Whether you own a home, rent, live with children or roommates, staying organized can be a challenge. Add in work, errands, and social events as a start, keeping your space decluttered can seem like a time-consuming task.
Author and organizing consultant Marie Kondo explains in her novel, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up:
“Tidying ought to be the act of restoring balance between people, their possessions and the house they live in.”
“We should be choosing what we want to keep, not what we want to get rid of.”
“The place we live should be for the person we are becoming now – not for the person we have been in the past.”
These can be important pieces of advice to keep in mind when starting the process of organizing your space.
Do you find your space constantly needs to be reorganized and decluttered? Perhaps you are in need of some strategies to coordinate a new system to stay on top of clutter. It is one thing to organize your space on constant repeat, versus finding a maintainable process that will work for your situation.
Here are some main tips from a variety of simple living podcasts to start you on the process of organization:
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Organize: Every item in your home should have its own home and location. If an item is out of its home - return it right away! Have miscellaneous items? These can have a home too. Find a decorative box and assign it to be "The Miscellaneous Box". Put these in every room if need be!
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Assess: Take an inventory of everything you have - from seasonal decorations to clothing, to kitchen items, be aware of items you have so you don’t impulsively buy things you don't need! This will save you money and future headaches of dealing with duplicates.
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Reevaluate: Do you really need to keep that Halloween decoration, old garden tool, or piece of clothing you haven't worn in years? Reevaluate items: does it bring you joy, how often is it used, is it still your style or taste? If you answered no, don't continue holding on to it!
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Declutter: Based on the previous tips, it is time to declutter your space and only keep what you truly need! Try taking items out of a room and keeping them stored away for a month. Did you find yourself missing or needing an item? If so, keep what you need and move on from the rest.
Want further tips and tricks to organize and maintain your space? Try listening to some of these helpful podcasts in the car, while exercising, or even cleaning, that provide even more tips and insight to work towards a more organized and maintainable space:
Millennial Minimalists Episode 108 - Declutter Your Home Quickly and Easily:
Hosts Kelly & Lauren discuss a variety of tips and strategies to find what works best for you, to not only declutter but stay organized in the future.
Their advice includes: Stay minimal! Whether in cleaning products or decor, use natural products such as pumpkins or real trees to not only stay more environmentally friendly but dispose of after use.
The Simplified Podcast Episode 26 - Simplify Your Kitchen and Pantry
Host Emily Ley dives into tips she uses with a family of five on how she keeps her kitchen and pantry in top shape.
Her advice includes: Clearing things off the counter, organize recipe cards, cut down cookbooks, keep your favourites and what is necessary of kitchen items. Declutter and organize first, then buy the pretty baskets and organizers. Don't forget to measure! Anytime you can shave a few seconds off a decision-making process, you’ve increased your efficiency and simplicity, adding up to using that time elsewhere in your life. Be ruthless, don’t get emotions involved.
Made By Mammas Episode 18 - Nicola Lewis On Getting Organized
Hosts Georgia & Zoe have special Guest Nicola Lewis (This Girl Can Organize) discussing where to start to stay organized with your family:
Their advice includes: Including your children in the process of decluttering, a 4 point plan to mental prep of all your tasks to get organized for the week, how to avoid mountains of toys and steps to prepare your home for children
Check out items they suggest to help with your organization journey: