PORTLAND, Maine — We have a long month ahead of us. Maine's "Stay Healthy at Home" order, which now runs through April 30, means we'll be spending a lot of time in our homes. So why not use this time to get organized.
Dawna Hall owns Organize Me! of Maine, a professional organizing service. She offers a few tips on projects you can tackle and some rules of thumb on choosing what to toss.
Dawns says these are actually, "de-cluttering" tips," because de-cluttering is 80 percent of the organizing process. Owning less is better than organizing more."
You could tackle your closet this week. Dawna's rule: If you haven't worn it in a year, let it go.
"If it's stained or ripped or needs repair, and you just haven't gotten around to it, that's your sign.
Everyone has been busy stocking their pantry over the last couple of weeks. But did you de-clutter it first?
Now is a good time to unload the expired food or items you thought sounded good at the time but you never used. Remember, that depending on the contents. You might be able to open those cans or boxes, compost what's inside, and recycle the packaging.
While you're doing the pantry, do the refrigerator as well. Get those things that got lost in the back.
When was the last time you tackled your filing cabinet? Since tax season is upon us, you are going to be in there anyway. After you pull what you need, organize the rest.
Dawna says you can reach out to her on her Organize Me! of Maine Facebook page for a list of how long you need to hold on to certain documents. Purge the rest.
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