Tackle the Tough Stuff

On Saturday we sprung the clocks forward in observance of Daylight Savings Time. My question to you this week is: What are you going to do with that extra hour? It's going to be light later and the weather is going to be getting warmer (hopefully). It's time to take the monkey off your back and dive into that organizing project you've been putting off all winter. Don't be afraid to journey up into the attic or down to the basement, here's a few tips to get you started:

• Make some concrete decisions before you begin the organizing project. What are your plans with Grandma's old furniture? Maybe the time is right to get it out once and for all, it's not doing much good cluttering up your basement. What other items are down there that you need to make some difficult decisions about?

• Block out the time. Set a timer and keep distractions to a minimum.

• Don't look at the whole space, you will quickly get overwhelmed.

• Start in one corner. Look around the room for the place you've been avoiding, that's the best place to start the project. Use the motivation you have to forge through the tough stuff.

• Schedule an appointment for a charitable donation pick up. Having a monthly scheduled pick up also works great. I keep a closet just for donations, when they come, we empty the closet out.

• If it's a really big project, you may need to either get a dumpster or arrange for a pick up from a company like Got Junk.

• Get a box of Hefty Cinch Sak Bags (my favorite). Use the bags to divide up trash, items to donate, things that belong elsewhere.

• Remember, if you keep too much, you can't find what is really important!