Everyone says they want to get organized or work on home organizing. It’s a common desire because everyone wants life to be more accessible. Being organized is shown to lower stress and improve creativity.
Getting organized is more challenging, mostly because people don’t know where to start or how to keep the new habits going. Instead, they tend to start with a splash and then get overwhelmed or spend money on storage items they never end up using.
The good news is that there are easy solutions to getting better organized.
How Do I Get into the Habit of Being Organized?
Aristotle said, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act, but a habit.” Building better organizational habits are much like building any habit:
- Start small
- Tie the new habit to an existing habit
- Use micro-incentives
- Plan to overcome obstacles
- Be patient and consistent
For more information on building better habits, video has nine practical tips.
If you’re interested in home organizing, it’s essential to have a place for everything. Without that, the tendency to let things pile up is too strong. Then get used to putting things away. Whatever system you create, check, use, and update every day.
What Are the 4 Tips to Stay Organized?
You can find hundreds of articles promising the four, five, seven, ten, eleven, etc., tips for getting organized. You can distill down all of those lists into four simple points.
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- Create a simple routine.
Keeping it simple means you’re more likely to follow it. Tying a new habit to an existing one makes it easier to create a new pattern. So if you want to tackle clutter, decide to put away or get rid of at least two items every day after you do dinner dishes or after you come home from work and change clothes. It doesn’t matter what existing habit you attach the new practice to so long as it works for you.
- Put things in their place.
Once you establish a “home” for all objects, put everything away immediately.
- Make a checklist or to-do list.
Some disorganization comes from losing track of things or having too much mental load from trying to remember everything. Also, checking off something you’ve accomplished is very satisfying and can provide a dopamine hit to help you continue/maintain the new habit.
- Focus.
Decluttering and home organizing often goes astray when we get sidetracked. Focus on doing one thing at a time. Setting a timer for 10-20 minutes when organizing can help keep you focused.
What Are the 6 Habits of Organized People?
Organized people have six habits that you can apply to any project or goal, like home organizing. They are:
- Keep it simple.
- Develop routines.
- Put things where they belong.
- Keep a to-do list (daily, central, and projects).
- Give up perfectionism.
- Toss and purge regularly.
How Do I Begin to Organize My Home?
The first step to home organizing is getting rid of what you don’t need and don’t use. The goal should be to have room in your closets and shelves.
Only after you’ve reduced belongings should you begin reorganizing. If not, you’re just moving around items and wasting time.
Do a little every day. Most people think they can get it all done in a day or weekend, but that’s rarely the case. Steady progress is better than fits and starts. Once you are organized, take 5-15 minutes each day to put things away and maintain whatever system you created.
Should I Have My Home Professionally Organized?
Hiring a professional organizer could be a great decision or a waste of money. How can you tell which situation applies?
- Are you focused?
- Are you overwhelmed?
- Do you tend to be indecisive?
If the last two don’t apply, especially if you can maintain focus on your own, you don’t need a professional organizer. If, however, you can never seem to find the time, are easily distracted, feel overwhelmed, and tend to be indecisive about what to keep, a professional organizer can help you get things done.
That said, watch out for three red flags when picking a professional organizer:
- Organizers who cut you out of the process.
- Those who promise “magic” solutions.
- Saying that organizing should come before decluttering or that decluttering isn’t needed.
Regardless of which approach you take, the important thing is to get started. The mess didn’t happen overnight, and neither will get organized, but the sooner you start, the happier you’ll be. Just remember to start small and stay consistent for long-term results.
Box&Co Makes It Easy to Get Organized
When you’re home organizing, it may help to store items only used occasionally. Box&Co can make things incredibly easy. Just call and request storage containers, and we’ll deliver them. Then, you pack your items, and when you’re ready, we’ll pick your stuff up and store them. We’ll return your items when needed, and you can keep track of your stored items online. To learn more, call us at 1-855-692-6926 today.
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