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Last updated on July 26th, 2024 at 01:18 pm
One of the biggest answers I get to the question, “What’s your biggest challenge in getting organized right now?” is “I don’t know where to start.”
I get it.
If you’re feeling this way, you’re probably looking at your disorganized house and seeing one big problem.
Try this instead …say you’re doing a 1000 piece puzzle. If you looked at the pile of individual pieces not picturing the puzzle as a whole image, it’s daunting.
But you know that you have to work on a little bit at a time, starting with the border, then working on other parts of the picture.
You can break down the puzzle into steps so it eventually forms a whole picture. And you get started with something easy.
Organizing your house isn’t any different.
Let’s walk through how to figure out where to start organizing your house.
(Feel free to workshop this thing.)
Step 1: Write down all the spaces and/or categories that need organizing.
Go ahead, air your grievances. Make a list of every single space or category in your house that’s bothering you.
If you’re thinking, “But it’s my WHOLE house,” still list out every single space. You need to start seeing it as different pieces to a puzzle.
Step 2: Choose the top 3 spaces and/or categories you want organized.
If you can’t decide, think about the spaces that would make the biggest change in your daily life if it was organized. Or think of the spaces that have been bugging you …the ones that feel like they’re cluttering up your mind.
Step 3: Prioritize these 3 spaces by easiest to hardest.
Got your top 3? Now think about which of them has the smallest amount of emotion related to it. For example, you don’t want to start by going through your family photos or family memories. That’s a really bad place to start.
Instead, start in a more straightforward space like a bathroom or the kitchen. It’s easier to make unemotional decisions at first if you’re only focusing on expired stuff.
Step 4: Start!
Now that you know which space to start in, it’s time to find a place to start in that space. Break up that space into smaller pieces. Start with a bathroom drawer, then move to under the sink. Or start with one shelf in the pantry, then move to the next one.
Use this framework as you declutter.
The most important thing is that you start. That’s the hardest part.
Now you can move through your list of spaces, and you’ll get those first 3 spaces organized in no time. Once you get started, you’ll get into a rhythm so it’s easier to keep going.
But you really have to start if you want to make it happen.
Ok, those are your marching orders. First, list all the spaces you think need organizing. Next, narrow that list down to your top 3. Prioritize your top 3 by emotional easy to harder, then, get started!
Do you need a step-by-step guide to help you break down your overwhelming space into a doable project? Check out the Where To Start Decluttering Guide.
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