I Can Make a Mess Like Nobody's Business

Have you ever come home to find yourself faced with a huge mess? Chances are, when you do that, something along the lines of "I can make a mess like nobody's business" has crossed your mind. What to do with that mess, though, can be a truly daunting task. Instead of letting yourself become overwhelmed with cleaning and organizing despair, take heart. Here are some simple guidelines you can use to help you organize the chaos that you find yourself with. These guidelines will work whether you are faced with a mess at home or work.

• Make a list. When you find yourself faced with a huge mess, first make a list of everything associated with that mess. For example, if your home is a mess, then make a list of every room and what should be in each of those rooms. Take your time with this list and try to be as thorough as possible. This list will serve as your "blueprint" for a clean and organized space.
• One room at a time. Pick one room to begin working on. Only work on that one room until you are finished with it. By working on one room, or area if you are working on a smaller space, you will be able to have more control over what you are doing and ensure there isn't any "cross contamination" from other rooms. Make sure to follow your list as much as possible, so that you can have everything nice and organized.
• Separate. As you go through each room or area, separate everything into three piles. These piles should be items that you want to keep in the room, items that you want to discard, and items that you want to store. Go through everything that is in that room, and be as honest as possible. Keep in mind that if you are not going to wear your old high school letterman jacket anymore, then chances are you can get rid of it.
• Put away. It is time to begin putting things away. Any item that you will be using or keeping, put away in its proper place. If you are storing items for future use, then package them up and put them away. However, if you have any items that you are going to get rid of be aware that you don't need to just throw them away. You can try selling them to a consignment or second hand store, or even donating them to a worthy cause.
• Maintain. Move on to the next room or area. Once you are completely finished, keep in mind that you need to maintain your newly organized space. If you don't, you will only find yourself back repeating the process in a few weeks or months.