by Jayme Radomski | Jan 8, 2024 | Bathroom, Cleaning, Closets, Clutter, Cooking & Kitchen, Digital, Eating & Kitchen, Office, Organizing, Pantry, Self Care, Bathroom
Organizing your home in January is a great way to start the year fresh and create a more comfortable and efficient living space. Here are some suggestions for areas you might consider organizing. Choose one or two impactful areas to start.
- Declutter by removing items that don’t belong or that you no longer need.
- Clean and organize entertainment centers, shelves, and tables. Wipe furniture down while it’s emptied.
- Clean out your pantry and discard expired items. Plan your meals based on remaining items.
- Organize kitchen cabinets and drawers. Consider using containers for loose items if it makes sense.
- Wipe down and clean appliances.
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Rotate and flip your mattress.
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Launder and store seasonal bedding and clothing.
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Declutter bedside tables and dressers.
- Go through your clothes and donate or sell items you no longer wear.
- Organize clothes by category (e.g., shirts, pants, dresses) and color.
- Consider investing in storage solutions like bins, baskets, or closet organizers after you have gone through your clothes.
- Dispose of expired medications, toiletries, and beauty products.
- Remove products you do not like. Donate unopened items you do not want.
- Organize cabinets and drawers, using containers or dividers.
- Wipe down cabinets and drawers for a fresh start.
- Scrub toilets and showers.
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- Declutter your workspace. Remove unnecessary items.
- Organize cables and cords.
- Clean your computer and backup important files.
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- Sort through important documents. File or scan items you need. Shred or recycle documents you don’t need.
- Set up an organized filing system for unopened mail, bills to pay, items to file and items to do. It is also good to have a tax file where you can dump any items you will need for preparing your taxes.
- Clean up your computer desktop and organize files.
- Back up important digital files and photos.
- Clear unused apps from your smartphone.
- Dust and clean all surfaces.
- Clean windows and curtains.
- Deep clean carpets, rugs, and upholstery.
Remember to set realistic goals and take it one step at a time. Breaking down the tasks into smaller, manageable steps can make the process less overwhelming. Consider involving other members of your household to make it a collaborative effort. Join an on-line decluttering group such as 30-Day Declutter Challenge to keep you motivated and accountable.
Being organized is a process, and it’s important to approach it at a pace that feels comfortable for you. Start small, plan one event at a time and develop systems to maintain organization. Gradually, you’ll experience the positive impact and being organized will come naturally. If organizing is daunting task, the professional organizers at Top Shelf Home Organizers are happy to help. Contact Jayme for a consultation.
by Jayme Radomski | Aug 15, 2017 | Self Care, Bathroom
Are you spending too much money? Working too many hours? Doing too many things at one time and not paying attention to what (who) matters most? This month is the time to refocus on you, who you are and what you are grateful for. Here are a couple ideas on self care to get you refocused.
1. Reset
Rest is not negotiable when it comes to your well-being. When is the last time you felt well rested for a solid week or even a couple days? Not being well rested makes your body out of sync. Your appetite soars and you become short fused. These feelings are not good for you and the people you love. Build your schedule and routine around a day of rest. Set aside a full day to do nothing, disconnect and just be. It will make the rest of your week more productive and your relationships stronger.
2. Disconnect
Learning how to be alone and disconnect helps us connect with others. Constantly checking emails, social media feeds and other messages gives us the feeling of being connected when in reality we are alone. Being glued to the phone while the kids are playing at the park disconnects you from watching, growing and learning from your kids. Times of awkwardness at a social gathering or avoiding small talk with someone new causing you to pull out your phone so you appear to be busy is a distraction that leaves you in a state of loneliness. Learning how to be without connection to the world for a day, a couple hours, or just while waiting in a line somewhere will help you rejuvenate, focus on what relationships matter and be the best you.
3. Simplify
Self-care is challenging when you are drowning in stuff, lists and schedules. Self-care is taking care of your soul, not your stuff. Simplifying your schedule, saying no to opportunities, and reducing the stuff you own, frees your mind to focus on your well-being. Respecting your time is doing something right, not necessarily 10 things efficiently, but half-heartedly. Recognizing a habit, idea or a place that is no working for you is a start to self-care. Clear off your desk or declutter your bedroom and recognize how it makes you feel. Say ‘No’ to an opportunity and recognize when a relationship is not fitting to you. Take a mental note of how it frees your mind. Forget about keeping up and make a point to have, do and schedule what is best for you.
4. Take Care of You
Caring for your body is the most important factor in self-care. Caring for your well-being pulls all of the self-care ideas together. You are in complete control of what you do to your body from food to exercise. Choose exercise that is fitting for you; something that you can maintain, is sustainable and is easy for you to do. Improve your diet by making simple changes. Add some vegetables to your morning smoothie, think about whether you need that second cup of coffee, drink water and talk back to cravings.
by Jayme Radomski | Dec 3, 2016 | Self Care, Bathroom
Let’s be honest, we don’t like rules. If you are serious about home organization, there are just three simple rules to follow:
- Touch It Once. This rule will save you time. When you place your hands of something, it goes to its final destination. Clothing gets put in the laundry basket or on a hanger, instead of on your bed or chair to be dealt with later. Paperwork is filed, discarded or completed as it enters your home. You are busy and managing your home is tough. Dealing with each item as you come across it, will save you time.
- Keep Like Things Together. Sweaters with sweaters. Shirts with shirts. One shelf for snacks and a shelf for cans. Designating a space for everything and keeping like items in their space will help you manage your items and save you time finding exactly what you need.
- Organize One Space At A Time. Work on one small space at a time in set increments as you have time. It might only be for fifteen or twenty minutes, but the key is to get something organized everyday. Break larger projects into manageable mini-projects.
Getting it done is the key. One small step at a time.
Organized Office
Following these simple rules every day will help keep your home clutter free and peaceful. Organizing is a process, not a destination. Top Shelf Home Organizing can help you on your journey.
by Jayme Radomski | Aug 16, 2016 | Self Care, Bathroom
It is the feeling when you arrive home from a busy day and overwhelm sets in. The countertops are full of miscellaneous things to do. Your dining room table has piles of bills, papers, projects, and laundry. The kids summer crafts, projects and paperwork have taken over your home. Your summer meal planning was lost the second week of the summer.
It is time to reset your home, meal planning, exercise routine and your priorities.
This is what happened in my home. Yes, I am an organizer and I know better. With busy schedules and the desire to keep the family feeling ‘free’ for the summer, everything got out of control. The bedrooms filled with things that do not bring calm and peace for resting. The pantry has filled with processed food due to a lack of meal planning. Routines and structure were gone.
This past week, a wonderful organizer came into our home to help me. That’s right. I hired and organizer. Here is why:
- The organizer was a non-judging third party that gave me clarity on what was important to me.
- Time was dedicated just to organizing my home.
- She offered a new perspective on ways to structure the organization in my home.
- It was easier to let go.
- We worked very efficiently as we went through the kitchen, pantry, craft closet and toys.
Here is what I learned
- It is good to get help.
- I am organized (obviously), but letting go of my kids’ junk is hard.
- The process inspired me to keeping going.
- I would not have set aside the time to dedicate only to organizing.
- The kids only noticed how nice their rooms and craft closet looked. They didn’t notice what was removed.
- An organized pantry inspires healthy eating and better meal planning.
- It was fun.
As summer winds down, schedule time to get your home back in order. Kids need the structure in their homes to be ready for school.
Top Shelf Home Organizing takes pride in helping people get organized. Call Jayme when you are ready to gain control of your home.
by Jayme Radomski | May 15, 2016 | Self Care, Bathroom
How Clutter Affects Health
What an up and down week of weather in southeast Wisconsin. Winter is still trying to stick around with some reassuring signs of summer.
Personally, I have been feeling drained and exhausted which is not typical of my energy level during this season transition time.
After discovering I was avoiding my living room where I spend time with Matt and the kids, it dawned on me: The clutter surrounding our family space is draining my energy. My husband and I moved the kids’ toys, that have been stored in the basement, to our living space while we have the basement painted.
There are 3 Health Benefits to being organized and simplifying our daily routines.
- More Energy
Having clutter drains energy. Stagnant energy builds up around clutter and causes tiredness and lethargy.
- Improved Health
People with limited clutter look and feel better. They are typically more active and have a fresh face. Clutter congests your home and your body.
- Reduced Depression
Stagnant energy surrounding clutter pulls you down. Feelings of hopelessness can be relieved by clearing the clutter. Clearing the clutter allows you to make room for something new and fresh.
This weekend we will focus on clutter reduction in the living room. We will make it a family event and have the kids decide which toys can be passed on to a charity or another child will help to reduce the toys.
Think about what you can improve in your home and routines that will give you some much needed energy and lift your spirits.
Hugs,
Jayme
Organizing is a process, not a destination. Top Shelf Home Organizing can help you on your journey.
