Get (and Stay) Organized at Home with These 5 Tips

Finding the time to get and stay organized at home may be a challenge for you or your family members. If so, you’re not alone. Many people struggle with this – from busy professionals to equally busy parents. If your goal is not only to get your home in good working order but also to keep it that way, here are some helpful tips with easy approaches that encourage consistency.

1. Set Small, Achievable Goals

Before diving in, identify areas or rooms that need the most attention. From there, create a list of tasks and prioritize them based on urgency. Setting clear objectives with dates and times that you can commit to will help you achieve your organizational goals bit by bit. Already have a very full plate? Break your goals into smaller, more manageable tasks that you can accomplish in smaller blocks of time. For example, you could block out 30 minutes during your workday once a week to tackle sections of your closet. Or, as soon as your kids go to bed, grab one empty box, head to your cluttered garage, and fill it with as many donation items as you can. You may feel like you need an entire day or more to begin, but we can often achieve quite a bit with smaller, achievable goals.

2. Apply the One-Year Rule

It is easy to create bins of what to keep, recycle, donate, and discard. What can be difficult is letting go of items you think you may use or fix down the road – even though you haven’t used or fixed them for years. We all have good intentions when it comes to someday repairing that broken bookshelf or wearing those jeans that don’t fit and haven’t in years. But there comes a time when we have to step back and honestly ask ourselves if those items are worth holding onto or not. The one-year rule can really help with this. When debating whether to hold onto something or not, ask yourself if you’ve used it at all within the past year or not. If not, it’s usually time to get rid of it because you can clearly live without it. Now, when it comes to mementos, we are not saying you should discard family treasures or keepsakes. But hopefully those cases are exceptions that aren’t filling every storage space you have. After all, we’re trying to get organized at home, so freeing up space matters.

3. Use Effective Storage Solutions

When it comes to storage, there are many shelves, bins, baskets, and drawer organizers that can keep items neatly stored and easily accessible. To ensure that they won’t become a catch-all, try labeling them and/or using dividers. By doing so, only specific things will go in that particular bin or drawer. And, when you’re done using it, be sure to put it back in that spot.

Also, you may want to consider purchasing some multifunctional furniture. For example, there are great beds with built-in drawers to maximize space. Additionally, storage benches are perfect for entryways, bedrooms, or hallways. Other creative ways to store needed items include installing shelves in your bathroom(s) and garage, and buying kitchen cabinet organizers or closet organizers.

4. Make Each Day Count

The biggest key to staying organized at home (or even just keeping a room organized) is to put things away every single day. A small amount of effort spent putting things in their designated place each day will save you time in the long run. No one wants to be late to work because they have to search for their wallet under piles of stuff. If you spend a few minutes in the evening tidying up, you’ll benefit from it the following morning.

5. Use Incentives if Needed

If you have children, building clean-up time into your daily routine as a family will show them the value of consistency. It will also help them create healthy habits. Your home doesn’t need to be spotless, just functional. Working together and recognizing even the smallest improvements can really help. If you or your family members respond best to rewards, set up a rewards system to incentivize this new approach to getting and staying organized. Create a sticker chart to reward your kids for keeping their rooms clean or consistently putting things back where they belong. When they’ve earned a specific number of stickers, take them on a fun outing to paint pottery or explore a local museum. Or, get them a new puzzle or game. For older children, it can help to build it into their weekly chores. You can also involve kids in the process of staying more organized at home, so they’re problem-solving with you. This creates buy-in and a sense of ownership. If you know you also operate best with rewards, treat yourself to a massage or some locally made home goods.

We know the process of getting and staying organized at home looks a bit different for everyone. Our homes and lifestyles are unique. But we hope these ideas have given you a helpful place to start.