Whether you are looking to declutter your personal belongings before moving, or you simply want to organize your current home to work better for you – we’ve got you covered with some essential organization tips.
Utilize the KonMari Method
Begin by organizing items in your home into categories rather than going room-to-room. Try gathering all the clothing in your home and sort through what you want to keep, donate, or throw out. Once you have done that you can move them back to the specific spot where they belong instead of having everything spread out across your home. Work your way through the rest of the categories (i.e. books/stationary, toys, accessories etc.) and finish off by sorting through sentimental items. Take a moment to appreciate those items, and then discard anything that no longer brings you joy. For more information on the KonMari Method, visit her website here.
Utilize Organization Tools
First and foremost, you must complete a full purge of your home before purchasing any organization tools otherwise you will end up with more than you need. After you have thrown out or donated the items you do not need, take time to create functional spaces in your home that will work well to store your everyday items. Install sturdy and durable shelving in your storage rooms and invest in quality storage bins that you can easily label so that you can see what is in each bin. Add container organizers to every drawer in your home so that they do not become a dumping ground for your items.
Arrange Items According to How Often You Use Them
Organize your shelves in a way that make sense for you in your day-to-day life. Keep the plates and cups that you use every day at the front on the lower shelves where it is easy to reach. Save the hard to reach spaces for items like serving platters and gravy boats since you don’t need them as often. The same thing goes with clothing, bathroom products, blankets etc.
Take a Step Back
It’s easy to become accustomed to the everyday items you keep in your house, which can make it hard to recognize items that might need to go. Imagine you are a guest in your house and take note of things that you have become blind to like the pile of paper in the corner of the kitchen or the stack of books that you have finished reading. If that doesn’t work for you, trying snapping a picture of the space and looking at it that way to view it in a different manner.
Ongoing Tips
Now that you have finished going through your house, don't let the progress end there. Try to spend just 5 minutes a day doing a quick tidy to keep everything where they should be. Try the 12-12-12 rule where you find 12 items to be thrown out, 12 items to donate, and 12 items to return to their proper place in your home. If you're feeling ready to take on your inner minimalist, try to get rid of at least one item a day for a year.