5 Essentials to Organizing Nearly Anything
Organizing is possible for anyone. With the right attitude, approach, and focus the task of organizing is achievable. We all know the rested, at peace, feeling of having something organized after it sat too long in disarray. Disheveled and out of order can result in a lot more than lost receipts or lists. Winter planning is here and spring cleaning is right around the corner so here are 5 essentials to tackling any organizing task.
Many moons ago I dabbled with the idea of being a professional organizer. When my friends moved, they would ask me to help set up their kitchens into zones or to give the inside of their cabinets some love. Family members asked me for advice about how to structure out a big task such as reorganizing a closet or unpacking an office. Over the years, I’ve uncovered 5 essentials to organizing pretty much anything. Last summer Lacey from Whimzies and Co invited me to help organize her playroom and I’d love to give you a tour! We used these five things as our guideline and months later this room is still organized and functional.
Be Yourself But Stretch Yourself
Every single person CAN get organized. I celebrate differences because they make the world go round. But don’t fall into a trap and say, “Well I’m just not an organized person, it’s not my temperament.” or “I thrive most when everything is cluttered because of who I am and the way I think.” It is still possible to find order within the celebratory boundaries of who you are. When Lacey and I started working my first question was, “How will you thrive most?” She detailed for me the need for a safe play area for her daughter in a
space right next to the kitchen. The room was completely open to the rest of the house so easy living and clean up was a must. To top it off she wanted the room to be beautiful and really a focal point on that side of the house.
Create Sustainable Organizing Systems
Whatever you organize, make sure it’s something you can maintain. Lacey and I thoughtfully organized her playroom thinking about long term maintenance. We wanted something sustainable for the family while still giving the room a playful feel. So ask yourself, “Will this be maintained in three months?” Also consider your household, are you setting achievable expectations for everyone? It’s important to teach our children to organize, but putting the bar too high for their little minds can set them up for failure. Then you are accidentally creating negative associations with keeping things in order. Be mindful of everyone in your house while you are creating organized systems that will last.
Maintain Your Organizing Systems
Take the time to put things away correctly. Lacey wanted a place to teach her daughter to help clean up, and put away. Organize items with easy clean up in mind. Don’t create a system for your family that is complicated and unmanageable. Set a standard in your house to put things away correctly the first time. Put things back in the agreed location, it will make everyone much happier. The old tried and true rule clean as you go applies here.
When You are Organizing Do One Thing at a Time
Fight the natural urge to clean like a butterfly. Don’t start cleaning the junk draw then go to put the tape in the craft drawer and start organizing that now. So many people say, “I don’t know where to start!” I always answer, “Start with one thing.” Do not cave to the temptation to organize or clean multiple things in spurts. You’ll just tire yourself out and at the end of the day realize you didn’t accomplish any single task, just parts of several organizing jobs. Read this to help change your mindset about cleaning like a butterfly while organizing. Lacey and I were tired when we finished but we had such a beautiful result to show for our work.
Your Organized Result Should be Pretty and Fill You with Joy
Remember when this went viral a couple years ago? It was awesome! Organizing and decorating go hand in hand for me because it’s also about living in a beautiful space. Lacey already had so many beautiful pieces around her home that we repurposed for the playroom. The trolly is filled with books, the wall mounted baskets now hold craft items, and the wire photo hanger displays artwork and playful flashcards for early learning. Take the time to make things pretty yet functional. Putting things in bins, jars, and hanging photos or art that you love is a great way to keep your heart happy and your organizing sustainable. Make an effort to organize things in a beautiful way, the result is much more pleasing and then the system is worth sustaining.
These photos were taken this month and the room is still organized!! We created something beautiful and manageable for Lacey’s style of living. The best way to learn to organize, is just to start. Start small and soon you’ll hit your stride. Look thoughtfully at design around you and learn by doing. I have found, next to cleaning my own carpets with one of those rent-a-cleaners from the store, nothing gives you more immediate satisfaction than small task organizing. So today my friends, just start.
Thanks to Lacey at Whimzies and Co for allowing me to feature her playroom.
Questions? Let me know in the comments.
