Happy new year, y’all! Did you know that home organization is one of the most common new year’s resolutions? If you want to streamline the stuff you keep but aren’t sure where to start, check out these tried and true organizational tips.
Phase One: Shrink Your Stuff
The person who coined the phrase “you can’t do two things at once” was probably thinking about home organization. Make sure you remove unwanted items before you begin organizing. Start small by clearing out a drawer or shelf and then moving on to larger spaces, like a closet or pantry. Once you’ve rid yourself of unnecessary items, you’re ready to begin phase two.
Phase Two: Group Like Items
Remember the Sesame Street classic, “One of These Things is Not Like the Other?” Guess what? The lessons you learned as a toddler apply as an adult too! Lay out all of your items within eyesight and group like items together. For example, if you’re organizing your home office, group all of your writing supplies in one container and cables in another. You can add labels for easy access or opt for clear containers to make locating items quicker.
Phase Three: Focus on Functionality
Each room in your home can serve more than one purpose. For example, a living room isn’t just for watching movies; it can often act as a playroom. Instead of storing your kids’ toys in their bedrooms, consider setting up a storage system in the living room. This makes organization and clean-up easier.
Phase Four: One In, One Out
Now you’re ready to move into the maintenance phase. At this point, you can minimize your clutter risk by following the simple “one in, one out” rule. For every item you bring into your home, you remove an item that’s similar in nature. Ideally, you’d remove an old item within a few hours of bringing in the new one, and make sure the swap is a fair one (i.e. it won’t work if you exchange a new winter coat for an old pair of socks). By limiting the influx of items you bring into your home, you can prevent clutter build-up in the future.
Ready to start organizing? Book a Tasker today.
