“There are three simple rules in life: If you do not go after what you want, you'll never have it. If you do not ask, the answer will always be no. If you do not step forward, you'll always be in the same place.” Anonymous

I have found through and business life it is a great quote to reflect on when facing a variety of challenges and I encourage you to reflect on it when you are paralyzed in what to do next.

I have found that in so many situations Three Is the Magic Number. Below I am sharing 3 groups of 3 that I hope will inspire you to begin, continue and maintain organizing systems in your home. Ha. See what I did there three in the list.

First group of Three.

Spring is a great time to get...

-the garage organized before the heat of the summer arrives. Setting up zones for different activities is a great way to alleviate the messy collection of equipment and toys.

-play/craft rooms decluttered and organized before summer break so you and others have the physical and mental space to be creative and have some fun.

-kitchen/pantry organized and set up for the hustle and bustle of hangry family members home for the summer. The kitchen is not only the heart of the home, but it is also the highest touch point in your home. Are your kitchen and pantry meeting the needs of your family? Do you have a grab-and-go snack station set up.

Below is a list of our best organizing practices that work for any space you are organizing.

Purposeful Placement- evaluate what items return to each space and how the location will serve you best.

• Use sticky notes or painter's tape to decide where items will return. Add them with the item name and stick it onto the location.

• high use items should be placed between eye level and waste.

• Items used the least often should be placed on the top or bottom of the space, depending on how heavy.

• If storing items on the floor, use baskets or bins to contain these items. Items left loose on the floor often aid in creating drop zones for other things.

• Adding labels helps the whole family and visitors locate and return items to the desired locations.

• A visually pleasing space includes matching containment. The same style and shape will give you a clean, streamlined look.

• Maintenance/ Resets need to happen regularly. For example, before making a grocery list, refill containers, and baskets with current backstock. This will aid in creating a list of needed items and cut down on purchases of things you do not need.

Second Group of Three.

When you are ready to get started incorporating these guidelines to help you stay focused and move forward. It is all about the little steps that will grow into big changes.

Start by taking everything out of the space. That may be something as small as a drawer or as large as a primary closet. As you are taking items out place like items together. When sorting, you will want to move an item into one of 3 categories:

1. Keep – often includes an additional pile of items that belong in another room or space.

2. Donate – find organizations that you value. That may be your local Arc or Dress for Success. Getting items that no longer serve you and your household out into the hands of people that need them is beneficial to all.

3. Toss – broken, torn, worn out.

The benefit of taking EVERYTHING out is seeing the full scope of all your items and will aid in the decisions of what to keep/donate/toss.

Third Group of Three.

If you are having difficulty deciding if it is time to let go of an item ask yourself these three questions.

Do I/we need it?

Do I/we use it?

Is it worth the space it is taking up?

If the answer is NO to any of these questions the item no longer serves its purpose! Give yourself permission to LET IT GO!

I hope these tips will help you move forward on your organizing journey.

Happy Organizing,

Rebecca