We can't recommend the OCD Girls enough!
They have shared some great tips with us to share with you.
Organize. Clean. Design. Professional Organizers in Billings, MT
theocdgirlsmt@gmail.com (406) 647-0403 theocdgirls.com
Tips for every organizing project
1 TAKE IT ALL OUT!!!! We can’t stress this enough!!
2 Sort everything into like categories or zones
3 Purge – clutter is delayed decisions so decide today to keep or throw
4 Measure BEFORE you shop
5 Buying containers should be one of the last steps – not the first
6 Label, label, label!!!!
7 Think outside (beyond) the box…just because something lives in one place doesn’t mean it has to stay there. Make sure it lives where it makes the most sense.
8 Don’t let pinterest perfection prevent you from getting organized.
9 When you begin to tackle a space, start with 5 bins and label them KEEP, DONATE, SELL, STORE, and TRASH (other categories could include GIVE TO SOMEONE ELSE, RECYCLE, REPAIR, ETC.) Use these in each space to get to work.
10 Don’t get overwhelmed. Just tackle what is reasonable for you and the time you have available. And if you don’t know where to start, call the OCD girls!
Tips for kitchen & pantry
1 Get rid of packaging. When you decant into a bin or basket, you can see how much you have. You don’t know if a box is empty.
2 Toss expired food
3 Putting like things together allows you to see what you own and where you can pare down… no one needs 9 rolling pins.
4 You probably own too many mugs or water bottles…this is a great place to start paring down. Only keep what you realistically need and use and have space for.
5 Put things in places that make sense – daily dishes and silverware nearest the table or dishwasher, hot pads in the drawer closest to the oven, round things like bowls on corner lazy susans, etc.
6 Create stations putting all necessary pieces together in one place for things you do everyday like coffee, smoothies, toast, etc.
7 Make sure you aren’t wasting prime real estate on unnecessary or seldom used items.
Tips for garages/storage rooms
1 Chances are you need additional shelves and storage solutions (Beyond the Box can help!!)
No garage we see ever has enough storage or shelves.
2 Start by creating categories based on what you have – camping, fishing, power tools, sporting equipment, home maintenance, automotive, etc.
3 if you have a lot of things to throw, renting a dumpster will make your job easier
4 Get rid of all cardboard! It doesn’t do well in weather or wet. Use heavy duty bins to store garage categories. Garage categories can be heavy and need to be stored in a bin that can handle the weight.
5 Utilize walls and ceilings for storing – get vertical and get things up off the ground (Beyond the Box can help!!)
Tips for closets
1 If you’re having a hard time deciding what to keep/toss, turn the hanger backwards and if it still backwards at the end of the season or after a year at most, it is ready to be donated.
2 Use consistent hangers! (We love the flat velvet as they take up less space)
3 Take out seasonal things and store them somewhere else. Switch as the seasons change.
4 We wear 20% of our clothes 80% of the time – keep that in mind when paring down.
5 Be honest with yourself, what you wear, and what no longer fits your style, body or life. Many of us that used to have to dress up for the office are now mainly working from home. Do you need to keep all those dress clothes? Probably not…
6 Hang like things together in categories – short sleeve, lomg sleeve, jackets and sweatshirts, etc.
7. Look at your closet and see if you have more fold space or hang space and then find categories that can switch to make more room. For example, if you have more hang space, try hanging your jeans instead of folding them.
Tips for bathrooms/misc. spaces like laundry, linen closets, etc.
1 Throw out products you are no longer using – beauty products expire too! Do yourself a big favor and cancel your subscription services that you have accumulated backstock.
2 Lazy susans are a great way to utilize the space under your bathroom sink.
3 Make divisions in your bathroom drawers (especially if they are deep) using bins and boxes
4 Keep backstock in an overflow closet
5 We recommend two sets of sheets per bed. One on the bed and one extra clean set. Store them in the room where they will be used.
