Ten Tips to Downsize

By Ranka Burzan • December 12th, 2010 • 7380 Views

As human beings we are constantly looking for ways to improve the quality of our life and for easier ways to do every day things. But if you have an excessive amount of “stuff” in your home, you will have a harder time functioning throughout the day. Chaos is contagious. The solution is to downsize and keep only the things you need and love.

Tip #1 What Lives in Your Home?

The easiest way to de-clutter and organize your home is to find out what you have in your home. Take a bag or a box and visit each room in your house; if you have papers or clothes going back to the Trudeau era, it’s time to let them go. Shred the important papers, recycle the rest. Call your favourite charity and donate your clothes. Treat yourself to a few new outfits, I guarantee you that will put a sparkle in your eye.

Tip #2 Take Five

Some people feel energetic in the early morning; some people are night owls, still others peak in the afternoon. Think about when you have that extra boost of energy and use that time to do the things you don’t particularly like to do. Take five minutes to organize one of your kitchen drawers, write a to-do list, wipe your table or weed out a few files in your filing cabinet

Tip #3 Overwhelmed by Clutter?

Pick one area of your home to work on. Avoid zig zag organizing, meaning you start in one area, get bored or frustrated leave the area and start somewhere else. Write a list and prioritize your projects. The quickest way to see the results of your hard labour is to attack visible clutter first. Clear your desktop of old papers, decide what to do with the stuff on your dresser, sort the piles on your coffee table, you get the picture.

Tip #4 How to Organize Your Medication and Supplements

For many, taking medications or supplements is a way of life. Gather and keep all your medications together. This will help you to see what you have and what needs to be discarded. Make a daily chart to note when you have to take your medications. Buy a pill organizer, they are widely available. Store your medication in a linen closet (out of reach of children), the heat in the bathroom or kitchen could alter their effectiveness.

Tip #5 Keep Your Documents Safe

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Location:  Vancouver, CA

Ranka Burzan first shared her organizing tips with readers in the Surrey Now newspaper back in 2003. Her article "Helpful Hints to Organize and Clean Your Home" was well received by readers. She followed that article...