Live Well Organized Featured on Martha Stewart
Get your life and home together with these essential tips.
Credit:
juanma hache / Getty Images
Getting organized is a fruitful goal, but where to start? It's all too easy for your efforts to fall to the wayside after a few months—or even just a matter of weeks. Truth be told, how to get organized all comes down to installing a few new routines and habits, as well as being well-aware of consumerism and clutter.
"My number one tip for someone who wants to be more organized is to start decluttering—there’s no reason to organize clutter," shares Amy Tzur, professional organizer. “Start small and set realistic goals. Give yourself credit when completing what might be construed as the simplest of tasks. Take the win!"
It all boils down to these five simple steps. Follow the expert tips below for getting yourself organized—once and for all.
01of 05. Organize Room by Room
Remember the golden rule of getting organized: Attempting too much in a single sitting can leave you feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, and discouraged. Breaking tasks down into smaller, more manageable chunks is always the way to go. After all, your home is already organized into different rooms with different purposes—use that to your advantage!
"Choose one area in a single room and work your way around it," says Tzur. "If you choose to tackle the kitchen, begin with a utensil drawer," she gives as an example. "Remove anything broken, unused, or duplicated. Then, move on to plates, bowls, glasses, and mugs, discarding chipped, cracked, or unwanted items. Do the same for mixing bowls, containers, pots, and pans."
In the pantry, throw away all expired food. Then, organize by grouping similar items together, such as snacks, condiments, pastas, spices, etc. Knowing what you have will also help prevent over-purchasing, which, yes, can lead to clutter.
Getting organized can be made easier through implementing some simple systems. "As you declutter, create three piles: donate, trash or recycle, and keep. This will keep the process streamlined," suggests Tzur. "Remember that every single item should have a designated 'home' so you always know where to find and return it."
After your initial declutter, you can help keep things orderly via the magic of a label maker. "Once everything has been sorted, consider using organizing tools such as bins, baskets, or drawer dividers to help maintain your system," Tzur says. Clearly label containers, detailing what's inside. This is especially useful for seasonal storage and decanting ingredients (which will additionally cut down on kitchen clutter).
Getting organized and staying organized can, unfortunately, be two different beasts. "Create daily habits to maintain organization," Tzur says. "Hang up your coat and put away shoes when you walk in the door, and sort your mail immediately. Recycle junk mail and categorize the rest by urgency. Ideally, switch to electronic billing to reduce paper clutter."
Additional habits to begin building can be folding laundry as soon as it's out of the dryer, making your bed, clearing out expired food every Friday, or waking up an hour earlier each day. You can also add organizational tasks into your weekly or monthly cleaning routines, and dedicate the first of the month to a thorough decluttering session. Building organizational rules can help you more easily lead an organized life.
“Be mindful of what you bring into your home,” Tzur urges. “A sale or a freebie isn’t a reason to accumulate more stuff. Buy and consume with intention."
Tzur suggests keeping a designated donation bag in your closet. "If you put something on and decide you don’t like it or it no longer fits, toss it in the bag instead of rehanging or refolding." This will help quicken future closet clean-outs and keep clutter in check.
Know where community pantries, thrift stores, and other donation resources are in your neighborhood, so you can easily re-gift and repurpose items before they become clutter in your home.
"Spend ten minutes each night tidying up," says Tzur, who suggests setting a daily alarm for when the time comes. "Straighten pillows on the couch, fold blankets, and put away the day’s used items like books, toys, and dishes."
Having designated spots for essentials and returning them to their place at the end of each day is a low-effort way to maintain organization, as well as make your mornings smoother and stress-free.