Hi everyone,
Full disclosure, I worked so hard to get my house very organized and decluttered, but when Covid hit, it shifted my lifestyle and priorities in so many ways. Some new things came up that became more important to me and so many other things came into play that effected my maintenance and that is totally okay. Also, nobody comes here. I don't have that pressing urgency to make my house presentable. Trust me, we are ALL in the same boat.
Even with that, I am truthfully so much happier with my house now then I was before I got on this organizing journey in the first place. Once you organize your home properly, upkeep is so much easier. Yes, organizing systems are in place. I just need to maintain the clutter and figure out if I need to change some of my systems.
If you haven't gotten that far yet, I want to help you by sharing what I learned about organizing and help you find ways to overcome the most common road blocks to organizing!
6 Common Road Blocks to Organizing:
I don't have time / energy to organize.
Whenever I organize I just make a bigger mess - why bother?
I like my things, I don't want to become a minimalist
I don't have money to buy expensive systems.
I'm not an organized person and I will never be.
My family won't help me to organize or they undo everything quickly so I give up!
There is quite a bit to address I will break it down in sections. Feel free to read only what you need or power through it all. I have attached supplementary information to help you even further along!
Addressing First 3 Road Blocks
Chances are, if you related to any of the first 3 things, you need some help learning to organize in a way that doesn't cost you much time and doesn't make any mess, without worrying that you are going to lose all your favorite things! It is such a common misconception that these are your only options. The solution for this is the same for all 3 of those. Break it down into smaller chunks and complete each thing before moving onto another. I know the inclination to resist this. It is human nature to want to overdo and get things done quickly. Quickly doesn't always mean better results. You can have 7 friends over, have your house ripped apart completely, have trucks outside your house ready to haul things away - that makes for entertaining tv but is not realistic. I could spend countless minutes explaining to you why you're wrong but instead, I want you to break the cycle of overcomplicating it and just get started.
I have homework for you:
Immediately after reading this article, find one thing that you can do in just 5 minutes. If you think you don't have something you can do in that time you are thinking too big! Break it down into something smaller. It doesn't have to be a whole project like a closet or a dresser, think drawer or shelf.
Don't forget to take before and after photos!
Use the one touch method:
Grab a garbage bag and a donate bin or box.
Throw away any obvious garbage.
If you would like to donate anything, put it straight into a bag or a box (that's the key to not making a mess)
Put anything away that does not belong (Right away!)
Give it a quick tidy
DO NOT start something else until this is complete! You'll thank me later.
Bring the bag or box to the car to donate or in a good space where you can add to it later if it's not full. DO NOT look in the bag or box again. Resist the temptation.
When you are done, post it in comments or on my Facebook page to let me know (photos optional but welcome) https://www.facebook.com/coralieorganizing.
This was an experiment to help you stop the procrastination and prove to you that it can be so quick and easy. It gives you a win that you probably need to get you on the right track. It proves to you that you don't need to make a mess! Hopefully you'll realize that you didn't have to get rid of things you didn't want to get rid of [you get to choose]. You're left with an improved space without having to pull out any hair. Win-Win-Win.
Now that you've gotten started, I don't want you to stop the momentum. Pick some small projects that you can do in under 15 minutes throughout the week. I have written a short article [click here] with more instructions about how you can organize your home in under 30 minutes per day if you want to do further reading. This small amount of time you spend, will not go unnoticed.
Addressing Next 3 Road Blocks
The next 3 blocks can be just as paralyzing. You may fear you need to go and buy very expensive systems or waste money on systems you won't end up using. You may have tried came to the sad false realization that you are not ever going to be organized. You might also have some resentment and frustration that you can't get other people on board.
These things have to be addressed one at a time.
Cost of organizing
Make room - Here is the thing about organizing. It doesn't really need to cost anything. Once you declutter some of your stuff, you may have more room than you think and may realize you don't actually need more space. Before my organizing journey, I hired someone to clean once a week...hoping that would solve the problem. She suggested I get a big shelf in my shoe room to store a whole bunch of stuff. The thought made me cringe. My problem wasn't that I needed more storage. I knew I needed less stuff! My cupboards and storage spaces in my kitchen were bulging at the seams. It was a mess. If you can do one small space at a time and just throw away things that are garbage or that you don't want, you will create the space.
Find unused gems - It turns out, a lot of people have so much unused storage just waiting to be found. Check your garage and your closets to see if you can find bins and containers that would make sense to use somewhere. Some people even use boxes and icecream buckets that they were going to throw away to start implementing new systems. If you want to spend a couple dollars, you can go to the dollar store and get contact paper to decorate and label!
Spend a little, not a lot - Once you have made room and looked around the house, you can get really amazing containers and hooks at the Dollar Store! Have you ever looked for organizing supplies there? The dollar store is my best friend when it comes to organizing.
Invest minimally in furniture - You may eventually find it handy to buy a cube shelf with bins or a closet system or a shelf. These are not necessary and you don't need to spend a lot. This definitely is one of the final steps if you are done and realize you just need an extra shelf or something. It would be money wasted if you were to invest in it before decluttering and organizing.
Becoming Organized
If you worry that you just don't have what it takes to become organized, please do not give up. It many not be that you're not organized, just that you haven't found a way that works for you personally. The truth is, we all organize differently. Let me tell you, organizing is NOT a one-size-fits-all. It just takes a little time figuring how how to store your belongings in a way that is going to be the easiest for you to maintain. Don't give up! If you want to learn how to organize in a way that suits your needs, [click here] Remember that NOBODY is perfect. I am part of a community of other organizing experts and none of them are!
Family not on Board
If your family is not on board and is really useless when it comes to helping you I want you to remember, you have to let it go. I am so sorry to break the news to you. That is not the news anybody wants to hear. It doesn't mean all hope is lost for them. I want you to remember that number one, organizing your home is about your happiness - not theirs. It is the same as saying my husband doesn't cook food so I have diabetes. It happens! It sucks. You have to take control of your own circumstances. That doesn't mean they won't change. I want you to take the lead and embrace organizing. They may see that it makes you happy and it can be contagious. If you find they won't tidy, organizing is the solution for that as well. When you have less clutter overall and systems in place so that everyone knows where something goes and it is easy to put away, they are way more likely to do that. They could also have a different organizing style then you.
You can have everyone in the family take the Clutterbug Organizing test here to find out what kind of organizing techniques will work for each one of you. I did this for my family, and they all had so much fun organizing to their unique style. This simple test is what got me started on my new organizing journey
Summary
I hope you enjoyed this article! I want you to know that you CAN do it and it doesn't have to hurt! There is so much information on organizing. The best way to do it is just to do it! Please feel free to read any of my other blog posts for more information! Please let me know if this helped you in any way!
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