I am not an organized person by nature. This would undoubtedly shock most of my coworkers, among whom I have the reputation of being an anal neat freak. While my soul craves clean lines and vast uncluttered surfaces, the reality is that I have worked hard to train myself to become habitually tidy. I accomplish this very successfully at work, thanks to routine. At home, the results are a bit more varied, but I'm still learning. I'd like to share some of the basic habits I've found at the core of any kind of organization, particularly of the personal kind.
1. Own less stuff.
In theory this one is pretty simple. Clutter is made up of stuff. The more stuff you have, the higher the likelihood of clutter. In practice, this is the most difficult part, which leads me to...
1.1 Find meaning in people and experiences, not possessions.
This is a mantra I repeat to myself, over and over. I tend to invest sentiment in my possessions, and that makes them a part of my story - so that giving them up feels like giving up a piece of myself. I just need a reminder that throwing away an ill-fitting t shirt is not going to make that trip to the Grand Canyon any less wonderful or real, which allows me to....
1.2 Weed through stuff regularly.
I have a mental pile for things I notice that I have not used in recent memory. If I do not find myself using it in a defined length of time (usually a month), I let it go. I've read of others who actually make this a physical space, a basket or shelf in the home, close to the door, so shepherding it out is that much easier. Of course, getting stuff out is only half the battle, you also must...
1.3 Choose stuff judiciously.
Use caution when buying new things; do you already own something that would fulfill its function just as well? This will sound like sacrilege to some of you, but two feet can only wear one pair of shoes at a time. For a given season, how many different types do you really need? Gift receiving can be a hurdle here, too - get over it. How likely is it that Great-Aunt Mary is going to stop by and demand to see that totally fug serving platter? Don't even allow unnecessary items like this to settle in your home; recycle, regift, thrift, or junk immediately.
2. Keep stuff where you need it.
Okay, you're thinking, none of this is exactly surprising, why am I reading again? I found that the key to being organized is mostly made up of things I already knew. It was the ways they were applied that were a discovery. Obviously, you're going to be less likely to put something back in its proper place, the farther and less accessible that place is from where you are, so...
2.1 Define spaces in your home for specific functions.
If you eat in every room of the house (totally guilty!) you are going to have to pick up dirty dishes in every room. If you only ever eat at the table, dishes are only going to have to be gathered from one place, when you go to clean them. This goes for every other type of activity. The bedroom is the most spartan room in our apartment - I only use it for sleeping activities and clean clothing storage. It is the easiest room to clean, because the stuff in that room stays in that room, so even if things are out of place, it is a simple matter to put them back. I live in an apartment with five total rooms, so the rest of the house is pretty multi-functional. I am careful, however, not to let those functions overlap much. I work and craft in office and entertain myself in the living room. That way, craft supplies do not have to be schlepped back to the office, and books/movies/iPad schlepped out to the living room. This makes applying #2 much easier.
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| Less stuff = better sleep! |
3. Develop a routine. Stick with it.
Probably the most eye-opening thing I ever read was this blog post: http://www.home-ec101.com/clean-it/weekly-chore-schedule/. I knew I needed a house-cleaning routine, but I didn't really know what that entailed. Inevitably, I would let messes build, until they hit a critical mass and then tear around trying to do it all. I took the schedule Heather provided and modified it somewhat for my needs. The first two weeks were rough, because it felt like I was cleaning ALL the time. And there were times when there were other things I wanted to be doing. It got better, and the first month really clarified points 1 & 2. I would waste less effort if there was less to clean, and the process of putting away was more efficient.
Write the routine down, so you have a visible reminder of what you should be doing. Being a creature of technology, I also put these as repeating tasks in my google calendar, so regardless of where I am in my crazy schedule, I don't have to remember today is Wednesday to remember today is bathroom cleaning day.
4. Rinse and repeat.
All three of the above are ongoing processes, and I'll be the first to admit that I am not perfect. There are always elements out of your control (significant others, work, life events...etc), and it can be extra difficult sticking with the above when life happens. However, the balance is shifted when you commit, and getting organized and staying there becomes much easier if you're always trying to be in that mindset. Before, on a "messy" day, it would take me hours to straighten things out, and now it is usually less than one.
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