Guest Post: 5 Spaces to Organize This Fall

The change of seasons always sparks a desire to clear out space and organize before the holiday season.

Today, Melissa Rogers, professional organizer, is sharing her tips on clearing out the clutter for the new season.

 

 

The Pantry

Between Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas … ’tis the season for lots of baking, making, and taking!

If you’re feeling overwhelmed on tackling this project, start by removing all pantry items that are past their expiration. Sort remaining items into groups, such as canned goods, boxes, oils and liquids. Consider implementing individual bins to optimize space.

Use this opportunity to clean out your rubber storage supply. Consider tossing mismatched pieces and containers you wouldn’t be proud to send leftovers home in.

 

The Closet

Cleaning out and re-organizing a closet at the change of the season can be refreshing. Store shorts and summer dresses and make space for sweaters and boots.

One tip to better organize your wardrobe is to separate the summer clothes you did NOT wear this past season. If you didn’t wear it because it doesn’t fit, or you no longer like the style, donate it. There’s no sense in using space to store items you no longer love.

To help make it easier to organize at the end of the season, start this season with all of your hangers turned around on the bar. As you wear each item, hang it back up with the hanger facing the other way. By the end of the season, you’ll easily be able to see which pieces you didn’t wear. Ask yourself, “Would I buy this if I saw it in the store today?” and if the answer is no, toss it.

 

The Garage

Our garages can become a catch-all for toys, games, tools, decorations and everything in between.

While I always encourage a good purge of any toys or tools that may be broken or no longer used, this is also a great time to starting digging out the fall/winter decorations. Store these items in plastic bins with lids that snap shut, to help keep from getting damaged and also keep bugs and other critters out. Moving them to the front of your shelves or storage space will make the weekend task of putting everything away that much quicker.

 

The Guest Room

Autumn is the ideal season to clean out your guest room. Create a calm and clean space for family and friends who will be visiting for the holidays. It’s not necessary to empty the room, but clearing out enough space for guests to hang items in the closet and a place to put their suitcases will help them to feel at home during their stay.

Do an inventory of sheets, blankets and pillows. Fresh linens and a good pillow make all the difference in a guest’s comfort. If you’re using an air mattress, blow it up and let it sit for a couple of days to ensure it is still correctly holding air when your guests arrive.

 

Toys

As kids grow, old toys tend to multiply. Paring down the number of toys in your household will allow more opportunities for engaged play. Consider tossing items that are broken or have missing parts. Donate good toys to a local shelter.

Pro Tip: If you are unsure, select a few items and store them away in a closet. Wait a month and if the kids don’t miss them, let them go to a new home.

Now it’s time to grab your favorite fall flavored drink and get to work. Happy organizing!

 

Thank you, Melissa, for these great tips.

 

You may also like Organize Your Life: 8 Planning Tips and Tools. For more of Diane’s etiquette tips read her posts on Inc., subscribe to her articles on HuffPost, “like” The Protocol School of Texas on Facebook, and follow her on Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter. Buy her new book, Modern Etiquette for a Better Life.