Here are three sanity saving tips to deal with the age old question: ”How can I get my spouse to be more organized?”
Whether your spouse has a dresser full of concert t-shirts, a desk piled with paper or a workbench covered in projects it can be a challenge to come to a compromise.
1. Share for a cause but be specific. Charities are desperately seeking gently used treasures to give away or to sell to benefit the cause. Let your spouse know a specific charity is stopping by for a pick up or you’ll drop off on a specific date. Then give him a container and give him a specific number of items that need to be placed inside.
2. Have a shared vision for the space. If you are looking to makeover a space the figure out what your spouse is looking forward to about the new space. That will be the motivator to purge the clutter. Each item can be weighed against the goal: this keep old, rusted piece of metal and there is no room for the ping pong table in the newly organized garage. Or recycle the metal and get a ping pong table…a table that can be paid for by all the money you make by selling the items.
3. Make creating space a challenge or a competition. Many couples have a competitive streak or they enjoy a game so make it one. Set a timer and see who can fill their container first or who can part with more items before the buzzer sounds.
