Get Organized Part 2: Your Stuff

The best place to start when getting organized is with your own stuff. These are the things that you get to decide what to do with it. The choices are numerous, but I can list a few choices you have. The first choice is weather to keep it or not.

I definitely want to keep it
If you decide to keep it then you must make another choice of "where" to keep it. Where to keep something is a personal decision. But this can be broken down into several easier questions. Storage or easily accessible? If storage then it should probably go in a box with similar items. If easily accessible then you must decide what room. To make this decision even easier you can start by asking if it belongs in the room currently being organized. If not then put it in a pile of things that needs to be moved and deal with it later. If it belongs in this room then you need to find a home for it and then you are done with that item.

I think I want to keep it
Are you sure? When was the last time it was used? If it hasn't been used for a couple years you probably want to get rid of it. If it is just rarely used then it probably belongs in storage.

I guess I can part with this treasure
Great, quickly put it in in a pile/bag/box that will be sorted through later of things to get rid of, and try to do it before you change your mind. Also, this isn't the final good by, so if you have a little doubt go ahead and still get rid of it at this point, it can be rescued later when it is evaluated.

I definitely don't want it
Place in the pile/bag/box of things you are getting rid of.

This is trash
Trash it, simple enough.

So, you have finally cleaned up a room and are left with a few piles of stuff which doesn't seem like an improvement, but it is. For the keep pile you need to start finding a home for each item, weather in storage or just a different room. For the discard pile you must evaluate how to handle each object. Do you know someone that could use this item, or would like to have it. Then make a new pile/box/bag of give away items. If the item has some value then put it in the sell pile/box/bag. If the item doesn't fit in any other categories, then trash/recycle it.

This is basically a compilation of tips I have read from other places. I usually don't break it down into piles to be reevaluated later, I like to have the room getting clean. So if you think you are up for it then make the decision what to do with each item and handle it immediately. If it belongs somewhere else, put it there. If it is a give away we have a collection of stuff for that. If it is sell we have a pile in our home for those items too.