Typically, organizing is not something that is on the top of anyone’s list of favorite things to do. It is often a task that can be daunting and easily seem overwhelming. You may sit there thinking, “Where in the world do I even start?” and before know it, you have talked yourself out of it. Organizing does not have to be scary, but you have to be sure not to make one of the most common mistakes. By using the following guide, you too can become organized without stressing out about the process.

The Worst Mistake – Do not buy bins or organizing products before you begin! Once you have gone through the initial steps below, you should look for containers you already have around your home. Then, if you still need additional storage, be sure to measure the space the container needs to fit in before shopping.

Decide Where to Start – If you don’t immediately have an idea of where you want to begin, think of a space that you spend the most time in or items that you use everyday. Organizing these areas first will make a huge impact on your day-to-day activities and can quickly get you in the groove to move on from there.

Set Yourself Up – Before diving in, be sure to have boxes or bags set up for trash, recycling, donations, and things to sell in the area that you will be working in. Keep a sharpie and some sticky notes handy for labeling.

Categorize – While sorting through everything, be sure to put like-items together. This is your space, so you’ll want to make categories that make the most sense to you. It’s a good idea to start with general groupings (i.e. office supplies, craft supplies, kids toys, etc.) and then go back and break it down further within each group (i.e. for office supplies: envelopes, pens/pencils, paper, etc.).

Purge – As you are going through your items, decide what you should throw away, donate, or sell. Be realistic and open to part with items that you no longer use or that you have multiples of (i.e. you do not need to have 5 pairs of scissors or 20 black pens).

Give Everything a Home – It is important to store items where you use them most (for example, put pots and pans near the stove). Any items that you rarely use or only need for special occasions should be stored in higher places or towards the back of cabinets.