Organizing in the New Year

As the holidays fade and the day-to-day routines are back in full swing, the resolve on New Year resolutions may begin waning. Getting organized and keeping your home and office clutter-free may be easier than you think with these easy tips:

• Get started—sometimes, that is the most difficult part of getting organized! Prioritize what you want to get organized and begin chipping away.
• Jot down your to-do list and work through each item one by one. Crossing off each item as you complete it is very motivating!
• Establish a ‘donation drop’ in your house where you can deposit items you wish to give away. There are a number of charitable organizations around the county who can put your items to good use, including AMVETS, Goodwill, San Diego Rescue Mission and Father Joe’s Villages to name a few.
• De-clutter your desk/work area. Having a neat workspace will help you find items more easily, and be more productive throughout the day.
• Alphabetize things as much as you can, like DVDs and items in your filing cabinet. You will spend less time looking for things when you need them.
• Label things you put away in your files, in your pantry, in the bathroom, etc. Spending a few minutes on the front end to label things will save you hours of scouring through things when you are looking for them.
• Give yourself a break, and do not expect new habits to set in overnight! It is important to have an organized space, especially if your home is on the market. Clutter can distract buyers and keep them for seeing the potential in the space.

We hope these tips are helpful, and hope 2013 is off to a great start!

"Prestige in Our Community" is a blog contributed by Alexandra & Sean Germon, local real estate agents at Harcourt Prestige Properties in La Jolla. For more information, please visit teamgermon.com.