Damn you, Oprah and your organizing expert!

Last week, three people mentioned the Oprah episode with the organizing expert.  I have fallen terribly behind on my Oprah watching, I still tivo each episode, but I may watch one or two a month now. I know!  But then three people mentioned this particular episode in a very short period of time.  Friday night I stayed up late to watch it.  Then, while I slept Friday night, I would occasionally rouse from my slumber I would I think about closets and drawers that were in need of immediate re-organization.  I slept until 9:30am Saturday morning and Brian came into our room, I had just finished brushing my teeth when I exclaimed "THIS IS GOING TO BE THE BEST DAY EVER!"  He knew he was in trouble because I hadn't even had a sip of coffee, yet.  And he watched the Oprah episode, too, and HE started going through the closet, without me saying anything about that closet, so he felt it, too, that desire to reorganize.  We spent most of the day, cleaning, putting away, scrounging around for plastic containers, filling up bags for Goodwill...and purging.

It really was an excellent show, unfortunately, we still have alot of work to do, but for some reason, it now seems a little bit easier!  Here are 10 tips from the show that I grabbed from O's Website:
HOW TO KEEP YOUR HOUSE CLUTTER-FREE

• Tackle messes one room at a time.
• When you buy something new, practice the "in-out rule:" For every one new item, get rid of an old one.
• Create intimacy in the master bedroom. Remember that improvements in one room can spread to the rest of the house.
• Make cleaning up fun for your kids.
• Create a vision for the room you're cleaning.
• Teach your kids how to sort.
• Use a hanger system to determine which clothes you wear most.
• Ask yourself if you really need something. If you hesitate, you don't.
• Establish a "magic triangle" in your kitchen between the stove, refrigerator and the sink. Keep the items you use most in that area.
• Identify useful utensils with the cardboard box test.

Comments

[J.Fergie]

yeah, yeah, all those organizing tips are real cute an' all but did I read correctly? Did you say you SLEPT IN until NINE-THIRTY on Saturday? What's your tip for THAT??

[Michelle]

Holy Crap! We had the same Saturday for the same reason!!! My closet practically glows with organization now, and boy do I have plans for the rest of the house. Damn. Oprahsueded again. She's THAT good. (Although "the Secret" episode, I thought, was a little out there)

[Laurie & Chris]

We have been trying to go through each room of our house a little at a time. Good luck!! We have a couple more to go through:)

[Lynette]

This episode rocked and got me into action. I am an organizing fool and am so excited you got to get in on it too. Very addicting isn't it?

[allie]

I missed that show...rats!! Really did want to watch it.....but I got into the groove of things this week-end too. We are selling our house and needed tips...sorted the bathroom closet...and the dreaded kitchen junk cupboard. Oh I love this time of year, cleaning and getting ready for spring!!

[Elisa]

I missed it, too. I'm not perfect, but I like to think I'm fairly organized.

What is this hanger system?