Clear Away & Put Away

It never ceases to amaze me how tidying up and putting things away makes such a big difference. 

Case in point, I present the before:

When there is so much stuff it can be tough to know where to start.  My approach is always to keep it simple.  Start by clearing everything off the counters and group like items together.  

Once you have cleaned everything off, now you need to determine whether each item needs to be:

1.       Kept

2.       Fixed
3.       Donated
4.       Tossed

Finding a home for each object will help keep things organized.  Therefore, you need to designate a place for any item that you intend to keep.  Clutter occurs when items are left to pile up and are not put back in their rightful location. 

The after

 Most of the stuff that was on the counter has been either thrown out, recycled or has found a home to wait until their next use.  Items used on a daily basis are kept readily available and accessible in a central grouping on the counter.  Remarkable how much counter space there actually is! 

The key to success here is maintenance!  When you have finished using an item - put it back in the spot you have designated.

 Happy organizing!