parenting
Clutter Control: 4 Ways to Keep Your Home Organized
mom • home management • parenting • home management
It’s a new year and everyone is making their New Year’s resolutions. Many choose resolutions related to finances and fitness. I generally choose resolutions that are associated with my home and family, more specifically – organization.
January is a great time to get organized. It’s a new year and you can start off fresh by getting rid of items in your home you no longer use or need. But getting organized isn’t just about purging junk in your home, it’s about making your home a place where you can relax. Having organization systems in place for things such as finances, paper clutter, and closets can make life a lot less stressful and create a home that everyone can enjoy.
4 Ways to Stay Organized
Many people don’t know where to start when organizing, so they refuse to even try. Organization can definitely be a daunting task – especially when you don’t consider yourself to be an organized person. Here are a few simple tips to help get you started.
Start small.
Look around the room you're in right now. What is driving you absolutely crazy? Or what is something you'd like to change? Maybe it's a pile of papers on your desk or a bookshelf that has been carelessly used as a dumping ground for knickknacks and books. Whatever that one section is in your room, go conquer it right now. When you start small, you can complete one task at a time and won't end up overwhelmed by looking at the big picture all at once — especially if the room is a complete disaster.
Take your time completing the task.
Don't feel like you have to overhaul that bookshelf in 10 minutes. Thorough organization is best. Once you take the time to actually fully organize something, and you're proud of the system you've created (or the mess you've cleaned up), you'll feel like you want to keep up with what you've done and your organization will last a lot longer.
Make an organization list.
Many people feel a sense of accomplishment when they make lists and cross of tasks they've completed. Make an organization to-do list of places in your home you'd like to organize. Be specific. Don't just write down "kitchen" - it's too big of an area. Break it down into tasks such as "food storage containers, pantry, spices, silverware drawer, etc.", and then you'll know exactly what you're going to tackle when you choose a task from your list.
Make time for organization.
Schedule organizing into your weekly routine. Even if you only have 15 minutes once a week to organize, it's better than no time at all.
Benjamin Franklin once said, "For every minute spent in organizing, an hour is earned". Try it out for yourself and get organized in 2012.
How much time can you save yourself, and family, by simply organizing and creating organization systems in your home?
I'll be back next week with tips on how to manage your time more effectively with routines and schedules.
Tiffany Ford is a wife, 2nd grade teacher, and DIY organizer. She lives in Salt Lake City, UT with her husband, Chris, and adorable dog, Jazz. Tiffany is the writer behind The Nest Effect, a mash up blog about teaching, organization, life, home, and everything in between. She also runs an Etsy store, where she sells printable documents to help others organize their home.
Latest posts by Tiffany Ford (see all)
- Home Organization: How To Effectively Create Routines and Schedules - January 17, 2012
- Clutter Control: 4 Ways to Keep Your Home Organized - January 10, 2012
