It's January and you know what that means...

Time to get organized. Besides losing weight and working out, getting organized ranks #3 on the list of  top New Year's resolutions. As a matter of fact, my organization classes always were a hit in January. Unfortunately, our last scrapbook store is now closing.

Before I got in to teaching organization classes for scrapbooking, I used to give talks about home organization to woman's group around town. Mostly I gave ideas for handling all the paper that comes in to your home. I also had a program to get organized for the holidays. I should run that one on my blog before next holiday season. 

Anyway, about 10 years ago, I belonged to several Yahoo Groups. I ran an organizational column every Monday. Since it's January and I've started on my own "huge sort out" (a phrase I lifted from one of my British friends), I've decided to take you along with me. You can follow my lead, or just take whatever bits and pieces that you think will work for you.

Let me start by saying, that during the course of my business, whenever I took a job, I started by asking what room bothers your husband the most? Sometimes, it was the husband who hired me. If you are embarking on a "sort out" of your own, I would make the same suggestion. Because here's the deal. Chances are you really won't finish your entire house before you run out of steam. At least if you start with the room that hubby has a problem with, that room should get done. He will be happy even if you get no further. 

Aside from that suggestion, just work along with me for Operation Organization. Every Monday, I will give you an assignment with tips and ideas. I would love for you to send me photos and I will be happy to post them on my blog.

Let's begin in the kitchen. I'm going to assume that you clean out your refrigerator periodically, so we won't bother with that now. Start by counting your "cupboards" (another lifted British word) and drawers. I have 54 and a rather large pantry. Butch and I just did the pantry in August and one of the corner cabinets, so I get a pass on those this time.

Now divide the number of cabinets and drawers you have in your kitchen by 6. That's the number of cabinets you'll need to do each day to get your kitchen completely organized. One day will be for the pantry alone. 

Each day:

Start by emptying one cabinet or drawer at a time. Wipe it out. Sort what was in it and decide what you need to keep and what you need to get rid of. A tip I heard years ago was to take everything out of a drawer and put it in a shoebox. Then, as you need something, it goes back in the drawer. At the end of a month, whatever is left in the box goes to Good Will.

Reserve one day for the pantry and do the same thing. Be sure to check those expiration dates on items that have been in your pantry for years. You'll be surprised at how old some things are. Drop me a line about your oldest item.

Don't forget those hard to reach cabinets above the stove and refrigerator. Get rid of anything you haven't used in---say---2 years---unless it has sentimental value. It's time to let it go and free up some space. 

Breaking down big jobs in to smaller jobs, makes it much easier to accomplish and is less overwhelming. It's so easy to get bogged down and not know where to start. Just tackle it one cabinet at a time and one drawer at a time. You will be surprised at how much you can accomplish in a short period of time. By breaking the job up in to smaller chunks, you can use little snippets of time. That 10 minutes before you have to run out and pick up kids or those 15 minutes you're waiting for something to come out of the oven. You can accomplish a lot in little bits of time.

Just start. One cabinet, one drawer at a time. You will be surprised that by the end of the week your kitchen will look great. And it won't have been such an arduous task.

Another important tip. Take any help you can get.

 
 Mindy was over on Saturday morning before meeting her friend for biking. Her bike is stored in our garage. She had some time, so I enlisted her help.

 She was happy to clean out this cabinet above the microwave because I've turned it in to "her" cabinet. All I had in there was an old canister set. She wants it, but doesn't have room in her condo.

She wanted these plates that I was getting rid of, so they are in "her" cabinet too.

She has long arms---well, compared to mine. She wiped out this narrow cabinet that holds cookie sheets and cutting boards. She was a great help. Butch helped with the cabinets under the sink---cleaning supplies. That one always seems the dirtiest and messiest. He also did the junk drawer. If it were up to me, I would take the batteries out just dump that one straight in to the trash. I should have taken some before pictures. I'll remember the next time.

You know how I've confessed to having a "multiples" problem? Remember all the boxes, bags, pens and bubble wrap? Well, I didn't realize that it extended to kitchen utensils. I ended up designating an entire drawer to wooden spoons and spatulas. It's a narrow drawer, but still. Considering my friend, Connie doesn't have a single wooden spoon, I should give her a couple. I thought about it, but seriously, I use them all and couldn't part with a single one.

This utensil holder is the reason I didn't realize I had so many wooden spoons and spatulas. Some were in here, some were in with the baking stuff and some were with the cooking spoons. Now they have their own place. We'll see how long that lasts.

This is my spice cabinet. I didn't really get rid of much, but it's nice to have it all re-organized again. On the lower left side is all of my teas---the ones I brought back from England---Harrods, from my visit to Twinings and Highgrove (we didn't go there, I just bought tea from the shop) and my favorite American tea maker, Harney and Sons. Truly, there's enough tea in there to last at least 5 years. I'm trying not to put things on the top shelves if I can avoid it. I can't reach that high and am too lazy to get out the step stool.

Aunt Jemima has been on the counter for about 4 or 5 years now. I've put her away because it bothers Butch. He thinks it's insensitive of me and politically incorrect. To me, it's just Americana. But if it bothers him so much, away she goes. That's how you make it 41 years. Let him win sometimes.

That just about covers it for week one of Operation Organization. Do be sure to let me know how it goes for you!