I’ll be the first to admit that I dream of the day where my home looks more like a hotel and I can actually find a matching pair of socks at least once a week. I spend countless hours, like many, on Pinterest only to turn around and realize that my home is nowhere near as organized as what I’ve seen. Don’t get me wrong, I have attempted my share of home organization projects or decor trends, but nothing ever seems to stay. Recently, I had to really stop and ask myself why this was. The conclusion I came to was simple. Setting up a space to be organized is only one step, you must set up a process to stay organized and you must also organize the space with the user in mind.
Home Organization Questions
- What do I organize first?
- Do I come up with my own solution or use someone else’s?
- How do I keep it organized?
- How do I get my husband and kids to respect and keep the space organized?
- How do I organize a space to cater to my lifestyle?
These are just a few of the questions that many of us face and need addressing. By following a few simple steps below you’ll be right on your way to addressing these questions and getting into a more organized home.
6 Steps to Home Organization
- Observe: Take a day to really observe your normal operations, what you touch & where you set it down, how certain areas look and at what times are they at their worst. Which areas are in need of the most attention?
- Evaluate: After you have observed your space for a day or two spend some time evaluating your results and understanding why the space is how it is. Ask yourself, “why did I set this down here?” or “ why is this a high traffic area?” or “why is this issue currently occurring?”. Next, choose the area that you see needs THE MOST attention.
- Get insight: Now that you have Observed and Evaluated it’s time to get pumped and get inspired. Take a moment to see what solutions YOU can come up with first! And then, if you need a little help, go see what others tackling the same issues have come up with. You know your situation the best which is why you should always try to see what you come up with first.
- Make a two part plan: You must do both parts for this to be effective.
- Part 1- Make a plan on how you will organize that space and what tools you will need. Also, estimate how much time it will take so you can knock it out in one go.
- Part 2- Create a process to keep that space organized. Type it up, write it out, post it, whatever will help you remember.
- Execute & Announce: Time to put in the work and get things organized. Gather all of your tools and some music to pump you up, get a sitter if it will help you focus, and get to it! When you are done have a showcase and announce to your household members, husband and/or kids what you did, why you did it, and how the new process will work to keep that area looking nice.
- Repeat– Keep this going until all areas are tackled.
By doing these 6 steps you will not only tackle your organization issues, but you will build great habits to keep it that way and so will your family. Happy Organizing!
What are your biggest troubles with organizing your home? Do you have an area that seems to constantly be in disarray?