With schedules and storage bursting at the seams, it doesn’t take much for our homes to descend into disorganization. One day’s unopened mail becomes a permanent pile of paperwork. An entryway or tabletop becomes a daily dumping ground. Or a few new holiday decorations become basement clutter. But before you resign yourself to a life of domestic mayhem, consider these steps to restore order.
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START SMALL.
Even if your whole house has gone rogue, start with just one storage zone—like the garage, pantry or hall closet. It will help refine your system before moving on to more complex areas.
ALLOW AMPLE TIME.
Purging and reorganizing typically takes planning and time. Schedule it like any other appointment and allow an extra hour or so at the end to restore the space to functional use—especially in high-use areas like the kitchen or bathroom.
BE METHODICAL.
Plan a method for attacking the madness, such as working from left to right, top to bottom. Place every item in a box or area on the floor labeled “keep,” “toss,” “sell” or “donate.” Create a “relocate” pile, so you don’t get derailed by items that need to find a home elsewhere.
BEWARE OF THE “SOMEDAY” MENTALITY.
Whether you’re sorting through clothing, kitchen devices or cosmetics, only keep items that you like and use. Resist the urge to keep it because you might “someday” miss it.
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FIND A HOME FOR EVERYTHING.
Designate a home for every item and a use for every space. Reserve the most accessible locations for belongings that rank high in both importance and frequency of use.
DON’T FIGHT NATURE.
Solutions should cater to your family’s natural tendencies. If everyone dumps their shoes at the front door, cubbies at the back door won’t work. Likewise, if your dining room table doubles as a desk, use a handled file box or basket that easily packs up,
LEAVE ROOM TO GROW.
Whether you’re filling a closet or 100-quart bin, make sure that 25 percent of the space is left open. This is a crucial component for keeping your system intact as you accumulate more items.
LABEL IT.
Label bins, shelves and other “homes.” In the pantry, for example, designated shelving space for cereal, soup, baking supplies, etc. makes it easy to know what’s available and what needs to be restocked.
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SCHEDULE IT.
When it comes down to it, organization is built on routines, not storage systems. Busy families can benefit from scheduling a daily “pick-up time.” If paperwork and mail is an ever-present problem, assign one place for sorting, purging and filing every day.
PRACTICE PREVENTION.
To achieve lasting organization, establish ground rules for what stays, what goes and when. A few examples: “I will not keep magazines older than two months” or “If it’s worn, torn, stained or broken, I will throw it away.”
ADJUST AS NEEDED.
Expect to make some adjustments as your system is put to the test of everyday life.
Article originally appeared in February 2024