Revealed: 5 Secret Strategies for a Perfectly Organized Home
So you've done the hard part of decluttering, and now you're ready to get to the fun part - organizing!
➡️ If you haven't done the decluttering yet, pause here and go straight to this decluttering blog post so you can read our best tips for purging). You don't want to skip this step, I promise!
If you're ready to dive into color-coding, labeling, and picking out the perfect basket or bin, you're in the right place.
Below are 5 tips to get your home organized (after you’ve decluttered!)
Crafting a calm space
Throughout this post, we'll delve into the art of crafting a calm and peaceful space. You'll learn how each organizational choice resembles discovering the ideal puzzle piece, blending functionality, beauty, and your unique flair to achieve a seamless and gratifying outcome. Let's uncover the secrets to crafting a home that fits together flawlessly.
1. Establishing Key Elements: Finding the Corners
In a puzzle, finding the corners provides a framework for the rest of the image. Similarly, establish key elements within your home that serve as anchors for your organizational efforts. Identify functional areas like entryways, workspaces, or cozy corners to create a foundation for organization and design.
Pro Tip: When setting up your key elements, consider the flow of your home. Place a console table by the front door to catch keys and mail, creating an inviting entryway. Designate a specific spot for your work desk, ensuring it's positioned near natural light and away from distractions for optimal productivity.
2. Defining Boundaries with Organizational Systems
Now, let's talk about taking your shelves, cabinets, and drawers from chaos to clarity! Think of them as the canvas for your organizational masterpiece. Utilize containers, baskets, bins, and drawer organizers to keep categories together and ensure like items are grouped with like.
Pro tip: Consider using clear containers for a quick visual inventory, making it easy to spot what you need at a glance. Once everything has its designated spot, the final touch is labeling. Labeling not only adds a polished look but also helps everyone in your household easily locate and return items to their proper place. So, let's get those organizational systems in place and make your storage areas as functional as they are fabulous!
3. Designing Functional Systems: Streamlining Your Daily Routine
The key to making your day-to-day a little less stressful is setting up systems in your home that make those daily routines a breeze. Think of these systems as the backbone of your household, keeping everything running smoothly and efficiently.
Consider creating a designated coffee station with all your favorite brew essentials in one spot. Imagine starting your day with everything you need at your fingertips, from mugs to coffee pods, creating a seamless morning ritual.
For families, a dedicated snack area for the kids can be a game-changer. Stock it with healthy options and snacks they love, making it easy for them to grab a quick bite without rummaging through the pantry.
And who could forget the family command center? This centralized hub is where schedules, to-do lists, and important documents come together. Keep it organized with a calendar, bulletin board, and file holder, ensuring everyone stays on top of their tasks and appointments.
Pro Tip: When designing functional systems, consider the flow of your daily routines. Place your coffee station near the kitchen sink for easy access to water, and position the snack area at a height that kids can reach without assistance. This thoughtful approach will make your daily tasks feel like a breeze.
4. Adding Personal Touches: Completing the Picture
It’s time for the fun part of the puzzle – adding personal touches to your organized space! Just like the final pieces of a puzzle complete the picture, these personal touches add warmth, character, and a sense of identity to your home.
Think of your space as a blank canvas waiting for your unique brushstrokes. Incorporate items that reflect your personality, interests, and life experiences. Display family photos, artwork collected from travels, or treasured mementos that bring joy and nostalgia.
Consider creating designated vignettes throughout your home, each telling a story or showcasing a particular theme. Whether it's a cozy reading nook adorned with your favorite books and a comfy chair, or a gallery wall displaying art pieces collected over the years, these vignettes add layers of depth and meaning to your space.
Don't be afraid to experiment with different textures, colors, and patterns to infuse your personality into every room. Mix and match vintage finds with modern pieces, or incorporate DIY projects that reflect your creative side.
Pro Tip: When adding personal touches, strive for balance and cohesion. Aim for a cohesive color palette and theme that ties everything together, creating a harmonious and visually pleasing environment.
5. Finding the Missing Piece: Embracing Adaptability in Your Organizational Puzzle
Being flexible when organizing is a total game-changer. Think of it like tackling a jigsaw puzzle – sometimes, those pieces just don't click together perfectly on the first try. You gotta shuffle things around a bit to get that flawless fit. Same deal with organizing your crib – it's a constant work in progress, and being open to changes is key.
Being adaptable means rolling with the punches and being cool with switching things up when needed. Maybe the storage bins you swore by aren't cutting it anymore, or you find a better way to keep your daily grind running smoothly. Whatever it is, being open to tweaking your systems keeps your space fresh and functional, no matter what life throws your way.
So, stay open to new ideas, and don't sweat it if your plan needs a little revamp now and then. Your home's organization is a living, breathing thing – let it evolve with you!
Pro Tip: As your kiddos grow up and the seasons change, your needs are bound to shift too. That's why it's extra important to stay on top of your game and reassess things regularly. I like to look at how I can update systems and spaces in my home every few months. Keep that puzzle piece moving and grooving!
Let's get you digitally organized!
Centralize and Categorize: Start by centralizing your digital files, documents, and data into organized folders on your computer or cloud storage platform. Create a clear and intuitive folder structure with categories such as work, personal, finances, and projects. Within each category, further organize files into subfolders based on specific topics or date ranges. This approach will streamline your ability to locate and manage digital assets efficiently.
Streamline Email Management: Take control of your inbox by implementing effective email management practices. Utilize labels, folders, or tags to categorize incoming emails and prioritize them based on their importance and urgency. Set up filters to automatically sort incoming messages into designated folders, reducing clutter in your primary inbox. Additionally, regularly unsubscribe from unnecessary mailing lists and use email templates for frequently sent messages to save time and maintain a clutter-free inbox.
Digital Calendar Optimization: Leverage the power of digital calendars to streamline your schedule and commitments. Integrate all your appointments, deadlines, and events into a single digital calendar, and color-code different categories for easy visualization. Utilize reminders and notifications to stay on top of upcoming tasks and engagements. Consider sharing relevant calendar events with family members or colleagues to facilitate coordination and collaboration.
Implementing Digital Organization Tools: Embrace digital organization tools such as cloud storage platforms, note-taking apps, and digital calendars to streamline information management. Establish categorized folders for digital files, schedule recurring reminders for important tasks, and utilize collaborative tools for managing family schedules and shared responsibilities. By integrating digital organization tools, you can simplify the management of digital content alongside physical organization efforts.
the magic of organization
In the puzzle of organization, your home is just waiting to be solved. Sort the pieces by decluttering and categorizing, find the corners by establishing key elements, fill in the edges by defining boundaries and flow, connect the pieces by designing functional systems, and complete the picture by adding personal touches. Let each organizational decision become a satisfying puzzle piece that contributes to a harmonious and cohesive home. Experience the joy of creating a space that fits together flawlessly, showcasing your unique style and reflecting your personal journey.
As you begin to put these strategies into practice, don't be discouraged by any setbacks or challenges along the way. Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither is a perfectly organized home. Take small steps, celebrate your progress, and stay focused on the ultimate goal of creating a space that brings you joy and serenity.
LOOKING FOR A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO GET YOUR HOME DECLUTTERED + ORGANIZED?
GRAB THE ULTIMATE HOME ORGANIZING GUIDE!
MINDSET, DECLUTTERING, ORGANIZING, AND MAINTAINING TIPS FOR EACH AREA OF YOUR HOME!
THE 4 KEYS TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN YOUR ORGANIZING JOURNEY:
Organize is the third (and most transformative) step in my 4-part framework for having an organized home - Mindset, Declutter, Organize, Maintain.
If you want to learn about how Mindset is an essential first step, check out this post.
After you’ve done the hard work of decluttering all the “stuff”, it’s time to contain and label and then set up systems to maintain all that hard work.
Each part of the framework is super important, and it's best to tackle them for the best results. Without the right mindset, decluttering can feel like a big mountain to climb. Once you've decluttered, organizing becomes much easier. And when things are organized, it's way simpler to keep them that way. Finally, by staying on top of maintenance, you prevent clutter from sneaking back in and messing up all your hard work. Following this approach sets you up for long-term success in creating a home that's organized, functional, and just feels good to be in!