Home Organization Tips
Embrace the Power of Organization.
Basic Tips to Declutter and Organize
Home organization is important for many reasons. Not only will being organized help you keep your home clean, but it can also help your life run more smoothly and you may even find yourself sleeping better.
With the demands of work, family, and other responsibilities, it can be challenging to find the time and energy to keep a home organized. However, there are strategies you can implement to help maintain some level of organization even in the midst of a busy schedule.
Clutter happens over time and when we spend as much time as we do at home, it can become harder to recognize clutter and the need for organization.
Getting organized means you will have space for the things you actually love, a place to sit and watch a movie on family movie night. No more misplaced bills, forgetting appointments or searching for something you need right now.
Depending on how much clutter there is to tackle will depend on how big the hurdle is going to be to get organized.
With today’s busy schedules, keeping your home organized may seem an impossible task – but it’s not. Below are some organization tips that can help you get – and stay – organized.
Clean With a Positive Mindset and Accept the Need to Declutter
First of all – we all probably have something we need to prune – not just in the garden either. Even if we are careful, new things can find a way into our home every day.
If we can’t let go of items as we bring new in – clutter happens and it can get out of control. That’s when we need to look around, see the clutter and accept the need to declutter.
Starting with a positive mindset can make the task feel more manageable and even enjoyable. There is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to organizing, as needs and preferences are different. Trust your instincts and find a system that works for you. And recognizing when something is “good enough” is important as well.
Finding a Place for Everything and Everything Having a Place
The number one tip for organizing your home is creating a place for everything. As the old saying goes: “a place for everything and everything in its place”.
If an item does not belong somewhere, it will probably just sit on the steps or the dining room table for weeks. You might walk by it and think, “Where will I put this?” and continue walking because you really don’t know what to do with it.
When everything has a place, you will find what you are looking for. You won’t be wasting time and money looking for something and buying things twice or three times.
The first thing you need to do is give every item a home. This may include purchasing bins or baskets, getting rid of things you don’t use and have no place for, or giving things away.
When everything has a designated spot, it not only makes it easier to find and retrieve items, but it also encourages a habit of putting things back where they belong. This simple practice can go a long way in maintaining a clutter-free and organized home.
Promptly Deal With Mail and Other Paperwork
Junk mail and other papers can take over a desk or table with lightning speed. You can stop this by quickly going through the mail and making the decision to file it or throw it in the recycling bin.
Even today with electronic files and paperless billing, we still accumulate paper. On average, we really don’t get much mail on a daily basis. Don’t just set it down and let it pile up. Dealing with mail and papers promptly is a great way to prevent clutter from building up. Setting aside a specific time to sort through incoming mail and making quick decisions about what to do with each item can help keep surfaces clear and organized. Creating a designated spot for important documents and bills can also make it easier to stay on top of paperwork.
Put Things Away Now, Not Later
Another thing you can do to help stay organized is to put things away instead of setting it down thinking you’ll put it away later. Let’s face it; life happens and we get busy and may very well forget to come back to put that something away.
Putting things away immediately rather than leaving them out for later can make a significant difference in maintaining an organized space. It’s easy to underestimate how quickly clutter can accumulate when we delay putting things back where they belong. By taking a little bit of time to return items to their proper place, you can prevent the buildup of clutter and keep tidy and organized.
Make Cleaning and Organizing a Family Affair
Get the kids and hubby involved. Maybe before dinner the kids can tidy their rooms and help with the family room. Your significant other can help with the kitchen and other areas of the house.
Getting the whole family involved in organizing and tidying up can be a great way to share the workload and create a sense of collective responsibility. It also teaches valuable lessons about teamwork, organization, and taking care of shared spaces. Plus, it can be a fun and bonding activity for the family to do together.
Letting Go of Stuff
Letting go of items you no longer need or use is a crucial step in maintaining a well organized home. Holding onto things “just in case” can lead to unnecessary clutter and make it more challenging to find and use the things that truly matter. Regularly decluttering and donating or disposing of items that no longer serve a purpose can free up space and create a more functional and enjoyable living environment.
If you’ve been saving the kids school papers from day one and they are grown and have lives of their own, maybe they want to take some or all of it off your hands to keep for their children.
Don’t think too much about these items right now, go with your gut instinct and be honest – donate, give away, throw away. If you do not have the room for it, it has to go.
Spring and Fall Cleanings
A good Spring cleaning, when done correctly, is a great way to ward off disorganization. Use this time to go through cabinets, drawers and closets.
Give away items you no longer use. To keep the clutter from building up, consider implementing a thorough fall cleaning as well.
Recap
- Set realistic goals
- Declutter and organize regularly
- Establish routines
- Assign places for commonly used items
- Involve family with decluttering and organizing
- Avoid accumulating unnecessary items
- Maintenance
The Benefits of Organizing
The benefit of home organizing far outweighs the trouble it may take to achieve it. You will find that it actually takes less time to keep your home clean and organized, and that you will be spending less time trying to track down missing items.
You will be surprised at how easy it is to get and stay organized. You’ll be even more surprised at how good you’ll feel once you are done.
