desk or work area organized to support the activities you do here? Does this place help you to be creative and accomplish tasks efficiently?
       

    
   

   12. What activities do you do at your desk or work station? What supplies do you need?
       

    
   

   13. Is the layout and flow comfortable and efficient?
       

    
   

   14. What will help you enjoy working here?
       

    
   

Paula was dismayed when it came to the volume of paper she had to deal with every day. She brings in the mail as soon as she arrives home from work. She tears open the envelopes, glances at the contents, and then tosses the papers wherever she happens to be at the moment.

She doesn't have time to really look through the mail, and it stresses her out to make decisions on what to do with it, so she ignores it day after day. She has a filing cabinet, but it is chock-full of old papers that she filed years ago. She is not sure what is in there now. She would like a good filing system but doesn't know how to set it up. She also wants to be in control of all the mail she receives.

Use the wattage scale (see page 15) to assess how you feel. Are you lit up at a 7 or above? Now that you have answered these questions and written the things down that you want to change, use the Spotlight to set goals to increase the wattage of your home office and deal with your paper. Take a photo of your home office area for a before-and-after comparison.

SPOTLIGHT

It may have been painful to find out just how much paper has piled up

and made you feel out of control, but now that you know what the problems are, you can use the Spotlight and set goals. You will no longer dread the mail, and your filing system will work smoothly for you.

You wrote down what problems you see; now write down your goals. They can be checked off as you accomplish them. Here are some examples of goals you could set to conquer the paperwork nightmare:

 


1. Establish a landing place for all mail and put the mail only in this place and nowhere else.
   

 


2. Have all supplies needed to pay bills, answer letters, and take care of all correspondence (letter opener, scissors, envelopes, cards, stamps, pens, and rubber bands) in a portable container or in desk drawers.
   

 


3. Schedule a time when you can open your mail and sort it every day.
   

 


4. Set up an efficient, easy-to-use filing system.
   

 


5. Remove your name from mailing lists to reduce the amount of junk mail you receive (see page 164).
   

 


6. Create space for office supplies, such as computer paper, paper clips, stapler, hole punch, tape, sticky notes, and extra pens and pencils.
   

If you don't have file drawers, a file box, or file cabinets, purchase one. I recommend a 22″ (56cm) or 26″ (66cm), two-drawer or four-drawer cabinet and check to be sure the drawers pull out all the way. In my experience, the 18″ (46cm), two-drawer file cabinets do not give you enough room and the drawers don't pull out all the way.

The size of the file cabinet you need depends on how much information you want to store in the files. If the cabinet is small, you can place a printer on it or it can possibly be treated as furniture and used as an end table by placing an attractive cover, such as a small tablecloth, table runner or placemat on it. Larger file cabinets require a place of their own.

If you don't have room for or don't want to purchase a file cabinet, the next best option is a file box. Cardboard or plastic banker boxes with lids are sold at office-supply and variety stores. I recommend the plastic ones as they last longer and are more attractive and can protect against water damage. These can be placed next to your work area or under a table or stored in the closet on the shelf or on the floor.

You'll also need a shredder so you can dispose of personal information in a secure way.

GREEN LIGHT

With your goals written down, start working in the Green Light.

Paperwork is a huge task to conquer, so we're going to break it down into easy sections. I suggest you work in this order:

 


1. mail
   

 


2. loose papers
   

 


3. filing
   

 


4. home office area
   

Mail

We're starting with mail because implementing a plan right away will keep the paper mess from growing. Deal with the new before you deal with the old. This is an approach you need to commit to each day to keep your paperwork and mail organized. Decide on a landing place for your mail when you bring it into your home. Designate a basket specifically for the mail and place the mail in its designated spot as soon as you bring it in the house. If it is tossed on the desk or on the kitchen counter or on a table in the family entryway and it is not contained, it can become scattered, and it will become out-of-control clutter.

Leave the mail until you have time to sit down and look at it carefully enough to make a decision about everything, but toss all obvious junk mail immediately. Keep a trash can or recycling bin next to your landing zone so this is easy. When opening mail, have your office supplies and your calendar or planner handy to jot down information you need later. This is absolutely essential!

Take control of your paper by reducing the amount of paper coming into your home. One of the most effective ways to reduce the amount of paper you receive is to get your name and address removed from mailing lists. Here are some web sites where you can remove yourself from junk mail lists:

www.proquo.com

www.obviously.com/junkmail

www.41pounds.org

www.optoutprescreen.com

You can choose what mail you want to receive and what you don't. You can get your name removed from coupon lists, catalogs, and insurance and credit card lists to name a few.

When you sit down to sort your mail, make a goal to handle each piece of paper only once. Make a decision while the piece of mail is in your hand, without putting it down into a pile. If you want to get rid of paper piles in your life, you need to make decisions as you sort through paper. As you look at each piece of paper, ask “what action do I need to take?” Use this 4-D plan of action:

 


1. Done:
   This is something that doesn't need your immediate attention and you can recycle, shred, toss, or file it for reference (junk mail, a magazine that goes to your reading basket, tax information, etc.).
   

 


2. Do:
   If it is something that takes less than two minutes to do, do it right then (clip a coupon and put in your coupon holder or planner, RSVP for an event, etc.).
   

 


3. Delegate:
   Pass it off to the person who is to take care of it.
   

 


4. Delivery
   (short-term and long-term): Short-term delivery is something that needs action within a few days. Make a note in your planner or on your calendar and put it in a basket or an action file folder to be taken care of in a few days (a bill to pay, correspondence, etc.). If it hasn't been done in a few days, re-evaluate when action needs to be taken, write the new date in your planner as a reminder, and file it away in your filing cabinet where it can stay until you are ready to take care of it. Long-term delivery is for filing resource information, projects you are working on, or files to be kept permanently (insurance papers, travel information, warranties, and other information you want to keep for a long period of time but don't refer to very often).