How would it feel to walk into your effortlessly tidy home after work, where you can relax, cook or play with your kids without having to move things from spaces first? I had worked with a client who said “all I envision for my home is to not have my desk filled with paper. That way I can focus on work and not be distracted by this mess.” Having a lot of “stuff” on your workspaces like kitchen counters, dining tables or office desks can feel overwhelming. Some people are ashamed of the clutter they accumulated and it is keeping them from enjoying their homes. I always like o tell my clients that organization is not a skill we are born with, but rather learn. We might have learned how to tidy as a child or we might have forgotten how to start. The sheer volume of stuff and the work that it is going to take can be overwhelming. Here are some simple tips on how to get started with home organization.

Create a vision of how you want your home to feel when you are done organizing.

Research has shown that people who create a vision board or physically write down their goals are more likely to achieve them. I personally create new a vision board at the beginning of the year and have reaped the benefit of achieving most, if not all of the goals and ideas I have glued on that board. The secret is to keep your board or goal list where you can see it every day. If you have a daily planner, use one of the first pages to create a "Vision Page”, or write down your SMART goals on the first page so that you will be reminded of them constantly. My vision board is hung up in my closet, where I see it at least 2-4 times daily. Our mind is the most powerful tool we have, not only helping us get motivated but creating habits that keep us disciplined and focused on our goals. By visualizing our ideal life every day, our subconscious learns to make decisions that support those ideas.

Give yourself a timeline to finish and schedule 3-5 hours at one time to organize each week until you have finished your tidying marathon. Many of my clients underestimate the time commitment and time span it takes to tidy their whole home. For example an average 1700sqf. 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom home with a 2 car garage takes about 4-6 months to organize throughout. This may vary depending on the number of things owned and time spend tidying. The reason we only schedule 3-5 hours weekly is that de-cluttering and organizing are not only physical but also hard mental work. We have to make a decision about every object we touch; does it spark joy? Does this item support me in my ideal life? Has this item fulfilled its purpose? Doing this task no more than once a week (in my experience) has helped limit burnout from home organization.

“None of my clients ever said “I wish I didn’t get organized””

— Janine Morales

Use a checklist and organize by categories rather than rooms. Checklists make sure you are going in a certain order and finish one category before moving to the next. You can download a free organizing checklist here>>> The reasoning behind organizing by item category instead of location is that we often have the same category scattered in all kinds of places in the house for example; clothes in the master bedroom, clothes by the front door, clothes in the garage, etc. When we organize by category we are done for good and don’t have to revisit it regardless of location.

Getting started in your organizing journey can seem daunting but believe me, when I say that none of my clients ever said “I wish I didn’t get organized”. Now it is up to you to make the decision to tidy up and transform your home into a place of peace, relaxation, and function. Create a vision, plan some time for regular organization and use a checklist. Happy Tidying!

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How to get started with tidying