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Some people just seem super organized, and their homes always seem to be neater and better organized than yours. How do they do that? Were they born that way? Do they have someone do it for them? Do they have a lot less stuff than you? Are their kids organized angels and yours messy monsters?
The fact is that everyone can be organized, with a little effort and a bit of discipline. It’s getting started with real home organization that’s hard. However, there are some things that organized people never do, and following their lead can be a great way to get started on your home organization projects. Here’s a look at what some of those things are.
They Don’t Dump Their Mail
When you first walk in the door, don’t toss your mail on the hall table or kitchen counter. It will continue to pile up and drive you crazy. Furthermore, having your mail left strewn around and disorganized raises the chances of missing something vital. Sure, lots of the mail e get these days is junk, but there might be something good lurking in those piles.
What They Do Instead:
Keeping your mail by the door is fine, if that is what you prefer, but keep it there in an organized way. Instead of cluttering up a table, invest in a wall hung mail organizer. An old-fashioned idea, perhaps, but one that works. You should also keep a wastebasket nearby, so that you can throw away the obvious junk mail right away.
They Don’t Have Junk Drawers
Junk drawers are something that lots of homes have. Or, to be more specific, junk drawers that are such a disorganized mess that the chances that you’ll ever find anything that might be in there when you do need it quickly are very slim.
What They Do Instead:
In themselves, sometimes junk drawers are unavoidable. They can even be fine to keep – and useful – if they are properly organized. Plan to block some time to declutter your junk drawers -who knows what treasures (or trash) you’ll find?
After going through the standard keep, donate, toss process that is key to any decluttering project, even a relatively small one like this one, put back the things you want to keep in a drawer organizer (even a lidless egg cartoon will work in a pinch) and then plan to use the junk drawer as sparingly as possible in the future.
They Don’t Clutter Up Their Kitchen Counters
Often, people complain that their kitchen just isn’t big enough to cook in properly. The truth often is, however, that their kitchen is more than decently sized, it’s just that the counters are so cluttered up with all kinds of random stuff that the space seems a lot smaller and impractical than it really is.
From rarely used gadgets – how frequently do you really make waffles – and half empty bottles and containers of various condiments, lots of people have cluttered counters that just don’t need to be that way, and, once they clear them off are rather surprised by just how much practical workspace they really have.
What They Do Instead:
Using a few trays and bins to organize your clutter keeps your counters tidy and functional. To be organized, keep in mind that you don’t have to hide everything you need often, you simply need to formulate an organizational plan, and then stick to it.
The fact is that your countertops – which are sometimes just as messy in the bathroom as kitchen counters – are your home’s work surfaces, and keeping them completely clear is impossible. So instead of fighting or hiding the items you need, make them nice and organized. Coffee makers, toasters, and other everyday utensils can all be kept on the counters without being cluttered, you just need a plan.
Try to identify the things you use every day. Once you’ve got your essentials, organize them so that they’re in reach and eliminate the things that just take up space (like that rarely used waffle maker)
They Don’t Move All Their Clutter Into Boxes and Storage Containers
Buying large numbers of containers only wraps a mess in plastic. Sure, by cramming boxes full of stuff you won’t actually see the clutter anymore, but once it’s in those boxes and out of sight you have to ask yourself the question: why is it all still in your home at all?
What They Do Instead
It takes longer to do a proper declutter than it does to cram stuff into boxes and shove said boxes in a closet/corner of the basement to be forgotten, but it’s time very well spent. Storage containers DO have their place in an organized home, but only when used, and placed, with care.
They Don’t Live With a Messy Clothes Closet
Many of us love our clothes. Or at least we say we do. It’s fun and exciting to shop for new ones every season, and look forward to wearing them to look and feel great. However, if that’s really the case, why are your clothes closets a hot mess and why are you not even sure what you have in there, let alone how much of it is actually wearable.
What They Do Instead
I find that decluttering and organizing a messy clothes closet is one of the most daunting of the home organization projects my clients face. You will need to pull everything out, sort through every item of clothing, make rational decisions about what is really wearable (rather than just still there because it was expensive, or might fit one day) and then come up with an organizational system that will work every day.
It is easy to see why this is daunting, and a project that most people put off. Not just for their own clothes closet, but for their kids’ as well. The ROI on such a project is huge though: you’ll be able to find your clothes fast (and actually get to wear them), things won’t fall on you every time you open the closet door, and you’ll save money, as you’ll think twice about buying another pair of jeans knowing that you have five other pairs neatly hung up in your closet at home.
When it comes to organizing your home, whatever its current state of disarray, don’t try to do it all in one day. Staying organized is a habit, so don’t try to turn the whole house into an orderly masterpiece all in one weekend. Instead, block off some time every day to tackle a single organizational challenge. And don’t be afraid to get help when you are getting started.
Working with a professional home organizer not only gives you access to someone who can do much of (or all of, if you prefer) the tedious grunt work, but someone who can also help you make those difficult decisions about what to hold onto, and what to let go of, as well as, perhaps most importantly, help you create workable home organizational systems that make sense for you and the way you live.
The fact is that there is no one-size-fits all solution to any home organization challenge, only the solutions that are right for you. Working with a Houston home organizer will help you find out what they are, and then show you how you can stick to them.
As the holidays are approaching, and the chances are you’ll be welcoming guests at least occasionally and want to ‘present’ a great home, now is a great time to get started on some serious home organization. If you live in the Houston area, book an appointment with Just Organized by Taya here and let’s get started! Not in Houston? That’s OK, we can still work together virtually.
Working with Taya and her team is easy. You can book an appointment easily on her website, or contact her directly at 832-271-7608
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