Get Organized: Part 2

In the January 2011 issue of Better Homes and Garden, Berit Thorkeloson suggest that you make this year a year to get organized. These expert tips will help you shed all that unwanted stuff as quickly and painlessly as possible. It is also a great way to show your kids how to get and stay organized. Below are 5 more tips:

1. Create a repair center for clothes that need mending, toys that need batteries, things that need gluing.  That way, unusable items aren't in general circulation, and you know where to look when you have time to tackle a project.  Julie Morgenstern

2. Relegating a sentimental item you no longer have use for to a box in the closet, basement, or attic does nothing to honor it.  Instead, take a photo of the item and put it in a scrapbook or load it on your digital picture frame.  Then donate the item.  It's both space-saving and respectful.

3. Each spring and fall, do CPR on your closet: Categorize, Purge, and Rearrange, Carefully consider each item.  If it doesn't make you feel wonderful or look fabulous, it's a no.  Put it in the "to donate" box, and put that box in your car right away.  Debbie Lillard, author of Absolutely Organized

4. A tighter focus for your to-do list clears mental clutter.  Include only your three most important tasks, and don't let less important busywork distract your.  If you complete everything on your list, great.  If not, at least you'll know you spent time on the hightest-priority tasks.  Meredith Schwartz

5. I spend a few minutes every night before bed restoring order to my purse.  I remove all trash, return floating change to my wallet, and replenish tissues and business cards.  it makes me feel ready to start my day.  Claire Kurtz