Follow the VIIP Principle

Do you follow the VIIP Principle? Do you know what the VIIP Principle is? The VIIP Principle is four easy-to-remember steps to use when you’re ready to tackle your next organizing project.

The four steps are:
V   visualize
I     identify
I     improve
P    put away

Let’s look at the four steps in more detail…

visualize – Visualize what you want to do and how you want it to look when you are finished. Begin with the end in mind.

identify – Identify what you want to keep, reuse, donate, or simply toss.

• keep: There will be things you’ll definitely want to keep. If you have to think whether you want to save it or not, get rid of it.
• reuse: Perhaps you can reuse an item in another way, or put it in a different spot in your home. By reusing an item you can save money. If you can’t reuse the item, check to see whether you can recycle it. If not, toss it.
• donate: Donate things you no longer need or want. Give them to a charity or to a friend, relative, neighbor. Pass along items in good condition that could be used by another person.
• toss:  Get rid of things! If you don’t need it, can’t reuse it, or can’t donate it…throw it away.

improve – Improve the area. Make it look better than it was before. Clean it, paint it, move furniture, add baskets or containers—do whatever you need to do to make your project, and its surroundings, look better than when you started.

put away – Put away the items you’re keeping. Store your things in an organized manner.

After you follow the VIIP principle, you will have completed an organizing project. Congratulate yourself!

Visualize…Identify…Improve…Put Away.