Sometimes the most overwhelming thing about establishing order is just getting started. Rebecca Saumell, owner of Simplify Your Nest, a home organizing business, recommends beginning in one room. Once you see how nice and neat that room is and feel that sense of pride, you’ll want your entire house to look the same.

Saumell offers these tips to set you on your way:

Purge. Clean out everything that’s not needed.

Remove the items from the home. Donate, sell on consignment, post on Craigslist or list on eBay. Saumell can help with the logistics.

Create systems. Find ways to make the household more productive and functional.

Purchase storage and organizing items. Arrange all items neatly so they can be found.

A good place to start the organization process is your closet. Stylist and Personal Shopper Amy Levenson Krumholz, owner of StylebyAmy, who is also Good Life Family Magazine’s Fashion Editor, says, “When it comes to the closet, less is more. If you can’t see everything hanging in your closet, you are likely to grab the same few things and wear them over and over.”

Where to begin?

Clean out everything that does not fit, that you haven’t worn in two seasons, is worn out or is something you think you might wear “someday,” but each time you put it on you take it off.  Invest in matching hangers to create a uniform, clean look.

Separate your wardrobe by season. If you’re short on storage space, place the in-season clothes where they are most visible.

Arrange clothing categories together and separate by color. Keeping everything as visual as possible allows you to see what you have and what is missing from your wardrobe.

Sources:

Amy Levenson Krumholz, www.StyleByAmy.com

Rebecca Saumell, www.simplifyyournest.com