Getting organized can feel overwhelming for many. As a Professional Organizer, I love to help clients move into a state of more consistent organization – and then be able to maintain it. This part is key!
I recommend doing the following 10 organizing habits. These will help you so much in your day-to-day life!
10. Keep a Simple Filing System
If your filing system is too complicated, it is likely that you won’t even use it. Remember that 80% of what is filed is never looked at again. Keep it simple!
9. Create Zones
For rooms where you have a lot going on, create zones to help subdivide the area. For example, a garage could have zones for gardening, sports, tools, etc. Zones for a basement could include holiday decorations, luggage, gift wrap, etc.
8. Setup an Inbox – and Use It!
This is a landing spot for mail, permission slips, invitations, and all other paper coming into the house until you can sit down and go through it. It is important to check it once each day so deadlines don’t get missed.
7. Start a Donation Box
Place a donation box in your home so that you always have a place to put things you are ready to donate. When it fills up, make a donation run. If you have small children, you might even want to put one in each child’s closet.
6. Maximize Vertical Space
So often people forget about the vertical space in a room. By using shelving to store things vertically, you open up your floor space. This is especially true in garages, basements, and small spaces.
5. Go Paperless
Although not every document can be stored electronically, most can be received electronically or scanned and stored electronically. With a solid backup strategy, this can save significant space in an office area. Our favorite scanner is the Fujitsu ScanSnap iX500. This is wireless and works for both PC and Mac. NeatDesk for PC and NeatDesk for Mac are other well-rated options.
4. Maintain One Calendar
It really doesn’t matter which calendar system you use, but I’ve found that Google Calendar works best for me. It’s so simple, and because it is an online calendar I can access it from anywhere (as can the rest of my family). Each person has their own calendar, but I can choose to see all of them together (different colors) so I can see all of my commitments (kids, school, work, social, volunteer, birthdays, family, etc.) in one place.
3. Turn Hangers Backwards
When you start a new season, turn all of your hangers backwards. Once you have worn an item, return the hanger the normal way. At the end of the season, take a good hard look at the items that are still hanging “backwards”. This means that for whatever reason, you didn’t wear that clothing at all. Do I hear donate?
2. A Place for Everything and Everything in its Place
For everything that you own, designate a place for it. You can label it if that makes it easier to remember. The key is putting things back. It sounds simple, but it actually takes a lot of practice to get this habit down. Schedule a few minutes each day for this activity to prevent it from piling up.
1. Start Small
If you look around and you have no idea where to begin, start small. Don’t try to conquer everything at once. Choose a small chunk (e.g. countertop, drawer, closet shelf, etc.) and organize that. Then move on to another small project. Before you know it, you are well on your way to a more organized space. Whether you try one or all of these tips, we hope you find them helpful.
Happy Organizing!
