Did you know that the National Association of Professional Organizers has designated January as “Get Organized Month”? I do not have any connection to that group, but I strongly agree with the principle they expound – the importance of being organized. According to these experts, people, on average, waste as much as an hour a day looking for things they have misplaced. Therefore, getting – and staying – organized can provide up to 15 days a year for other activities.

Although I am not a professional organizer, I do take satisfaction in being a pretty good amateur one. For instance, Randy trudges into the kitchen, exasperation in his voice: “I cannot find my brown driving gloves anywhere.”

I casually respond: “Have you looked in the back middle section of the top drawer of your chest of drawers?” He trudges off without responding. A minute later, he calls from the bedroom, “Found ‘em!”

Or my daughter walks over from next-door carrying a purple rug with an unraveled edge. “Do you have a needle I could use to repair this?” “Second drawer of sewing machine cabinet, near the back,” I respond nonchalantly. A few minutes later she’s headed home with an upholstery needle to rehabilitate the rug.

There is satisfaction in being organized – having a place for everything and everything in its place. A key to attaining this goal is being able and willing to eliminate unneeded or unwanted items from your home. This is easy for some people; others find it an almost impossible chore. I know one such couple in their late seventies. Recently, he fell while attempting to fit one more storage box in their garage – a space already overflowing with items that should have been discarded years ago. His injuries were minor this time, but …

If you or your care receiver have a similar mindset – that you just cannot part with items that you no longer need or use – I have a plan that may make this task more pleasant. This process occurred to me after we faced the enormous task of going through Randy’s parents’ home following his father’s death. Obviously, both of his dear parents were “keepers.” We discovered so many lovely and useful items that had not seen the light of day in years, along with a lot of stuff that should have been previously discarded. Realizing the difficulty of going through a loved one’s possessions while simultaneously grieving, I purposed to make some changes that would reduce this burden for our children. Step one was decluttering and discarding; step two was to begin giving away specific items now.

Many people leave lists of “who gets what” following their deaths. Sometimes that works, but often, family feuds erupt. To make sure your heirloom necklace you haven’t worn in twenty years goes to the family member you want to have it, why not give it to her now? If you want your eldest grandson to have your coin collection, present it to him on his next birthday.

Please understand, I am not advocating that you give away everything you own; but as you age and your lifestyle changes, start a process of giving away those belongings you no longer use or need. This not only helps you pare down so you can enjoy an ordered environment, but also allows you the joy of sharing your favorite things with your loved ones and personally experiencing their expressions of gratitude.