Wednesday, October 20, 2021

Clutterbug test and the beginning of decluttering

 

Sept. 12, 2021


CLUTTERBUG TIPS FOR BEES

Bees are the master of good intentions, but there are only so many hours in a day and only so much we can reasonably get done. There also comes a point when we need to admit that even though something may be useful, it is taking away space that could be used for more important items. Here are some tips just for Bees:

 

·         Make a priority list for yourself and your home. Is having a clean kitchen a priority over finishing your scrapbook? Then make time for what is a priority to you and finish that task before you start a new one. Write yourself a to-do list and number it from most important to least.  Do the MOST important ones first.

 

·         Peg board organizers work amazingly well for you. I don’t have the wall space for peg board organizers.

 

·         Clear bins, baskets and jars should be your go-to organizing system. I’ll get some asap.

 

·         Invest in shelving. You are visual, so open shelving is a must for you. Book cases are a Bee’s best friend. I ordered a set of paper storage shelves to help sort the stack of mismatched paper that is currently making my life miserable. I can’t get to the colors I want without digging through the stack and messing it up. It should arrive tomorrow or Tuesday.

 

·         Learn to let go.  Bees tend to keep things “just in case” they may need it someday. If you don’t love it and you haven’t used it in a year, get rid of it. I’m working on this.

 

·         Schedule, schedule, schedule. Your time is precious to you so make the most of it. Create daily and weekly chore lists, a daily schedule and make sure you have a monthly calendar that you can reference easily. I’ve been using my calendar on my phone and alarm on my watch to keep track of activities.

 

·         Use project boxes. Have a box or basket with all the supplies you need for your current project. When you are done for the day, put the items back into the box until you can work on it again. This way your supplies are out of the way, but you don’t need to take everything out again to work on your project next time. Ooh, good idea!

 

Want to learn how to combine your Bee style with other bug types in your home?

Sign up for the free Clutterbug™ mini course below now.

LEARN MORE

Are you looking for more Bee inspiration?

Follow me on Pinterest to see photos of organized spaces for Bees.


WWW.CLUTTERBUG.COM

FREE ORGANIZING PERSONALITY TEST

 

You enjoy reading:

1. Magazines or blogs with lots of pictures.

X 2. Non Fiction Books.

X 3. Fiction Books.

4. Newspapers or how-to books.

 

You find your biggest clutter issue is:

1. I have “stuff” everywhere.

X 2. Paper and important items.

3. Inside closets, cabinets and spare rooms.

X 4. I hold onto too many things that may be useful in the future.

 

Your home usually looks:

1. A bit cluttered with things I use and love on display.

X 2. Tidy with occasional piles of papers or things I haven’t got to yet.

3 Very clean and tidy, but behind closed doors, closets and drawers can be a mess.

X 4. A bit cluttered with projects or items I am still using in some areas.

 

I find it hard to get rid of:

1. Things I find beautiful or love to look at.

2. Items that were expensive or still in good condition.

X 3. Sentimental items.

X 4. Supplies, tools and other items that are still useful.

 

Your home usually looks:

1. Filled with my favorite things and items I use often.

2. Relatively tidy, but I sometimes have piles that I need to deal with.

3. Clutter free for the most part, but closets, drawers and hidden areas are a mess.

X 4. A bit cluttered with everyday used items that I leave out.

When it comes to cleaning my home, I generally:

X 1. Have to spend time tidying my home before I can clean it.

2. Keep my home clean and tidy.

3. Have a pretty clean house and I enjoy tidying it.

4. Want to have a really clean home, but piles sometimes get in the way.

 

Your ideal craft room would have:

X 1. Bright and colorful with all of my supplies displayed in pretty containers on shelving.

2. Everything organized perfectly in separate containers inside cabinets.

3. Everything stored out of sight except for a few pretty accessories.

4. All of my tools organized perfectly and easy to grab and access on a peg board.

 

When it comes to your home's appearance, you prefer:

1. Bright, fun and full of visual abundance.

2. Minimal visual clutter and very functional.

3. Pretty, inviting with minimal visual clutter.

X 4. Visual, functional and organized.

 

What Clutterbug Are You?

Organizing systems that work best for me are:

X 1. Visual systems that are fast and easy to use, like hooks or open baskets on a shelf.

2. Detailed systems that are hidden, such as file cabinets or subdivided compartments.

3. Hidden systems that are easy to use, such as baskets in the closet or drawer dividers.

4. Visual systems that are carefully organized, such as peg boards or clear drawers.

 

My biggest organizing challenge is:

X 1. I don’t like to hide things out of sight; I’m afraid I will forget about them.

2. I just haven’t scheduled time to organize some areas efficiently.

3. I tend to neglect hidden areas in my home like storage rooms.

X 4. I hate putting things away that I am just going to take out again later.

If a friend called and said they would be coming over in 10 minutes you would:

1. Make a mad dash grabbing as much clutter as you can.

2. Straighten slightly.

X 3. Wipe counters, hide any mess and scrub the bathrooms in a hurry.

4. Finish up whatever it was you were working on.

 

I prefer my everyday used items:

1. Out where I can easily use them and not misplace them.

2. Organized properly and put away.

3. Out of sight, but still fast and easy to find.

X 4. Visible and organized properly for quick access.

 

I remember things best from:

1. Visual pictures and instructions.

2. Reading and researching about it.

3. Someone showing me how to do it.

X 4. Figuring it out on my own.

 

Pick the sentence that best describes you:

X 1. I struggle to put things away when I am done using them.

2. I am a bit of a perfectionist and I prefer minimal clutter.

3. I like my home to appear spotless, but I shove things where no one can see.

4. I like functional spaces that make doing hobbies and working easier.

 

I like my favourite things to be:

1. Out where I can always see them so they don’t get misplaced.

2. Stored or displayed properly so that they will last.

X 3. Neat and tidy and displayed in an eye pleasing way.

4. Organized in a visual and functional way.

 

I like to decorate my home:

1. With bold colours and artwork.

2. With minimal, neutral colours.

3. With current design trends.

X 4. With useful, functional pieces.

 

I would like my home to be:

X 1. Fun, bright and cozy.

2. Functional and minimal.

3. Beautiful and minimal.

4. Practical and efficient.

 

Add up your answers. Are you mostly a 1, 2, 3 or 4? You may also be a combination of

all of these organizing styles!

1 – 6

2 – 3

3 – 4

4 – 9

 

You may find that, though you are a combination of all the four styles, one stands out to

you in particular. You may also find that you tend to fall into a different category based on

different rooms in your home or in your workplace. This is typical, but I can assure you

that there will be a clear frontrunner for your organizing style as you learn more about

each of these different Clutterbugs.

What's Your Organizing Style?

WHAT CLUTTERBUG ARE YOU?

If you answered mostly 1, you are a BUTTERFLY!

If you answered mostly 2, you are a CRICKET!

If you answered mostly 3, you are a LADYBUG!

If you answered mostly 4, you are a BEE!

A Butterfly is a macro-organizer, which means they are time oriented and

like to focus on the big picture, rather than the small details. Butterflies

prefer an open organizing system (no lids) with broad categories that are

clearly visual. Clear bins and baskets, without lids, on open shelving are

their go-to organizing solution.

 

A Bee is micro-organizer, which means they are task and detailed oriented.

Bee’s prefer a detailed organizing system with lots of categories, but they

need these systems visual. Clear, sub-divided containers on open shelving,

peg boards and hooks are their go-to organizing solution.

 

A Cricket is micro-organizer, which means they are task and detailed

oriented. Crickets prefer a detailed organizing system with lots of

categories. Sub-divided, stacked bins inside closed cabinets or closets are

their go-to organizing solution. While a Cricket craves visual simplicity, that

desire is sometimes overshadowed by their need for perfection. Because of

this, they often pile papers or have current projects and to-do lists visual.

 

A Ladybug is a macro-organizer, which means they are time oriented and

like to focus on the big picture, rather than the small details. Ladybugs

prefer open (no lids) and fast organizing solutions that are out of sight. Bins

and baskets, without lids, inside closed cabinets or closets are their go-to

organizing solution.

 

Learn more about the different organizing styles at www.clutterbug.com

 

The above mini course led me to another organizer and her husband who had a “1-hour course that would change your life.” It only confused me, and it lasted 35 minutes with 25 minutes of sales for their other courses. Very disappointing.

As I was finishing the videos in the mini course, I was concentrating on the Bee’s style of organizing and several ideas popped into my head! I’m so excited about it.

I’ve been stacking my bins with nails on the table to my right at my Color Street desk. When I need to add or remove something from the bins, it’s a game of shuffle bin, which has not been ideal, but it seemed the only solution. I now have pretty photo boxes (similar to shoe boxes) for the sets, and the lids are removable, so I can put them under the boxes and have the bins open to grab or add. THEN, if I put them on the shelf behind me, I can just turn around and grab them. What a genius idea! I’m so excited. I have to reorganize that whole space. I’m so excited!!!

My day was pretty busy yesterday. Very productive! I feel good about how things are progressing.

I found out the changes I wanted to make in my house would cost $150K! Time to find someone else, don't you think? I replied that it was too rich for my blood. So, instead, I'll tackle projects one at a time starting with the most important, working toward "just right." We (David and I) managed to discuss finishing the deck and adding party lights, taking my bed (my great grandmother's) apart so the rails could be shortened. Then we'll rearrange the bedroom when the rails are back. He fixed my kitchen faucet, which started turning itself off almost a year ago.

I also started reading a fascinating book, Twelve Ordinary Men, which is about the Apostles and how Jesus picked them. I'm really enjoying this one. I know -- I have about 8 books started. My goal is to finish all 8 before I start another one.

No comments:

Post a Comment