Streamlining

I'm posting my notes to an Enrichment I attended last week for my friends who couldn't make it, and anybody else who's interested. The topic is "Streamlining" and it was given by Alice Fulton, the author of the book It's Here . . . Somewhere.

Streamlining is not organizing. Organizing is putting things in a place, streamlining is dumping the stuff you don't need to make managing easier. Once the extra stuff is gone, the responsibilities associated with managing it are reasonable (namely, cleaning).

Today we are space-poor and thing-rich, and it's only going to get worse as we get older. "A place for everything, and everything in its place" works well only if you have more space than things. Space is fixed, but the stuff you have is variable. Having less is easier to manage, and clutter only makes a house look dirty.

Focus on QUALITY over QUANTITY. Big isn't better, it's just big.

Streamlining is touching every physical thing you own, and deciding:
Do I like it? Do I use it? Do I need it? Do I have room for it?

THE STREAMLINING PROCESS:
1: prepare
Making these decisions is exhausting, so prepare ahead of time. Explain to your family exactly what will happen, how it will happen, and why it's happening. And then don't touch their stuff.
Clear your calendar, prep meals ahead, collect containers (large and small--but don't buy them) and make a plan to have everything removed at the end of the day (DI, etc.)
2: collect containers
Have containers for things to donate, things to put elsewhere, things to file (documents and photos) and trash bags for garbage.
3: work clockwise
Pick a place to start. Dragging your containers with you, fill them as you go. Clear off surfaces.
4: evaluate and assign
Give every space a JOB, and make sure it's a good one.
5: ask the questions
Do I like it, need it, use it, and have space for it?
6: Group and store
Organize like with like, keep stuff used more frequently close at hand.
7: Use memory boxes
Give every family member a space limit on memories, and let the family members decide what gets kept and what gets thrown out. Help little kids to evaluate when the box's lid will no longer shut.
8: Enjoy the empty space
And use it to showcase who you really are.

TIPS AND TRICKS:
Under bed storage
Make a catalog of what lives under the beds. One card, divided into four, to list everything that's kept under all the beds. File it, then when you need something and you forgot where you stored it you won't have to get under every bed.
Wants and needs list
Make a wants and needs list for every room/space. This way you can have a goal for what your space will eventually look like. Don't make do with things you don't love, it's better to have empty space than something you don't like looking at until you can afford what you really want.
Clothing tips
Make sure it's in style, you like it, it fits right, has kept its shape, is a good color, has no unremovable stains, or torn hems, warn seams, etc.
QUALITY OVER QUANTITY
Get rid of wire hangers, use plastic until you can afford satin padded hangers.
Fold children's outfits together, especially for travel. Fold everything, place in pants, fold pants, and then turn inside out to make a "packet"
Kids don't need more than 8 outfits, and 1 or 2 for church.

And nobody needs six sets of sheets per bed, or eight towels per person. Yes, they'll wear faster, but you can replace them when you need to and enjoy your space in the meantime.