
Getting organized is one thing.
Staying organized is another.
That’s where TWEAK Day comes in.
There isn’t anyway to get organized permenantly, I am sorry to say. Organizing is a living, breathing on-going thing. You can’t just do it once and be done with it.
Sure there is the initial effort to pitch the clutter and restore order. But, if you don’t revisit that space, then down the road, you’ll be back to the same old mess in no time.
So, have a TWEAK day. That is when you get into that space and tweak it. Today was TWEAK day in my own kitchen and laundry room. TWEAK day should be easy and short, after all you are doing it to stay organized and not start from scratch.
To TWEAK the kitchen, I began by making some hot soapy water in the sink. You can’t work in the kitchen without it. Then I opened each cabinet and drawer, peeking in to see if:
- Everything was still in its place.
- Was everything still useful?
- Did it need a quick wipe?
I did pitch some plastic water bottles into the recycle bin that I thought I might use “some day” and they have never been used. I found a handful of recipes printed from the computer that I don’t need so out they went. I purged the junk drawer of office supplies and other odds and ends that migrated there. I was really brave and got rid of the burnt and hole-filled potholders. The plastic lids now match the bowls once again as I recycled the odd pieces.
While I was peeking in each, I wiped off the outside of the cabinets and appliances. In the laundry room, I wiped off the washer and dry and tweaked the basket that I store my supplies in. Whenever I find coins in the laundry, I pitch them in the basket. I fished them out, tossed them in the piggy bank and put the basket liner in with a load of clothes.
It’s been months- start of Florida hurricane season- since I last tweaked the kitchen. This was a great time of year, before company arrives and holiday entertaining happens, to make sure the kitchen is clean and in order.
It only took 30 minutes and I won’t need to do it again for months. TWEAK away to stay organized.