Tips on How to get Started Organizing Your Home

There is no better feeling than walking inside a clean, organized home after a long day at work. Wouldn’t you agree?

Having everything in order, in a logical place, where anyone would think to look is a great way to save time. Instead of searching high and low for the duct tape or toilet paper, it is right where it’s supposed to be. What an amazing concept!

Most people (myself included) can’t find enough time to organize or get discouraged along the way.

Lucky for you, I was fed up with how disorganized my home was and decided to find the best, most efficient way to organize.

I found out that organizing doesn’t have to be stressful or an all-day task (seriously). With a streamlined process and a clear action-plan, even the biggest hoarder you know will have a tidy home!

I have some easy tricks and tips that will get your home looking better than ever before!

Plan it Before You Start It

My biggest problem was getting sidetracked.

I start organizing one area (such as my closet), then a few minutes later I find some books that need put away and then I realize my bookshelf needs reorganizing…and on and on!

It’s so overwhelming; I go from one area of my home to the next, organizing just a little at a time – which makes me feel like I never make any progress.

You need to be realistic. Don’t spread yourself too thin; do one thing at a time and remember that your goal is to get organized and eliminate the clutter.

A great way to stay focused on the task is to create a list. This seems so obvious, but it really is the number one way to get things done in the least amount of time.

Lists help to decrease anxiety and organize your thoughts. There may be a million things on your “Home Organizing To-Do List”, but I can assure you that writing or typing everything down will make everything much less stressful.

Thinking in “list-form” helps you when you want to view things in a logical order and when you want to be prepared to tackle a big task.

Making lists will streamline the organizational process and save you time in the end. Plus, whenever something is crossed off your list there is a huge sense of accomplishment. Go you!

Pick the Area You’re Going to Organize

Decide what room or area you’re going to organize first. What is it exactly that needs organizing? The closets, the garage, the car, the shed, the family room, etc.

I always tend to start in the areas that get used most often, such as my living room, kitchen or entrance way. I find that having these areas organized first will eventually lift my spirits and make me more motivated to get to the other areas.

Make a List of Supplies You will Need

Take your time and look around to get those creative juices flowing.

What will it take to get you organized? Shelving, baskets, containers? Also, don’t forget the cleaning products, garbage bags, hooks and hangers.

Write down what you need to do and what you will need to purchase for each area. Having a list with the tools and supplies will help you get ready ready before you start and will make the whole organizing process so much easier.

Select a Day to Start

If you don’t want to feel completely overwhelmed, I recommend you think about how long a task will likely take you to finish, and whether it is best done on a weekday or a weekend.

For example, the junk in the trunk of my car might take me fifteen minutes to clean out. Then I will allot another twenty minutes to go through it and decide what is garbage, what goes back in the trunk, and what I don’t need that I might be able to sell or give away. Then I’ll need another ten to fifteen minutes to put the things back in the trunk that I need.

Cleaning out the trunk of my car is something I could do if I had a few hours to spare on a weekday. However, if I was planning on cleaning out my car in addition to the garage, then I would probably wait until I had a free day on the weekend.

If you work better knowing the amount of time you’ll need to devote to a task, give each area a time frame and don’t forget to include extra time for unexpected interruptions such as phone calls and neighbors stopping by to say hello.

Don’t get yourself off track though; stick to your guns and get it done!

Keeping Your Home Organized

I am assuming your home didn’t become a disorganized mess overnight. More than likely, the blame for this mess doesn’t rest solely on your shoulders, either.

Your family should contribute to keep your home in tip-top shape.

A good rule to live by: leave each room better organized than when you entered it. This is great, especially for working families. I get home from work each day and the last thing I think about is cleaning. Instead, I think of one thing that would benefit each room: I tidy up the magazines when I enter my family room, I water the houseplants when I enter the kitchen, I restock the toilet paper when I get to the bathroom, etc.

Doing one thing at a time (even as little as it may seem), will help tremendously in the end.

Organizing doesn’t have to be stressful nor does it have to cost you a lot of money.

Work at a pace that suits you using the ideas we’ve provided and I can assure you that you’ll be surprised as how well you really can get – and stay – organized.