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Last updated on April 7th, 2022 at 11:49 pm
Do you ever feel like you’re so close to a problem that you can’t see the simple solution sitting right before your eyes? If you’re faced with an area that needs decluttering and organizing, you might think you need to figure out an elaborate strategy to use to get the job done. If you want to get started but you’re overwhelmed, choose some simple organizing strategies.
Here are 4 simple organizing strategies to try when you’re not sure what to do.
Keep one area tidy
My home is never 100% clean and tidy. The reality is, no one’s is. But even when the house is a mess, keeping one area tidy can give you a lot of relief, no matter how small that area is.
On those messy days, I know my side of the bedroom is tidy. It’s a really small area but seeing it encourages me that there’s hope in tidying up!
When I work with clients, I start out by tidying one small space that they can focus on keeping tidy. It’s easier for them to see the potential and get excited about it!
Be a purposeful consumer
It’s so easy to order stuff online that often we don’t think about happen to it once we have it. It doesn’t matter if it’s food, clothing, beauty products, kitchen tools, or random things we find on Amazon, it has to be stored somewhere. Buying everything without any plan or purpose causes a lot of grief after the shopping high.
One of the best ways to declutter is to stop it at its source. If you’re constantly ordering new things or you tend to overbuy, it’s time to rethink your shopping habits.
Buy only what you need. Make a list of necessary items and only shop from your list.
Set a budget, and once the money’s gone, it’s gone. I do this for Amazon. I upload a specific amount to my account, and once it’s gone, I can’t buy anything else that month. If shopping online through your smartphone is the problem, delete all your shopping apps.
When it comes to shopping around town, try a cash system (like Dave Ramsey suggests) so you can’t overbuy.
A lot of clutter flows into our homes daily. You can control a lot of it by rethinking your shopping habits.
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Pick one small area to declutter
When there are many areas to declutter or one large area to declutter, it’s quite daunting to get started. For example, I worked with a client to repurpose a closet in her home but we had to declutter it first. I started by clearing just one shelf and sorting through it.
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Looking at the entire closet is incredibly overwhelming, but if you look at it one shelf at a time, it’s not so bad.
For my virtual clients, I break down their spaces into smaller areas to declutter in their personalized plans. It’s easier to work through one small area at a time when you can see exactly what’s ahead.
Put things away immediately
When there’s a lot of clutter around the house, the problem is that things aren’t getting put away after use. Use the 1-Minute Rule …if it takes less than a minute to do a task, do it right away!
Many times the clutter I come across during sessions are items that could easily have been put away in less than a minute. Trash can be quickly thrown away. A dish can get put in the cabinet instead of left on the counter. Food can go back into the fridge or pantry as soon as you’re done with it.
Even if those areas don’t have a clear system yet, at least the items are in the correct category and not on top of surfaces.
If you’re stuck figuring out what to do about your space, use these simple organizing strategies to get started.
Want a personalized organizing strategy? Get on my calendar for a free 20-minute discovery call to learn if a personalized plan will work for you >>>
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