Let me start by saying I love to save money when I can. The more money I can save, the more I can tip someone at a restaurant, use it for the next PDO project, buy a toy for a child, or donate to a good cause. (Check out PDO’s Charity page). One way to save significant time and money with the Perspective Organization Process is to complete several steps yourself so you can limit the hours you have to pay me. Before you know it, you will be doing organization projects on your own!!! I know, not a very good money-making business model for myself, but I am confident you will love the results so much that you will refer me to your family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers so everyone can have less stress and more time!
Here are some steps you can do to save time and money with PDO:
Step 1: Prepare and purge. Create three piles: #1 Keep, #2 Trash, and #3 Donate. Note that the way you clear the area is critical in saving time. Do not move everything to your counters, desk, or bed, only to go through them again to determine the piles. Instead, determine which group the items will go to when you take them out. After all, seconds add to minutes, minutes to hours, and hours to time (money)! Keep in mind that if you cannot immediately place an item in Pile #1 (Keep), it probably means it is not a keeper and belongs in either Pile #2 (Trash) or #3 (Donate). Do not think, “I might need it one day”; instead, imagine how it might bring joy to someone else or how you will have a more aesthetically pleasing and functional space. A few examples:
For the closets, let go of a shirt you purchased six months ago if there are still tags on it. Specialty items can be the exception to this rule, for example, a dress you bought to attend a wedding. If you have another wedding coming up, consider using the dress you bought six months ago instead of shopping for another one. You loved that dress at some point, so fall in love with it again! Try adding different shoes or a purse, or change the accessories. Then you do not have to waste more time, energy, and money when you already have an option that works.
For the pantry, people feel differently about expiration dates on food. So if you refuse to eat expired food, your first step is to throw it away. And if you come across an item you thought you would cook all the time or tried once and didn’t like it, add the item to the Donate or Trash pile.
Step 2: Group your items. There is no wrong way to group items. Sometimes I group things by similar items or how often they are accessed. And sometimes, they are grouped by color, size, or quantity. Every project requires something unique to that person, home and project, so always do what feels best for you and your family.
Every time I help clear out a space, my clients say the same thing: “It’s eye-opening to see everything I have all at once!” So when you have the urge to purge, go through your items with PDO, your best friend, or your Mom. Ask yourself a few questions to help determine if you should Keep, Trash, or Donate the item:
– When was the last time I used it?
– Do I have something similar?
– Do I need it?
– Do I love it?
For unwanted items, consider donating to your favorite charity because, after all, one person’s trash can become someone else’s treasure. Click here for my favorite charity.
Step 3: Clean each item and wipe down the space. If the thought of deep cleaning overwhelms you, consider hiring a professional. Or, to save money, trade services with someone. Maybe you love to cook, and they offer deep cleaning services. Or perhaps you can ask a friend to help and take turns doing this at each other’s homes. Trust me, having someone along your side makes the process more fun for people who don’t like doing these things.
Step 4: Gather storage items to reuse. This step is one of my favorites because everything is coming together, and we can get creative with storage solutions. Contrary to popular belief, you can get organized without spending money by reusing items you already have in other areas of your house. So, I challenge you to go through the house and look in your garage, office, bathrooms, guest rooms, kid’s rooms, living rooms, kitchen, and linen closets for containers, baskets, vases, decorative bowls, etc. I bet you will be surprised at what you find that may be fun to use. Maybe it’s a cute box you forgot about or an old basket you meant to donate. One of my favorite examples is a client who used a big beautiful wooden salad bowl to store her Costco popcorn packets!
Depending on the time of year, you may have less time because the kids are always home, eating your food and running in and out of your front door. Don’t forget to get them involved. Click here for game ideas! After all, maintaining your newly organized space will be a family affair. So make the process fun – play music and dance while organizing, enjoy the fruits of your labor, and get it done!
