An Organized Home: Step 6

This sixth and final step {whew} is second only to step one in importance. Just do it. If you don't, you will have wasted all your time...

Adopt these three simple habits and you'll take a huge leap into keeping your home organized...and ultimately, yourself sane:

1. Put things up. You've already assigned a place for everything. Keep them there. It will do you no good to go look for something where it is supposed to be and find that space empty. And save yourself time by taking a few seconds to put things in their place. For example, when you change clothes, put the ones you were wearing in one of two places...the hamper if they need to be washed, or in their designated place in your closet. If you have to come back later and pick everything up after several days of pile-up, you're spending more time than if you had just kept things in their place to begin with.

2. Find a designated place for new things immediately. If you wait, you will quickly become disorganized. It is very important to incorporate new items into your system almost immediatly after bringing them home. For example, if you get a new DVD, put it with the other ones right away. If you buy an object that is the first of its kind in your household, go through the steps of determining the best place to keep it and put it there as soon as possible.

3. A corrollary to the previous habit is to clean out things as you go. This is a good rule...when something new enters your house, something else must go. We try to abide by this rule in our house with the exception of necessities like food, toiletries, cleaning supplies and similar items. So, when we receive gifts at Christmas or birthdays, before we find a spot for our new things, we get rid of a few old things. Or if we purchase new clothes, we try to assess the ones already in our closet and purge, if applicable. If you are replacing something because it is too worn or broken, definitely get rid of the old thing immediately. If you wait, those things will hang around longer than you want and will create unnecessary clutter.

So I didn't get around to posting any pictures of my storage spaces. In the end, it wasn't because I was shy...I just didn't get around to taking the pictures. But visual aides aside, I think I have sufficiently documented my organizing process and maybe helped someone. But have no fear...if I've totally bored you with my last 6 posts, I will return to regular programming on the blog tomorrow!