Springtime is among us and that can only mean one thing: it’s time to spring clean! It’s a well-known truth that an organized home is a happy home. Messy spaces can cause a lot more unnecessary stress than you may think and nobody wants to be scrambling to find that missing shoe in an overflowing closet or running late because you can’t find your keys.
When clutter gets out of hand, it can be overwhelming to figure out how to tackle the chaos and put your home back in order. Fortunately, organizing your home (and keeping it organized!) doesn’t have to be as cumbersome as it might seem when you have some simple tips to guide you through the process. Below are some of our favorite tricks for decluttering and keeping an orderly home:
1. Start with one space at a time
Having several areas in your home to tidy up can be daunting, so start with just one! Decide which one to start with — whether it’s the room that needs the most help, or the area that guests see the most, work on one place, celebrate when you finish, and move onto the next.
2. Purge the clutter
You never want to wind up organizing things you no longer use or want so, before you even begin to organize your home, always declutter first. Get rid of anything that no longer serves you, so you have less that needs to be organized.
3. Store where you use
Storing items where you typically use and need them will not only make it easier to find what you’re looking for, but it also increases the likelihood of things being put away when you’re done using them.
4. Keep like with like
Store all bakeware in the same cabinet, all cooking utensils in the same drawer, and all serving bowls on the same shelf. Keeping similar items together makes it much easier to find what you need when you know where to look.
5. Use matching containers and dividers
When you’re organizing spaces like drawers, cabinets, and shelves, using matching containers or dividers defines a clear spot for each stored item, making it much easier to find what you’re looking for, and looks aesthetically pleasing.
6. Apply the one in, one out rule
To avoid overfilling your closet with new clothes every time you go shopping, commit to donating an item of clothing you no longer wear for each new one you bring in.
7. Go digital
We all have important documents that are necessary to keep, but it doesn’t have to result in a giant mess of paper. Opt for paperless billing whenever possible or scan any important paper documents into your computer. As an additional backup, you can save them on a thumb drive. This is a simple way to keep papers from piling up while also helping the planet!
8. Look for unused space
If you feel like you don’t have enough storage space, think creatively about additional areas that you can put to good use. Some great examples include above doors, underneath beds, and even the back of cabinet doors. These areas are often overlooked in the home but installing additional shelves or organizers in certain spots can go a long way!
9. Create a drop zone
Make it easy to come and go with a simple storage piece, such as a small console table, to keep the items you take with you most days. The idea is to have an accessible spot where you can quickly grab and drop your keys, wallet, sunglasses, pet leashes, etc, whether you’re heading out the door or coming home at the end of the day.
10. Tidy up at the end of every day
There’s nothing better than waking up to a clean and tidy home every morning. Setting aside a few minutes at the end of every day to reset your space and put away any items out of place is a surefire way to keep your home organized and ensure clutter never gets out of hand!
