Five Organizing Principles to Live By
Organizing trends come and go. One minute it’s cool to color coordinate your clothes, the next minute it’s no longer cool to use wooden hangers (I’ll continue to use mine though, thank you very much). If you don’t care for organizing trends, or are simply overwhelmed by all the infinite ways to organize your home, here are some guiding principles that stand the test of time.
I’m pretty confident that you could throw these rules in a time capsule twenty years from now and they would still be relevant. In other words, they WORK. Here are my trusted tips to keep your space your happy, clutter-free place:
But first, declutter. Tempting as it is to go out and splurge on every bin under the sun, it’s essential to clear the clutter first. Clutter prevents you from appreciating the items you truly enjoy and treasure, while perpetuating the cycle of a disorganized space. When you get rid of items that no longer serve you, you’re much more likely to keep a neat and tidy space. Now’s the time to toss those dried out markers, sell books you haven’t cracked open since college, and donate those candles that smell like salted caramel apples. Once you’ve decluttered you can then assess what kinds of storage solutions make sense for your space (just make sure you measure the dimensions of the space first!).
Trust your own organizing style. Just because open kitchen shelves and minimalist countertops are trendy doesn’t mean they will work for you. For instance, if you often lose track of items when they’re completely out of sight, avoid storing items in opaque bins. On the other hand, if seeing everything out at once is total sensory overload for you, it’s best to create hidden systems that are easily accessible (for example, storing your Kitchen Aid on an appliance lift instead of directly on your countertop). Keep in mind that your organizing style can vary across different rooms in your space; you might be at peace with a little countertop clutter in your kitchen, but piles of sweaters in your closet might be an eyesore. The main takeaway: to maintain sustainable organizing systems, do what works for you, even if it means bucking the trends.
Get in the zone. While it sounds terribly boring, the key to maintaining an organized space is to create zones for your items. This goes for the jeans in your closet as much as it does the rubber bands in your junk drawer. Group like items together, then give each category a home with containers or labels. If you’re disciplined enough, or would rather avoid labels and containers altogether, commit to putting things back in the same spot. This way, you’re much less likely to lose track of what you have, or buy duplicates and unnecessary purchases of that item. Case in point: I recently organized a woman’s closet and she was flabbergasted at how many white t-shirts she had. She continued to buy more t-shirts under the presumption that she was running low. The lesson here is that creating zones for your items is often half the battle in terms of upkeep.
Balance pretty with practical. If your systems aren’t easy to maintain, your Pinterest worthy pantries and closets will crumble before your eyes. For instance, storing your sweaters in wicker baskets might look nice on your closet shelf, but it’s impractical to reach for the whole basket every time you need a sweater. In this case, you’re better off organizing your sweaters with shelf dividers, or storing them in drop-front sweater boxes. On the other hand, it’s important not to skimp on style, otherwise you won’t be as motivated to keep your space neat and tidy. If your systems are the perfect blend of form and function, you’re golden.
Make organizing a routine. Home organizing often gets equated with one huge, intimidating overhaul of our space. As a result, people often give up before they’ve even started. Reframe home organizing as general maintenance for your space, similar to doing the laundry, vacuuming, or cleaning the floors. If you’re starting with a cluttered home, set a timer and carve out fifteen minutes to tackle one area. This could be as tiny as your bra and underwear drawer, or your makeup bag. You don’t have to toss things just for the sake of decluttering; it’s more about getting rid of items that no longer work for you and your space. For example, it’s okay to toss that purple YSL lipstick you bought on a whim five years ago and only wore once. Once you build up your decluttering and organizing muscle on a small scale, you’ll be much more likely to move on to larger projects.
Leave guilt at the front door when decluttering. Whether it’s an expensive item you purchased and didn’t end up using, or a gift from your best friend that’s collecting dust in your closet, don’t let guilt get in the way of a clean and tidy space. Not only are these things taking up physical space, but they’re also taking up a lot of headspace. If you spend a lot of time staring at objects you don’t actually like, this can take its toll on you on a subconscious level. Going forward, just treat any misguided purchase as a learning experience and move on. When it comes to gifts, as the saying goes, it’s the thought that counts.