Pandemic Plus – the time to literally put your house in order

In these chaotic weeks of the COVID-19 crisis, could there be ANY silver lining? With this extra time for all of us sheltering-at-home, there IS an opportunity. The time to ORGANIZE all your STUFF; to scrub down your house and make it an oasis where you enjoy living and that inspires you to be your best self.

As a Realtor, I routinely meet people who have things in their houses that they don't know what to do with. How do you get to "less is more"? To begin, focus on identifying the things that make you happy, the things in your life that bring you joy. Then prepare yourself to let go of all the rest.

Here are the 5 tips from my professional organizer to give you a path to follow:

1.   Categorize everything so all "like" objects are together. This prevents buying excess and being able to see everything that goes together in one place.

2.   Have a place for EVERYTHING. This will always help you find anything quickly and not waste time...which we all USUALLY never have enough of!

3.   Always put everything in its place. It only takes a few extra seconds to put things away and it is very easy to do when you have a designated space for it.

4.   Get rid of excess...donate, regift, recycle, repurpose, etc…but don't keep what you don't use or need. Note: during this quarantine, most likely your favorite charities are pausing on receiving items. Once we get through this lockdown, you’ll be ready to give and they’ll be VERY ready to receive.

5.   Only keep what brings a smile to your face. If something is dragging or weighing you down, let it go. If you put clothes on and you don't feel great, let them go. If something causes anxiety and you have been staring at it for too long, let it go. 

I invite you to literally get your house in order during this exceptional isolation time. You’ll be ready to celebrate all the festivities to come. Stay well, stay safe!! Cheers to that!!!