Getting Organized In Every Room

Have a schedule when it comes to organizing the rooms in your home

By Pierra C. Labrador for Yahoo! Southeast Asia

Are you a pack rat who stuffs everything under the couch every time mother-in-law drops by? Or hopelessly overwhelmed by the growing mountain of clutter? With these simple organizing tips, you can keep your space neat without stripping it of personality.

1. Streamline. Room by room, sort through every single item, and decide whether a) it's necessary and b) you really like it. If it doesn't fall into either category, into the bin it goes. Just. Let. Go. Be ruthless—will you ever display all those tacky wedding souvenirs you've amassed through the years? And when was the last time you actually read a magazine from your 1990s stash? Dispose of or donate everything that's unnecessary, so you can make more space for things you actually use.

2. Replace or Rearrange. As you go through each room, look at the space from an objective point of view—is there anything that can give it a more unified, organized look? Simple adjustments can make a difference, like replacing all the mismatched kitchen linens with new ones in one color or design, or even rearranging the furniture for better traffic flow or symmetry.

3. Assign a Place for Everything. Make it a golden rule in your home to keep things where they belong. This way, you prevent clutter clusters (the hallway console is a common clutter magnet, where people tend to dump their keys, receipts, hair accessories, bags, etc).
Group like objects so that they're easy to find. Keep all medicines and first aid supplies in one place, but out of kids' reach. All stationery and office supplies at your home desk, power tools in the garage or work shed. Bills in clear view so you don't forget to pay them. And perhaps a "catch-all" drawer to neatly stash receipts, letters, and other random items you'll attend to at a later time.

4. Clean as You Go. Adopt that popular tenet from fast-food joints. After making a mess, make it a habit to clean up before you move to the next activity or room. Store all the pots and pans in the proper places after cooking, hang clothes in your cabinet after every dressing session, and train junior to "pack away" toys after playtime.
In the living room, neatly line up all the remotes, return all the tchotchkes to their regular spots, and puff up the couch pillows when you're done. Keep a trash can in every room if possible to easily dispose of junk. Cleaning up immediately keeps the mess from piling up and becoming unmanageable.

5. Adequate Storage. If you're in the building or designing stage, take adequate storage into account. Aside from keeping your things neatly away from view, it keeps your belongings clean and dust-free, especially if you live in polluted urban areas.
If you're stuck with a house that barely has any cabinets, you can either choose to have some custom-built to your exact specifications, or purchase storage units that suit your purpose. Measure the size of storage you need before sourcing in different home or hardware stores and even swap meets for the right size and kind.

6. De-cluttering Schedule. After your house is all organized, make a pact with yourself to keep it that way. Devise a regular schedule to go through your stuff and trash what's unnecessary. For example: edit the newspaper pile and snail mail daily, receipts and refrigerator weekly, your closet monthly, your makeup drawer every two months, spring cleaning every quarter…Come up with a schedule that works for you—just make sure you stick to it!