The Ultimate Guide to Organizing Your Home
When You Don’t Know Where to Begin
In the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, our homes often bear the brunt of our chaotic schedules. Life happens, clutter accumulates, and finding a misplaced item becomes a treasure hunt. “Where would I even start or begin?” are words that we consistently hear ringing out from so many clients, friends, and family members.
If the thought of organizing your entire home feels overwhelming...fear not!! Enter in: The Type A Step-by-Step Guide to bring order to every nook and cranny of your home. This is something that even us professional organizers go back to every single time when entering a particularly challenging space.
Take a step back, take a deep breath… you have got this!
Step 1: Set Clear Goals and Prioritize with a Room-by-Room approach.
Before diving headfirst into the nitty gritty, take a moment to reflect on your goals. This can look completely different from person to person and the stage of life you are in.
What areas of your home need the most attention? Did a specific room just pop into your head immediately…? Are you looking to declutter? Create more storage space? Are you wanting to establish efficient systems for daily tasks? Setting clear goals will help you stay focused and motivated throughout the process. We highly recommend that you prioritize areas that impact your daily life the most.
When setting your goals and order of spaces that you would like to organize, we love to start with high-traffic spaces like the kitchen, living room, playrooms etc, then gradually moving on to less frequented areas. Asking yourself these questions will make it clearer which area(s) are at the top of the list to be addressed. Tackling these spaces first will not only instantly improve your day to day but will surely motivate you to keep going on your organizational journey!
Step 2: Make a big mess!
Without a doubt this is always the first step. Whatever room or space you have chosen, take everything out and categorize like items with like items. If you are organizing a larger space like a kitchen, take out a cabinet or two at a time, or all the drawers. We typically set out bins and tables to sort items but this could look like putting things into piles on the floor, counters and tables.
The goal is for these grouped items to end up being in the same zone when you go to put them away (i.e. your serving spoons should not be in three separate areas of your kitchen). This “make a big mess” step is also crucial in seeing everything you have at once and makes step 3 a lot easier in your decision making.
We also recommend keeping a bin nearby for the inevitable items that don’t belong in the space that you are organizing. Our goal is to create zones that have purpose and efficiency within the space that you are organizing.
Keeping a bin for “elsewhere items” will keep you focused on the area you are working on and not send you down rabbit holes.
Step 3: Declutter and donate
The #1 key to an organized home is letting go of items that no longer serve a purpose for you or bring joy. Begin by decluttering each room methodically. As you are making your “big mess”, create three piles: keep, donate, and discard. Be ruthless in your decisions, and don't be afraid to part with items that are collecting dust. Let’s not over simplify this either: This can be really difficult. Easier for some, nearly impossible for others.
I have written an entire blog post about decluttering about all the challenges that can come from letting go of treasured items but to best sum it up, if you’re questioning it… you should most likely let go of it. We see it time and time again with clients that see and feel the absolute freedom of less.
Clients will often say the exact same thing: “It was so difficult letting go of things when we started but it’s amazing how good it feels having less clutter.. Now I want ALL of it gone”.
When it comes time to address the three piles you have made, consider donating gently used items to local charities or shelters. This not only benefits those in need but also minimizes your environmental impact by reducing waste. Here’s our local guide for some of our community partners.
Tip #1: If you are having a particularly hard time with this or specific items, put them to the side and come back to it, but typically your gut will serve you well when you start to get the hang of decluttering and donating.
Tip #2: Keep a donation bin somewhere in the house, garage or trunk of your car that can be added to as you find things throughout your house that you are ready to let go of.
Step 4: Invest in Storage Solutions
Once you've streamlined your belongings and see what kind of space you need to contain them, invest in storage solutions that maximize space and maintain order. Utilize storage bins, baskets, and organizers to categorize items and keep them easily accessible and contained. Consider furniture pieces with built-in storage to make the most of your space.
In the kitchen, use clear containers to store pantry items and label them for quick identification. In bedrooms, invest in under-bed storage for seasonal clothing or items rarely used.
When it comes to picking your bins and baskets- measure your spaces for when you go to make your investments. Make the most of your cabinet depths and widths with the right containment! Things like too shallow of bins can make for lost items in the back of those super deep cabinets. We personally love the container store for their wide variety of shapes and sizes for particularly difficult areas.
Step 5: Develop Sustainable Organizational Habits
Organizing your home is not a one-time task; it's an ongoing process. It’s important to develop sustainable organizational habits to ensure your efforts stand the test of time.
Keep a donation box in an area of your house, garage or trunk of your car that can collect items you run into over time that you are ready to part with.
Create a daily or weekly routine for tidying up. Involve your family members or housemates in maintaining the organized spaces. Keep in mind- Just like life, things change. Systems that you set up now may not serve you as well in the future, and that’s okay!
You adjust and work the space to fit your next season, but it will be way less of a daunting task the next time around with your newfound habits in place!
Step 6: Personalize and Beautify
As you organize each space, take the opportunity to infuse your personality into your home. Display cherished items that you may have uncovered in the clutter that spark joy!
Incorporate your favorite colors and personalize each room to make it uniquely yours. A well-organized home should not only be functional but also a reflection of your style and personality.
Time to get this show on the road!
Embarking on the journey to organize your entire home may seem like woah—too much, but with a systematic approach and a commitment to maintaining order, you can transform your living space into a areas you can relax and breathe in. This freedom opens your capacity to give more in the areas that you want to give more to.
So set those goals, reframe your mind of the clutter, develop sustainable habits and you'll be well on your way to achieving a well-organized and tranquil home.
Remember!! Take a step back, take a deep breath… you have got this. Now tackle it, one step at a time!!
