Organization: Get Your Shit Together

It's a new year, time to purge the closets and get organized!  Things you no longer need are cluttering your closets!  Do you have anything below taking up valuable space?

1) That sweater you thought you loved yet still has the tags on it (my Grandmother was a huge offender)
2) Your old t-shirt that the threads are holding hands just to remain a shirt,
3) Maybe you have a few towels with bleach spots (I can't be the only one who has had a "bleach incident")
4) Single socks that no longer have a buddy to mingle with.  Being the constant optimist I always hold out hope that the buddy will return, but the truth is, move on single sock....your match has been sucked into the laundry vortex and isn't coming home.

Before you attack your closet, be open minded to not attaching emotions to every article of clothing, fooling yourself into thinking that you will wear it/use it.  Think in terms of 12 months.  If you have not worn something in a year or more, guess what, you probably are not going to wear it in the next 12 months either!  Time to get rid of it! 

Now you are ready to purge those closets, it's going to feel amazing....freeing yourself from material clutter!  You will need to make a few piles
1) items you are going to keep
2) items that will be donated
3) items that are in good condition that you want to sell at consignment or eBay
3) items that should become rags
4) towels that will be used for the dog; after a bath, drying off muddy paws before coming into the house or jumping in the car

Once you have your piles (3 foot-high donation pile above!), don't just throw everything back in the closet that you are keeping...ORGANIZE IT!  I color coordinate my closet, items of the same shade go together and then further organized by dark to light.  This is great because, it makes figuring out what you want to wear easier (no more searching for that favorite shirt).  This is actually easy to maintain once you do the work the first time around.  As you wear things, an empty hanger is a place-holder for said item once it is washed/dry cleaned!  I do this for my entire closet, including my heels.

I'm not an eBay person and just rather donate the clothing to Good Will, but if you are up for it, by all means as Jim Kramer would say...."SELL, SELL SELL!"  As for towels and linens (if you don't have a dog.....now might be a great time to get one!), consider donating them to your local animal shelter or rescue organization.  Most of these places are always in need of these items for bathing the dogs or to be used as bedding.

If you have turned over a new leaf to eat healthier, tackle your refrigerator and pantry.  A little secret to eating better, if its' NOT IN YOUR HOUSE it makes it a lot harder to eat it!  Oh, and for those with kids:
1) you are not fooling anyone by saying "it's for my kids, I don't eat it"  Oh REALLY?
2) your kids don't need to be eating sugary and salty snacks either!

So read your labels and think about what you are putting in your body.  

POINT OF INTEREST!  What are the 2 ingredients used to make paper mache?  HINT:  The same two ingredients used to make bread, crackers, cookies, and other baked goodies!  Oh, if you need the answer.....Water and Flour!  So when you are eating these yummy treats, you are eating paste, just something to think about.

I'm a single chick with zero cooking skills, who also enjoys lifting a glass once in a while.  My refrigerator is broken down into my necessities....greens, eggs, coconut milk for my protein shakes and wine. Side note; typically there is a container of cooked tilapia and/or chicken as well, finishing this post before I grill that up. :) I'm a minimalist and my refrigerator follows suit I guess.

Happy Organizing!!!!!