Clutter Control and Organizing Solutions

Yeah - that I’m definitely not. I am working on becoming more organized in my business world. I am CTMH rep (for anyone not familiar with that - it’s a scrapbooking and stamping business called Close to My Heart .) So not only do I have the business supply and orders mess, but I have my own personal scrapbooking studio mess - I know many people that are artistic that have a great deal of trouble staying organized. Yep - I’m one of them.

It doesn’t really matter what your home business is, what matters is that you get it organized and you stay organized. In the upcoming month of October I am going to be sharing loads of articles, ideas and tips to get your direct sales business, home business or any other WAHM type of business organized.

In addition to that, I will probably be sharing a few “scrapbooking studio” pictures to help those that are afflicted with a craft mess, get just a bit more organized. And before you say, well I don’t scrapbook - if you do any type of crafty work, you’ll find these tips very helpful.

Let me know in the comment field about any problem areas you have.

In the past few years, As Seen on TV products have been developed to make our lives easier. But how do you know if the products work? Almost every mother in law in America (notice I said “almost” and not ALL) has probably purchased some ASOT product. Some probably sit collecting dust, and some are probably quite useful.

As with anything you are going to purchase, you need to really think about how it will work for you, what you will do with it, and how often you will use it. Don’t just purchase something because your neighbor bought it and it works for her. Everyone’s organizational methods are different and what works for some, won’t work for everyone.

I will admit, I am a tad bit compulsive with the ASOT products. Some of them are truly innovative and have made my life much easier. But as with any purchase I make, I made sure it was something I would really use. I have a handful of items I’ve purchased that have wound up in the trash or in my garage sales. Yeah - they are just that bad.

Not all As Seen on TV products work. The best way to find out what someone thinks of these products, is to do a web search. Type in the name of the product, and after carefully weeding through every website you can purchase them at, you will more than likely stumble upon reviews - these reviews can truly be helpful because you will find out what worked for people and what other people thought were annoying. Either way, be sure and check into the product before purchasing it.

Also, you can see the products in person at many retail stores such as Walgreens, Linens and Things and Bed, Bath and Beyond to name three places I have seen them available at. This gives you a close up view of what you are expecting so you can get an idea of size, you can see the product up close and in many cases they will allow you to do a quick demo before deciding to buy.

Organization does not just happen. Most people spend a lot of time working on it - either in small increments or in one big lump of time. Regardless, there are a few ways to plan to get organized that you can do ahead of time.

Lists: If you know of certain areas in your home that need special work - make a list detailing what you would like to do in that area. You can check or cross off each item as it is completed, hopefully making you see your success thus feeling a sense of accomplishment.

Prep: If you need to clean - put together a cleaning basket ahead of time. This way you can have it handy to carry from room to room as you begin your work.

Trash: Remove any and all trash from each area before working on it. Having the existing trash makes you feel overwhelmed and taking multiple trips out to the trash can definitely make you feel a sense of accomplishment.

Containers: Gather a bunch together - you will be sorting along the way - trash, sell, keep.
Eventually you will be sorting your keep pile down to keep displayed and store. These containers come in handy for both stages so make sure you have plenty.

Take lots of breaks so you don’t get frustrated, burned out or just plain crazy. Get up and walk around, get some fresh air, take a drink and eat a snack and then return to the task at hand.

Before you know it, your plans will lead to true organization and you will no longer be living a cluttered life.

Want a quick tip to get a bit more “de-cluttered” in only a half hour or so? Try this great quick tip and see if it works for you!

If you start small and quickly spend 5 minutes PER room and pick up ANY trash you see.

Here’s what you do. Grab a trash bag and set a timer for five minutes. Enter any room in your house and spend 5 minutes (or anytime you wish to set the timer for) and pick up every single trash item you find in that time period in that room. Got a bunch? Now move onto the next room, set the timer and go to work again. You’d be surprised how quickly that bag will fill up and how much of a difference just removing the trash and junk can make.

Don’t even focus on the whole “organizing thing” just get rid of the trash and things that are junk and need to go to the trash. After a half hour, I’d be surprised if you don’t notice a huge difference.
Let me know how it works.

It isn’t something you just do occasionally - organizing that is. In fact, it should totally become a part of your lifestyle if you want to stick to it and make it work. If you have clutter everywhere, more than likely your thoughts are cluttered and things become more difficult because all you see is mess.

It can be overwhelming. But once you figure out what works for you, and you get working on it regularly - you’ll probably find that is just becomes second nature. Doesn’t it feel good to not have to go hunting to find something you want? Doesn’t it feel good to know you can open your door to anyone at any time because its mostly clean and organized?

You might not be there yet, you might still be looking for the answers to staying organized, but I want to tell you - it’s all about becoming part of your lifestyle.

So why not start making those changes today. I’m here for the ride and will help you along your way.