As you prepare for a productive new year, it’s time to reassess your home organization strategy and organize your home.
Take Stock
It’s time to take stock of what you have. Start by taking photos of your spaces and take notes on how they are laid out. Does it flow? Are there obstacles? Do you have enough storage space? How do you declutter your home? How do you organize your home?
First, Declutter & Empty Closets
It’s time to go through drawers and closets. Get real. Do you need it? Is it being used?
I’ve recently started moving everything to one drawer or one side of the closet, and as I use an item I move it to an empty drawer or a designated side of the closet.
For example, I went through all my cooking utensils and discarded the obvious – that second and third set of barbeque tools, etcetera. Next, I moved them all to a large drawer and emptied a small drawer. As I use utensils I put them in the small drawer as they came out of the dishwasher. It’s been a couple of months now and I have a set of utensils that I use. Then, I go through the remaining utensils and discard or donate what’s not used.
In a similar way, I purchased hanging shelves that I’ve put in my closet and set aside a part of my closet for clothes that I do wear. For example, I put clothes from my dresser in the temporary hanging shelves. Then, when I wear them they go back into the dresser after they are cleaned. Again, my intention is to make it easier to go through the remaining clothes and discard or donate what’s not used.
Organize Your Home & Maintain
I tell my kids that it’s easier to keep it clean than to clean it. To accomplish this in my life, I use my phone’s task list religiously to keep track of my home routines, errands, the meals I have ingredients for, and shopping list.
I use my digital assistant (Siri, in my case, but Google Assistant and Alexa also work) to add to my lists. For example, I have setup a “Shopping List” in my Reminders list on my iPhone and shared it with my husband. As items need to be restocked I say, “Hey Siri, add ‘Milk’ to the Shopping List.”
Next, I have a “Routines” Reminders list for home chores. These can be tasks done on a regular schedule, like “Wash the Dog Blanket” on the third Tuesday of the month.
