A lot of people ask me about the maintenance side of organizing. How do I make sure that my space stays tidy?
It’s a tricky question, because theoretically in an ideal world, everything would go well and you would be able to stay on top of things and have your house look amazing all the time.
But that’s not usually how this works. Staying organized is a habit, and it’s something that you have to work on and practice to keep on top of it.
This doesn’t mean you’re doomed for failure, but you have to accept that things won’t always go your way, and that’s ok! Sometimes things go wrong, and things may become cluttered, because life is always throwing stuff at us – whether physical items or mental clutter.
Every day is a new day that we can start fresh.
The good news is that when you get a place organized, and it becomes untidy, it is easier to put things away than it was before you organized at all! You now have homes for things that didn’t have places to go before.
Some tips to help you keep on top of things:
Make a to do list every day (and check it every day). Brain dump all the things that are running through your head. Write out all the things you need to do. When things are in our heads, it’s harder to keep track of it all, because they are sometimes fleeting, and they keep piling up. Maybe you need a separate to do list for work vs personal life. Maybe you need everything on post-it notes, or maybe you prefer a digital version on your phone. Do whatever you need to do to capture a to do list in the way that’s easiest for you to keep track of everything! And start a new one every day, moving items over from the previous day that weren’t accomplished
Do at least 1 chore every day. A lot of people get overwhelmed by the daily tasks of just living in and running a household. Whether it’s laundry, dishes, errands, or paying bills – it all adds up! Often what happens it that these things get avoided because it all seems overwhelming, rather than just focusing on one thing at a time. When you get home from work (or maybe before you go to work), work on 1 thing around the house – whatever one is most pressing. Accomplishing one small thing will help you in the long run, because it will keep things at bay. Rather than a massive pile of things on the weekend for you to do, you will already have accomplished a few of those things.
Don’t try to do too much at once. Take things one step at a time. Writing a list can help reduce stress, because your brain doesn’t feel like it has to remember everything. Ensure that you complete one task before you move on to the next. Having 10 half-complete tasks is going to be more of a mental load on you than a few that need to be completed in their entirety. Make sure that you focus on that task, maybe isolate it from other tasks if possible, to reduce the distractions and keep you focused.
It is important to be kind and understanding to yourself. Organizing is a lifelong process, not an outcome from tidying up once. You need to practice your skills, and like anything else, the more you do it, the easier it will become.
If you need any help getting a head start on organizing your home, please send me an email at adeilah@jigsaworgsolutions.com
