Why Can't I Get My House Organized?

There's Too Much to Do!

• If you are just beginning your new organized life, one of the major roadblocks you may have to overcome is the feeling of being overwhelmed. While there may seem to be too much for you to handle, if you make a plan laying out exactly how you will work on your organizing project, the task will be much easier. Grab a notebook and go through each room, labeling one page with each task you see. Make a list of everything you will need to complete each project and how long it will take to do. If you have family members, assign others to projects as well. Breaking it down will make everything easier to work through.

There's Not Enough Time!

• Organizing your house is not something that can be done all in one day, or even in one weekend. Acknowledge the fact that you need time to complete each project. Schedule the time on your calendar, making sure to put the hour or two you will spend during a time of day that is good for you. For example, don't schedule time at the end of the day if you work a 12-hour shift at your job and you are tired at night. Look for an hour in the early morning that you can spend going through papers or cleaning out a drawer. Little steps fit in when you can, performed on a daily basis, will make a huge difference.

There's Too Much Stuff!

• De-cluttering your home is one of the biggest parts of organizing your space. As you work through each task, get rid of things that you don't need or that are just taking up space. Put receipts in files immediately. Remove clothes that don't fit from closets. Donate toys that aren't played with to charity. If you haven't used it or looked at it for more than a year, you probably don't need it in your home.

There's No Place to Put Anything!

• Part of organizing your home is actually putting things away where they belong. Consider starting with closets and drawers. As you organize and remove items no longer needed, you create space. Sort and put away in plastic storage bins any seasonal or holiday-related items. Put like items together and label the bins appropriately. Organize desk drawers using file folders. Get a scanner and scan any important receipts and paperwork directly to your computer. Excess paper causes a great deal of clutter. Removing it entirely helps create space that can be utilized to store something else.