January is not yet over, which means that plenty of people are probably still working on their New Year’s Resolutions to get more organized. I know one project you can tackle today that will make you feel a whole lot better… your junk drawer! Nearly everyone has one, and although we say it’s filled with “junk†it is more likely filled with plenty of things we actually use if we could find it when we needed it! If you want to have that great feeling of productivity then start cleaning out your junk drawer by dumping everything on a table, counter, or floor so you can spread it out and see it. Once you can see it, sort it into piles… one pile for things to be thrown away, another for recycling, and another pile for things you need (or want) to keep. Don’t save everything just because you feel you have to. You don’t really need to keep the business cards of everyone you’ve ever met… chances are the important numbers are in your phone anyway. If something broken has been sitting there for months (or years!) waiting to be fixed, toss it. If you haven’t missed it enough to fix it already chances are you never will. Test all your pens/markers, etc. if they don’t write, toss them. (This is an excellent way to get children involved if they’re bugging you!) After you’ve purged, look at everything in your “keep†pile and decide where it’s permanent home should be. For example, receipts, old bills, appliance manuals, etc. should be filed away. Loose change should be put in your wallet or a piggy bank, paper clips/rubber bands/thumb tacks/etc. should be moved to your office, and so on. Once you’ve decluttered take everything that is left and organize it. Ice cube trays make excellent organizers for small items, and empty margarine tubs or Tupperware containers are great for everything else. Silverware drawer inserts are also a great way to organize without spending too much. Finally, keep it all organized by adding a quick cleaning of the junk drawer to your monthly to-do list.
Thinking of buying or selling a home in Sussex County? Give us a call at Cooper Realty Associates and put us to work for you – 302-856-6434.