HOW YOU CAN FINALLY GET ORGANIZED

A collaborative post/ When you start losing your keys, forgetting to take your birthdays, missing deadlines, and having a messy desk, you know it`s time to get organized.

As true to me, when I can`t get my priorities straight, and things get overwhelming, there is only one solution I can think of. It is to organize, whether my home, phone, workplace, my mind, or my life. And this is where the powerful part comes in because this article is dedicated to helping you how to get your home organized. 

Organize your home

Organizing your home is not easy. There are a lot of things you need to consider such as recycling, decluttering, and deep or spring cleaning. One of the things I always dread is waste management and getting rid of bulk waste. In this case, you might need an affordable skip bin hire. They offer services for safe disposal.

Japan is pretty different in dealing with bulk waste but if you’re from Australia, there are a few waste removal companies that provide skip bins. Moreover, if you are reading from Australia, by doing some research online, you can find unique ways to deal with any bulk waste.

For instance, if you would like to learn about the cheap skip bins Sydney based companies like 7 Skips offer, comparing your options online can help you to find the right waste removal solution for your needs. I would definitely rent one if we had this system in Japan.

You do have to be careful with the waste building up otherwise you might attract some unwanted visitors – pests. I really dread these being in my home, but luckily there are many pest control companies, like https://www.pestcontrolexperts.com/local/texas/, that can help if I ever find myself in such a situation. I’m hoping I never do though! 

Okay, now let’s get to the tips on how you can finally be organized.

1. Follow the KonMari method

The main concept of the KonMari method is to tidy up by category and not by location. Marie Kondo, the tidying expert, and a best-selling author developed this method and it has garnered positive words from the mass because of its` effectiveness.

It encourages everyone to keep only the things that spark joy and discard the rest that does not. This way you can have a fulfilling life and happy home since you are only keeping the things that you love. One rule of the KonMari method is to start organizing your clothes because it`s the easiest and end it with sentimental items. 

2017 was when I discovered her book “The life-changing magic of Tidying up” and applied some of her tidying strategies. It was a cheap investment yet the return was dramatic. I never put much importance in tidying up and organizing but after reading her book, I began to see the benefits. I learned to keep only the things that give me joy and truly value the things that are worth it. 

2. Try the one minute rule

This is the most simple and effective way to organize your life and get things under your control. This is something I learned from reading Gretchen Rubin`s books. It is easy yet effective when you stay consistent with it.

Are you ready to uncover this rule? Do tasks that take can take up only a minute such as making your bed, replying to a message, planning meals of the day, clearing the desk, and replacing the toilet paper. Rubin said that because the tasks are so quick to complete, she feels less overwhelmed because she keeps these nagging small tasks under control.

Additionally, if you have tasks on your to-do list that can be done in under five or ten minutes. Do them first. Deal with them quickly because they can cause distractions. Most importantly, you will feel more serene and will have more time for bigger tasks. 

3. Always put things in the right place 

One thing that I am strict about is to have a place for everything and to always put things back in their right place. You can do this too. First, designate a specific place that will serve as a home for your things.

Designate a location for your keys, phones, bills, or jewelry, and be strict about returning them to the same location after usage. This way, you can be calm and confident about where your things are. You can never lose your keys as long as you keep putting them back at their home. 

4. Architect your day

This is something I learned from watching Marie Forleo`s youtube channel. She made me believe that nothing beats a person who architects their days. You can always conquer the day when you design it with intention. Take a step back and design your ideal day. Schedule things set deadlines and are strict with your deadlines.

Architect your most inspiring day. Clear the slate for the day, prioritize your tasks, and free yourself from distractions. Don`t forget to set a time to take care of yourself. Delegate some tasks and ask for help if you need to. 

5. Curb materialism

We live in a world where people are encouraged to possess more, thanks to persuasive advertisements. In this world of mass consumption, it is so easy to fill our homes with things we don`t really need. Before we know it, we feel disorganized, out of control, and overwhelmed. 

Francine Jay said in her book, The joy of less, that a lot of us struggle to keep an organized home or life because we don`t realize that our external surroundings have a big impact on our inner peace. A messy desk can get in the way of your happiness.

 The solution? Have less. It is easy to take control of your possessions when you have less. Learn to develop a minimalist lifestyle, this will not only contribute to your happiness but also save some of your financial problems. When it comes to organizing your life, having less stuff will make it easier.

Take a look at your purchase history. Do you feel overwhelmed by all the things you bought? Is your credit card debt rising because of unnecessary purchases? It`s time to address this by curbing materialism. Own only the things you need.

To curb materialism, ask yourself this every time you make a purchase, Will I be taking this when I move to a new country? 

6. Declutter with a sense of non-attachment

Take a look around your house. Do you feel overwhelmed by all the things you have collected over the years? You probably have things in your closet and drawers that are not serving their purpose and just collecting dust. You have not thrown them yet since they have sentimental value to you.

We can get attached to materials sometimes but know that this is not enough reason to keep an object when it`s not serving us any purpose. 

Things are meant to be used and not kept for no reason. If someone gave you a gift but you don`t actually need it, it is okay to thank the person and the object, then toss it. Do not hang on to these gifts because someone gave them to you.

We can get attached to gifts given by special people, but if you want to be organized, developing an unattached mindset is important. I know this can be a hard process, that`s why it is the last category to be dealt with from the KonMari method.

Now, this does not mean that you throw all beautiful and sentimental things. You can keep a treasure pile but be mindful of the things you keep. Permit yourself to let things go.

Don’t organize what you can declutter 

7. Clear all surfaces

Francine Jay said an uncleared surface is a distraction and this is true to a lot of people. A messy desk makes it difficult to work efficiently. A messy kitchen makes it hard to prepare a meal.

All surfaces include dining tables, work desks, coffee tables, the floor, and study tables. Make them clutter-free to not clear your mind but also to boost productivity. 

8. Everyday Maintenance

This is probably the most important of our list because no matter how clean you make your house if you don`t maintain it, it will get messy after a few days. Remember this quote from Gretchen Rubin, What you do every day matters more than what you do once in a while.  

You can do everyday maintenance by doing the one-minute rule and putting things back in their home every time you use them. Commit to throwing one item every day and you will never collect clutter again. Do a quick two-minute clean-up before sleeping and always make your bed in the morning. 

9. Make Priorities in Life

Every time I listen to Greg McKeown and read his book, I am reminded to set my priorities in life. Setting your essentials, what matters to you, and what is valuable to you, determines how organized can you be.

McKeown believes that essentialism is the solution to unproductivity, information overload, and burnouts. He teaches the ways of an essentialist in his book. How you can get more things done by doing less. 

When you make priorities, you can operate in alignment with your essentials. Your priorities will make it easy to know when you are doing the right things or not. When you know your priorities, it is easy to know when you are getting off track.

It improves your decision-making because I know we make hard decisions in life. It is also easy to make to-do lists and schedule your days when you prioritize things. 

10. Set limits for everything

When you don`t set limits to your purchases you can get yourself into high debt. Your credit card will rise and rise if you don`t set limitations on your monthly expenses. And you will collect a lot of clutter when you have no limits to your collections.

Consolidate your belongings and remove excess supplies. Limit your book collection, games, bags, and stationaries collection so that they won`t go out of hand. Donate the excess and keep only your favorites. 

One good practice to apply in your life is if one comes in, one goes out. Did you buy a new pair of shoes? maybe you can toss an old pair. Establish the habit of tossing an old item when you acquire a new one and you shall do great in your journey of being fully organized. 

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OVER TO YOU

Many of us struggle to keep an organized home or life but with these tips, I hope you can have the right tips to apply to your life. You probably know some of these tips but they can serve as reminders and we all need reminders sometimes.

Hopefully, this article inspires you to finally get organized and have control of your clutter and your life. If you loved it, please share it to inspire more and I would also love to see your thoughts in the comment section. 

QUESTION: What organization tips can you add?