A New York Magazine article I once read referred to “being organized” as the second greatest pleasure in life. I suppose that places it just after either sex or eating – whichever is your number one choice. I agree that “being organized” is extremely satisfying. However, most people look at “getting organized” as an extreme nightmare. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

The process of organization is the same whether you’re clearing off a messy counter, thinning out an overstuffed closet or overhauling an entire house. Put everything (and I mean everything) into one of three A, B or C categories – piles if they are small things.

We’ll use your closet as an example. The A pile is for clothes you love and wear. The B pile is for the things you’re not sure about. And the C pile is for all the clothes you never wear because: 1) you don’t like them, 2) they don’t fit, but you’re waiting until you lose weight (and that hasn’t been happening) or 3) they don’t go with anything else. These (pile C) are the clothes you’re going to get rid of.

A good thing to remember is that you will have to baby sit everything you keep. The stuff you own needs to be taken care of or it will clutter up your life. That can take up valuable time, energy and, sometimes, money. There are many smart people these days making small fortunes renting storage space to the rest of us to store our junk. Don’t get caught in that trap.

For the next step, take the things in pile B and repeat the A, B or C category process all over again. Once you’ve got just two piles – A and C – you can get rid of all the stuff in the C pile. Throw it out, sell it or give it away. In the end, you’ll have only one pile left – pile A, which are all the things you truly love and wear.

A good rule of thumb is – “a place for everything and everything in its place.” Organize your closet so that each article of clothing has its “place.” Then be rigorous about keeping it there. Return everything to its “place” as soon as you take it off.

You can follow these basic steps of organization no matter what your project. It’s a good way of getting organized for a clutter free life.

Katie Byrd will take you by the hand and teach you the skills she's used to journey from a financially strapped, bad credit nightmare to debt free abundant living. To find out more visit: http://abundanceandwealth.bellaonline.com

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