Braving the Basement
March 28, 2011
by Jodi Granok - Organizing Magic, LLC
Being
married to a teacher allows me to experience the joys of spring break
all over again. I had a terrific "honey-do" list for my husband to work
on during his vacation. The last item on the list was dreaded by both
of us: "Organize the Basement".
Surprised? Don't be! I love
organizing with my clients as well as in my own home. But like most of
you, I have my own organizing challenges - and in our house, it's the
basement.
There have been two occasions in the last few years
where our basement has taken on water, causing us to move everything in
the finished side temporarily to the unfinished side, and then back
again. These moves were rushed, and as a result, what used to be neatly
organized turned into a slightly chaotic mess. After the second
incident, we decided to rip up the carpeting on the finished side, and
build palettes for the boxes on the unfinished side.
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I
decided that this weekend, we would do what I am calling a "first round"
organizing job. The focus was on what was out and could be seen.
Bins, closets, and shelves were reviewed. Drawers and boxes were tabled
for a future organizing session.
Working together, my husband
and I were able to tackle all the problem areas in our basement in a
short amount of time. We generated a huge trash pile, a sizable
donation pile, and a pile for resale opportunities.
I was reminded of two key organizing rules as a result of our basement session:
1) Everyone benefits from having an organizing partner, whether it is a friend, family member, or professional organizer.
2)
When a project seems overwhelming, break it into smaller pieces. Take
frequent breaks, and reward yourself when your task is completed.
What areas of your home have you been avoiding?
© Organizing Magic, LLC - 2011. All Rights Reserved.
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