by Lucie Shores

Created on: January 05, 2009   Last Updated: January 20, 2010

Following large disruptive events, such as holidays, long visits or tornadoes, for example, stream of consciousness is the only way to organize effectively. This walk-through should give you the idea.  

The first step is to analyze and assess the now completely randomized areas of you home, picking up and grouping items that belong together, either by color, shape, function, destination or other definable characteristic.

We'll just go one room at a time.  Starting in the living room, put these pillows in the bedding closet in the studio, through the door there. No, all the blue pillows. Leave the bedding on the studio hide-a-bed and just fold it up. Yes, it works! I've done it a dozen times. Now, take all the wrapping paper and fold the good stuff, you know big pieces with no tears. Leave the tissue in the biggest gift bag, so we can use it.  Place everything in the walk-in closet in the studio too. There's plenty of room, don't be silly! Leave the light on; you'll need to get back in there right away. You can take everything else, like tape, ribbon, labels, bows, extra ornaments and either sort them now or leave them in the big basket there. Okay, out to the kitchen.

Let's put the good china away, before it's too late. And the crystal. Then find all the guest serving dishes, containers and utensils washed and ready to be picked up or delivered, but don't put them by the door or we'll trip on them. Go get the table cloths and shake them out. The red one needs to be washed, so throw it in the basket in the bathroom closet. Mind the fish tank!  Come here, did you get any of this? This is really good! Did you make this? Let's save it in some tupperware, no, get zip-loc instead. It'll just fit. We can have the turkey for lunch, and let's freeze the rest for making croquettes. You can take that awful corn-meal stuff and just stick it in the fridge for now. What was I thinking? Just leave it in the kettle, I'll do something with it tomorrow. Okay, put the bottles on the ledge in the entry, and the recycling goes in here.

Let's give this extra table to the kids and just keep the dark one. That new house of theirs is so big and nothing in it. This should do. Is it cold in here? Hey you! You left the door open to the entry, no just help me move this first, but you have to lift up and be careful of the legs. A little farther, great. It is quite awkward to have the table right outside the bathroom door, but what are you going to do? This is the only

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