Welcome to the 30-Day Organize-athon!
In today’s 5 minutes we’re going to organize the things that need to leave your house.
Right, let’s get to it.
Day 19: Organize Your Outgoing Space
Step 1: Gather together any items that need to be taken out of your home, such as:
- DVDs to return to the video store
- Library books
- Items you’ve borrowed from friends
- Things that need to be taken somewhere for repair
- Clothes or linens that need to be dry cleaned
- A gift for an upcoming party, wedding or housewarming
- An umbrella to leave in the car
- Items for errands; etc.
Step 2: Choose a convenient spot near the door for these items. If there’s nothing already available, you could:
- Move a small table to an appropriate position near the door
- Clear a shelf in a hallway closet
- Liberate a deep drawer in a hall table.
Step 3: Place your outgoing items in their new position, so you can check one convenient place whenever you’re heading out. Make it a habit to check this spot as you leave – you’ll ‘remember’ things more often and feel much more organized.
And you’re done!
Got an Extra 5 Minutes?
Consider what else you could do to make your outgoing space an organized zone:
- Install hooks for keys?
- Add a pen and post-it pad so you can write due dates on library books and borrowed DVDs?
- Put up a checklist of things to remember when you leave – perhaps:
– Purse, phone, keys – for you?
– Schoolbag, lunch, homework – for the kids?
Now how organized is that!
The 30-Day Organize-athon Mantra
Move fast. Don’t overthink. Let it go!
Leave Your Comment Below…
Please leave your comment below to say you’ve completed today’s task.
See you tomorrow!
[Image by aussiegall]
I don’t currently have an outgoing spot, need to create one.
Done – ordered a clear plastic hanger with storage pockets to put all these kinds of things in the cupboard near the door with our outdoor wear and out of the way of small puppy!
Done, but I need to make a cute fabric box rather than the scummy cardboard one I’m using at the moment!
I have a Longaberger wall shelf w/ hooks that holds 2 baskets on the shelves and two hang from the hooks. . I hang my keys, toss my sunglasses and wristlet there, it holds my outgoing mail to grab on the way out the door…not a perfect set-up, but it works pretty good. Today I emptied out the stuff that didnt belong and washed out the basket protectors. Done!
That wasn’t too difficult! Done.
Done! I’m finally caught up with the days!! Yippee!!
I didn’t get the email either.
I really need to work on this in more depth, but I’ve done what I could in the time. For now, it’s a basket in the corner landing to the front door. I’d really like to find a piece of furniture or hanging piece for this eventually.
I didn’t get the email either.
Done!
For some reason I have stopped getting the emails sent to my inbox. Not sure how to fix that. I was able to come on the site today and do this. I have a huge pile of items that need to be repaired. I put in my car. I also have the things that need to be returned in the car as well. One step closer and Done.
Another task finished! We don’t have a lot of space, so whenever anything needs to be taken out of our house, I try to deal with it right away. Still, I had a few things that needed to be tended to, so I’ve now gotten those out of the way.
We have a hall tree near the door that theoretically is supposed to house the things we need to take out with us. It also becomes a hotbed for all other kids of clutter. Took the 5 min to clear it off from everything but what needs to go out with me. Now maybe I’ll remember to take it!!
I’m all done! I even went and got a small little table and a wood frame with hooks on it for the entryway to place our keys and mail.
Done. I have two outgoing spaces, one for my home office and a separate one for the house (near the main exit door). Very helpful!
I got tired of wasting time looking for my keys and pocketbook, especially when I was in a hurry to leave. So I already have a space. When coming in the door, I head to that location to put them there.
My washer and dryer are right by my back entrance. I put things that I need to take with me on the dryer, so I see it on the way out the door. Have loaded the car with things to take to the recycling center and Goodwill today. Thanks for the reminder of the library book. It is in the car ready to return.
completed today’s task !.
Done! 😀
Done! Now I need to make time to run all of those errands to return things and send things to dry cleaners (or else I am going to need a day to organize my car)!
I only had a small bookcase to pur in the nearby location. So, that’s what I did. Looks and feels better alr4eady. We were using the dining room table.