Getting organized can be a lot more profound than just going through your closet; this tidying task brings peace of mind, too. Whether you think of yourself as a walking tornado or already have your spice cabinet alphabetized, Robin Stankowski of RLN Organizing has tips you can use to make hard times easier and transition smoothly into fall, just in time for National Preparedness Month.
1. Disaster Preparation
With the increasing frequency of weather disasters and other more obviously man-made calamities, we're smart to observe National Preparedness Month this September. In the event that you need to dash out of your home in a hurry, you don't want to have waited until an emergency to decide what you can't leave behind. “People freeze in these situations, and they aren't sure what to grab beyond the kids and the family pet,” says Stankowski. “Have a meeting place outside the home, have a plan and practice it.”
Pack a “go kit” with survival necessities like water, blankets, credit cards, cash, important documents and even photos. Think about what's irreplaceable. Have it ready to grab and go.
Last winter's big snowstorm shows the necessity of being prepared to shelter in place. If you find yourself on lockdown, will you have enough food, medicine, diapers, etc.?
2. Life Documents
Among those important documents you may want to protect in case of an emergency, Stankowski recommends getting your paperwork and last wishes in order. Life document organizing kits are available from companies like Smead, or you can put them together yourself. It may take time to gather things like deeds, wills and trusts, healthcare directives and contact info, but this is a real stitch-in-time project.
Elders who have this organized can ease a transition into home care or make their passing something that can be grieved without thecomplication of searching for documents. “God forbid something happens to us at any age and young children or our spouse is left guessing where to find all this stuff,” Stankowski says.
No one wants to think about choosing a gravesite, but decisions like these are a hundred times worse in the thick of a death or an accident.
3. Memories and Valuables
If we want insurance to cover our losses, it helps immensely to have evidence of what we own. “Get a spreadsheet,” Stankowski says, “and identify items room to room. Include when you got it, how much you paid and the brand and model number if applicable.”
Photograph your stuff, walk around and video the rooms, narrating with all the information you have. Then store this evidence either in the cloud, on an app (some insurance companies offer them) or on a thumb drive in a safe deposit box, and be sure to update it yearly.
“Photos and videos are the first thing people tell me they want to preserve,” Stankowski says, “and the last thing they want to work on organizing.”
Gather all your physical and digital photos, and start to sort them, scan them and store them in multiple places. Committing to a Save Your Photos Day every month or year might make it more manageable.
4. Garage Organization
For some, the first thing they see when they arrive home is the garage, and it's often a disaster. “Anytime I work with someone on a garage,” Stankowski says, “I ask, ‘What's your goal with this space?'”
Simply storage? Gardening workshop or tool-laden man cave? Decide that, and you can start sorting out what's in there and pare down what's rusted, busted or no longer used. Be mindful, too, that garages are typically not temperature controlled, so they aren't a good place to store papers and photos.
Map out the space with departments or zones: recreation (beach chairs, coolers, sporting equipment), gardening, tools, household supplies, holiday decor, automotive, etc. Make use of all three walls, as well as the “fourth wall” (the ceiling). All sorts of shelving and racks can be employed to make the most of the space.
5. Seasonal Car Organization
“We practically live in our cars,” Stankowski says, “and they can end up as dumping grounds as we go about our business throughout the year.” She recommends freshening up your mobile unit twice a year, in fall and spring.
Clean the car out, and then restock essentials like sticky pads, chargers and umbrellas. Each member of your family might have a bag of go-tos, from diapers for the baby, water bowl and treats for the dog, to after-school sports necessities for the kids. Shopping supplies we often forget at home are coupons, gift cards and tote bags, so get into the habit of making their home inside the car rather than the pantry. A car needs an emergency kit, too, complete with first aid, nonperishable snacks and jumper cables.
Robin Stankowski
Professional Organizer & Owner RLN Organizing
610.737.5879 | rlnorganizing.com
