Get Organised Challenge: Week Two

The Get Organised Challenge: Week Two

box_woman_100 It's time to say goodbye to all the clutter clogging up your life. Helen Foster introduces the DEJUNK rules to help you get sorted

The big clear out
Last week, you stared chaos in the face and decided which areas of your life are clutter-crisis zones. So, now you know where the junk is, what are you going to do with it?

This week we focus on sorting your stuff and look at the different ways to store or dispose of some of your possessions. If you feel demotivated at any time, remember: you may be able to turn some of your clutter into cash.

Getting ready
It's important to remember that a proper purge takes time. Set aside an afternoon for each one of your clutter-crisis zones. If you try and do it in odd half-hour snatches, you will end up creating more chaos than ever. Just think of all the time you'll save in the long-run once your life is simpler and more organised. There are two more points to bear in mind while you're clearing:

  • It gets worse before it gets better. When you're surrounded by dusty piles all over the floor, don't panic. Make a cup of tea and have a laugh at all the rubbish you've been hoarding. Let it be an inspiration to never again keep broken coat hangers as if they were family heirlooms.

  • It can be traumatic letting go of so many possessions. If you find yourself feeling overly-nostalgic about things you haven't bothered to look at or use for years, remember that your identity isn't really about what you have. You will feel less emotional and have a clearer idea about what really matters once you've got rid of the bulk of this mess.

    Dejunking your life
    OK, here goes. Grab six bags or boxes. When you enter your chosen space, go through every item and define it one of the six ways below (spelling out DEJUNK, they are the six most vital rules of this week). Only handle things once: you'll never finish if you move things from box to box:

    Dumpable: no good to you or anyone else - throw them away. Remember that a lot of your waste can easily be recycled and it's a great way to get rid of bulky items. Visit waste point to find your nearest recycling point.

    Essentials: you use these regularly - they stay.

    Jumble: there's nothing wrong with these things; you just don't use them anymore. If you have a big pile of jumble it might be worth taking the whole lot down to a car boot sale - to find out where the next and nearest sale will be, you need to get the car boot calendar or check your local newspaper. Alternatively, get online and try auctioning your goods on www.ebay.co.uk.

    If all this sounds like too much effort and you're feeling generous, give your goods away to a charity shop. Click here for a list of shops near you.

    Undecided: if it takes more than 5 seconds to categorise an item, put it in this box. Once it's full, tape it up: if you don?t go in the box for over a year, it goes to the charity shop (unopened).

    Nostalgia: this section is for things you want to keep for sentimental reasons (but only allow yourself one box). Now that you've decided these things are important to you, think about how to display them so you see them more often - get nice frames for pictures and photos, put decorative objects out, show other things to your family and friends.

    Kaput: it's broken now but could be useful if fixed. If you don't take it to be repaired within two weeks, throw it away.

    By going systematically through each of your crisis-zones and following the dejunk rules, you'll be left only with your essential items - but before you shut the drawer/cupboard on these, there's one more important task to carry out.

    Make the most of your essentials
    We get so used to the way we use essentials we never ask ourselves: is this really the best place for it and is it easy to access? During the Challenge, do just this and if it's not stored to maximum advantage, move it somewhere more accessible or create better storage with boxes or dividers. One trap not to fall into, however, is buying endless storage items: the more empty space you have, the more you'll fill. However, three things every organiser should have are?

  • A big diary: don't just write appointments in it: clip party invites onto the date, and staple bills onto the day they need to be paid. Keep one emergency birthday card in the back, too.

  • Ribbon/hooks: scissors tied into a drawer do not end up in the kid's room. Filing cabinet keys put on a hook are easily grabbable.

  • Stackers/dividers: whether it's to store shoes in pairs, divide drawers or create separate shelves in the pantry, it's always easier to have one row of things than to be endlessly searching. For the ultimate selection, visit www.lakelandlimited.com (just don?t get carried away!)

    If you're finding letting go traumatic, share your feelings with other iVillagers Getting Organised.