In General

• Was it a purchase mistake? (if so, that does not make it better to keep it)
• Does it take more time and effort to manage than it is worth?
• Does it make others unhappy to see it? Am I putting things before people and relationships?
• Do I need it?
• Is it redundant?
• Do I love it? Does it make me happy or unhappy to see it?
• If I were moving, would I pay to have it packed and moved?
• Would I buy it again?
• Is it broken, and if so, am I ever going to fix it?
• Am I ever really going to finish this project (book, quilt, etc.)?
• Can I borrow or purchase another one, if needed, without spending a fortune or having trouble finding it?
• When’s the last time I used it (assuming I knew it was there)?
• If I knew that someone else would really benefit from having this (i.e. if we found a great place to donate it), would that make it easier for me to let it go?
• Is this adding value to my home or business?
• Is this item getting in the way of my ability to find what I need, when I need it?
• Will this help me make or save money?
• Does it take up valuable “real estate” in my home by being here? Is it worth the space I’ve dedicated to it? Is there another place better suited for it?
• If I keep it, will I remember I have it? If I remember I have it, will I be able to find it?
• Does it belong to me? If not, get it to the real owner and out of your space.
• Convince someone else that you need to keep it. If you can’t, then let it go.

Paper

• Am I legally required to keep it (i.e. vital & tax records), and if so, for how long?
• Will I actually use it/refer to it/need it?
• Is the information still current?
• Can it easily be duplicated or created if needed again (i.e. found on the web)?
• What’s the worst that can happen if I toss it?
• Is it a duplicate?

Clothes

• Is the item in good condition? Does it have stains or tears or is it too worn?
• Is the item still in style?
• Does it fit? If not, is it within a reasonable number of size ranges of my current size range to keep it?
• Do I love the item, or even like it? Does it make me feel great to wear it?
• When was the last time I used this item? Would I use it again now that I remember that I have it?
• How many do I currently own of this type of item? Do I have something similar I like better?

Memorabilia

• Do I have anything else that reminds me of this event/person/time?
• If I took a picture of it, would that make it easier for me to let it go?
• Am I keeping it because someone gave it to me and I’ll feel guilty if I get rid of it?
• Does the sentimental value exceed the practical value? If so, by all means, keep it!

Special thanks to the NAPO (National Association of Professional Organizers) chat group for authoring and compiling these questions!

I don’t know anyone who enjoys unloading the dishwasher. I certainly don’t! But I don’t dread it like I used to either since I’ve come up with the following system:

1. Start by zoning your kitchen. Keeping like items together (glasses all in one cabinet, plates all in another cabinet, etc.) is the first step to make food prep and clean up less cumbersome.
2. Zone your dishwasher. Think of this step like pre-sorting laundry. Instead of just throwing dishes into the dishwasher willy-nilly, designate “zones” in your dishwasher for like items and put items in their zone when loading. For example, my top rack is used for glasses only. It has 5 rows, and I put items in their appropriate row when I load. So left to right, my rows contain:
   • row #1: wine glasses
   • row #2: plastic or kids cups
   • row #3: is wider so that’s where I put coffee mugs
   • row #4: tall drinking glasses
   • row #5: small juice glasses

   I do the same for my bottom rack:

   • Back row: Since it’s wider, this is where I put pots & bakeware
   • Left side: tupperware & bowls
   • Middle: small plates
   • Right side: large plates

   The reason for creating zones is that while you’re unloading, it’s easier to grab all small glasses at the same time and put them all in the same cabinet at one time. Then move on to the next row and put them where they belong all at one time. It saves time, and if you’re accident-prone like me, it saves you from bumping your head on too many open cabinet doors.

3. Create your dishwasher zones closest to where the items live in your kitchen. In my example above, my wine glasses are in row #1 because it’s closest to the cabinet to the left of my sink where they live in my kitchen. Small juice glasses are on the far right because they live in a cabinet to the right of my sink.
4. Turn dishes so they face the sprayer. Sounds simple enough, I know, but my dishes used to come out dirty even when I pre-rinsed because I had them turned so the bottoms faced the sprayer so the food surfaces stayed dirty. Now I turn them backwards so they face the main jets and what a difference it’s made! Not only are they cleaner, I don’t have to waste time inspecting them before I put them away anymore!
5. My real secret weapon: Zone silverware! Just like you’re going to designate areas for glasses and plates, you’ll save so much time if you zone your silverware caddy. Mine has 6 compartments and if you’re looking at them from an aerial view, I set them up like this:
   

   butter knives	sharp knives
   forks	utensils
   small spoons	large spoons

   
   I can’t stress enough how much of a time saver this is! Once you get used to your zones, it takes no additional time to load the dishwasher, and when you’re unloading the silverware, you can grab all forks and put them in your silverware drawer all at one time. No more standing in front of your silverware drawer for 10 minutes while you grab a handful of utensils out of the caddy and sort them one at a time into your silverware drawer.

6. Communicate the zones to the rest of the family! This whole system will break down if you’re the only one in your family using zones to load the dishwasher. If they’re reluctant, ask for their help in an experiment: ask to time them when they do a regular unload and time them again when they do a “zoned” unload. Compare the results, and ask them if they thought it was easier to unload. When they say yes, let them know that’s why it’s important that you have their help to continue loading into zones. And if they don’t, then personally, I’d pass on the chore of unloading the dishes to one of them forever.

Use the following laundry tips and organizing items to avoid clothes mountains, and to reduce time sorting, folding, ironing, & putting clothes away.

MY FAVORITE LAUNDRY PRODUCTS:

1. Three-compartment hamper with removable sacks (for adults) helps you presort by darks/lights/other.
2. Mesh bags (for kids). Throw the whole thing in the washer and dryer and you’ll never have to sort before putting clothes away!
3. Mesh lingerie bags
4. Fold-down hanger holder (instead of a rod) for drying clothes small spaces
5. Ironing board hanging bar to keep ironed clothes neat and make ironing mobile since there’s no need to be near a hanging rod
6. Sock clips to keep matched pairs together in drawers and in the wash
7. Slim rolling cart to fit between, beside, or in front of the washer to hold detergents, dryer sheets, etc.
8. Adjustable shelves to fit any space
9. Shelf dividers to keep folded clothes neat in your closet
10. Downy wrinkle-reducer spray to avoid ironing completely.

LAUNDRY TIPS:

PRE-SORT:

• When your family undresses, pre-sort the clothes into the sorter by darks/whites/other (reds or lingerie)
• Use lingerie bags to keep undergarments together. It will save time putting them away because they’re pre-sorted. It will also prevent damage.
• Use sock clips to keep matched pairs together. When you wear the socks, put the clip near your laundry sack and when you remove them to launder, re-clip them. They’ll stay matched in the wash and won’t require sorting or folding before being put away.
• Color-code sock clips by family member so if you’re washing a mixed load, you’ll immediately know whose socks belong to whom.

WHEN TO WASH CLOTHES:

• KIDS: wash and dry clothes in mesh sacks and wash sack is ½ full
• ADULTS: when a sorted sack is full. Unhook it to carry to the laundry room, and hang on the hanging bar. Put dried/folded clothes into the sack and carry back to your room to put away.
• Do laundry first thing in the morning or before bed. If done in the morning, you’ll have all day to remember to dry & fold them, and if washed and switched into the dryer before bed, they’ll dry overnight be ready to fold & put away in the morning.
• If you get behind, use a laundry service to get you caught up.

DRYING:

• After drying hanging clothes, immediately remove them from the dryer and hang until you iron. It will reduce wrinkles and therefore time spent ironing.

FOLDING:

• KIDS: Carry the mesh sack to their room and immediately fold and put away.
• ADULTS: Fold a load immediately out of the dryer to reduce wrinkles and prevent clothes mountains.
• When folding clothes, separate them into several piles that match your drawer or closet system. For example, put t-shirts together, jeans together, work-out clothes together. That way they’re presorted and ready to put away.

IRONING:

• Hang clothes until they’re ready to iron to reduce wrinkles.
• Use a wrinkle-reducer spray to avoid ironing altogether. (TRAVEL TIP: Get it in a travel size! And see my article “Look FABULOUS while you Travel!” for more great travel tips!)
• Use an ironing bar that attaches to your ironing board to keep freshly ironed clothes wrinkle-free.
• Sort ironed clothes on the bar by owner, style (short or long sleeved), and color so they’re easier to put away.

We all got ‘em….old diaper boxes, computer component boxes, Amazon.com shipments….so let’s reduce/reuse/recycle by putting them to good use and control our clutter!

Keep an empty box in every closet of the house:

• Front hall closet: keep a box for “outgoing” items like store returns, library books, or items that belong to someone else. Next time you go out, grab the box!
• Kitchen pantry: keep a box for things that belong in another room like kid’s toys or loose papers. When it gets full, take 10 minutes and transport them to the right room then put the empty box back in the pantry so it’s ready for the next batch of clutter.
• Clothes closet: keep a box for items you no longer wear and want to donate. When it’s full, drop it off.
• Kid’s playrooms: keep a box in your kid’s rooms or playrooms for toys they no longer want to play with. Donate them when it gets full.
• Home office: keep a box for shred items. If you own a shredder, shred while you’re watching TV. If you don’t own a shredder, take it to a shredding service. Check with your town hall to see if your town has quarterly “shred-a-thons.”
• Craft rooms: keep a box for fabric & ribbon scraps, bits of yarn, and left over cotton polyfill. In early spring, set the box outside for a month and let birds use the bits to make their nests!

(TIP: If you’re on a tight budget or don’t have a box lying around, your local ABC store will let you have boxes for free. They’re already put together and they’re a manageable size to fit anywhere and still be light enough to lift when they’re full.)

One of my tips for clients who are facing a task they don’t want to do is to use a timer. Pick a time, say 20 minutes, set the timer, and get to it! When the timer goes off, STOP! It helps break a daunting, boring, or overwhelming task into manageable pieces, makes people feel like they’ve accomplished something, and prevents burn out. This trick works on everything from cleaning to filing to folding laundry to yardwork.

Don’t have a timer? Don’t worry! TV commercials can act as great “timers” for getting things done quickly while limiting the time a task will take.

During a commercial, here are 10 things you can get done:

1. Dust the den or living room (TIP: Keep preloaded wipes in the room in a basket or drawer!)
2. Have a treasure hunt with your kids by having them pick up items that don’t belong in the room. Whoever puts the most stuff in the treasure chest (aka, an empty box in the closet) wins!
3. Do sit ups, push ups, or lunges
4. Cuddle with the kids or your spouse
5. Make a grocery list
6. Send a thank you note
7. Call a friend to touch base quickly
8. Clean out the fridge
9. Throw in some laundry
10. Fold or put away clothes

These quick hits will prevent having to schedule big clean ups because messes never get the chance to accumulate or become overwhelming, which is why most people procrastinate. Try it and let me know how it works for you!

Who’s got time for Time Management? We all do. Time management is really all about what I like to call the “in between” minutes — that is, the few extra moments you have while you’re waiting for something else to get done.

Here are my top 5 favorite tips to use your “in between” time to keep on top of housework:

1. While waiting for the coffee to brew, wipe down the kitchen countertops. (Estimated time: 1 1/2 minutes)
2. While breakfast is cooking, empty the dishwasher. When breakfast is done, load the dishes in your empty dishwasher so nothing stacks up in the sink. Run it before bedtime, and it’ll be ready to unload again in the morning. (Estimated time: 4 minutes)
3. While your shower water is heating up, use disinfecting wipes to clean the bathroom sink & toilet. (TIP: Keep wipes under every sink in your house so they’re ready when you are!) (Estimated time: 1 minute.)
4. Keep a magic eraser or sponge in your shower to wipe it down before you get out. There’s no more gross scum build up, and no need to schedule a time to clean! (Estimated time: 3 minutes.)
5. Next time you’re on the phone, sweep the kitchen floor. (Estimated time: 2 minutes.)

I find that people think small tasks take longer than they actually do, so next time you do a chore, try timing yourself and you’ll probably be surprised at how long it doesn’t take. And once you see how much gets done “in between,” you’ll have plenty of extra time to do something fun!