Often, people hire organizers because they feel their lives are out of control or they are unable to get organized on their own. The struggles can range from having too much stuff to a lack of skills or even situational disorganization. Often the weight of too many possessions can wear us down. When our space is cluttered and dis-organized it can impact every facet of our lives.
The good news is that many organizing projects can be tackled using the same method. We use the STACK method for our clients because it’s simple, easy to follow and it works on almost any organizing project.
S – Sort: The first step is to sort your items into categories. You’ll want to put like items with like items, (e.g. paints with paints, pencils with pencils). This will tell you how much stuff you actually have in any one category.
T – Toss: Once you know how much stuff you have it’s time to take stock and toss any items that you don’t use, are outdated or unusable. I suggest that you keep only what you love or need. Tossing can be anything from throwing in the garbage to donating or selling an item.
A – Assign a Home: This part of the process can be accomplished by asking yourself a few questions.
How you use your items?
Where do you use your items?
How often you use your items?
C – Contain: Containerize any item/s that are possible and feasible to contain. It will help make items easier to find and store.
K – Keep It Up: This may involve building new habits if necessary and practicing putting items away after they’re used.
When the burden clutter is lifted from our shoulders, we may feel physically lighter, more energetic and less stressed. This relief can lead to increased work productivity, greater enthusiasm and better relationships.
Darla Pompilio
Professional Organizer
Your Tasks Our Time, LLC
