Cunning Plan

Latest news from the Chaos...I've been sorting stuff!

I know, wonders never cease.

I have had a plan in my head for a long time about where I would put stuff that I'm keeping. I would sort thru a box or two...either recycle, toss or give away whatever and then move to the next box. That sounds like a good plan, right?

Well, the only problem with that is that the stuff I'm keeping does not have a home - yet. So things are added to other boxes in no particular rhyme or reason and I end up taking two steps forward and one step back. Sometimes two.

I get rid of one box here, one box there and the next thing you know I'm creating another box of stuff that will eventually need to be sorted thru again and so on and so on.

Well, enter the latest cunning plan. As I was sorting, I started putting the things I'm keeping in their actual "future homes". It was working, but not so much.

A few days after I started that, I decided to "map" out my storage plans. I spent about an hour or so thinking, listing things and then drawing out an actual "map" of the final homes for all my precious stuff.

Let me tell you, it's the best thing I've ever done as far as all this organizing stuff goes.

I have also been keeping myself concentrated on ONE AREA AT A TIME until it's all sorted out. That has been the hardest thing to do as far as all this organizing stuff goes. Every storage place and area in the Chaos is a hodge podge of anything and everything. There is no organization. And yes, I have higher concentrations of some things in some places, but there is a little bit of everything all over the place. Sigh.

Mapping example: I have two units of metal shelving in my bedroom. Glamorous I know, but I needed heavy duty shelves and they were the most affordable best bet at the time. One unit has been designated as the new "crafting stuff" home. So now as I am sorting thru stuff from each shelf, one at a time, from the top down even, I only put back on that shelf the "craft" stuff. If it's not tossed, recycled, or given away, I check my map, see where it is supposed to live and go take it there.

Sometimes things get tight in the "new" home, but when that happens, the items are put into a bag, basket, or box and left as close to the new home as possible. The box or bag is also marked as "already sorted and waiting for space in the permanent home".

So far, this has been really working for me. I have been sorting a shelf per day since the weekend, so the first unit is almost done. YAY!!!!!!!!!

So far, I have tossed and recycled quite a bit of stuff, so the whole moving it to it's new home has been kept to a bare minimum. Which is good, cos the more stuff I get rid of the better off I'll be.

As I move from area to area getting rid of more and more stuff, it should become easier to put things in their new homes.

Having that "map" is the best thing ever. I have it taped up on the mirrored wall in my hallway. It really really helps!

Next up is the second metal shelving unit in the bedroom. I am starting with the storage areas in the apartment. Closets, cabinets and shelving units. As I go thru all the storage areas and get things started in the "new home" scenario, it will get much much easier to go thru the boxes all around here and get things put away properly.

My goal of having things more organized for Xmas is looking like it just might happen after all.

And that is a good gift to give to those of us who live here in the Chaos.