Getting your home organized is one thing; keeping it that way is an entirely different matter. Finding your personal organizing style and implementing a system that is custom made for you goes a long way in helping you maintain your beautifully organized and highly functional space. Unfortunately, even the best system won’t guarantee your success if you don’t implement some behavioral changes to go along with it.
Organized Practices
Organized practices are the things you do every day and every time to make sure you stay organized and keep your home tidy. Examples might be making your bed every morning, or putting your dirty clothes in the hamper instead of leaving them on the floor. The organized practice of cleaning the kitchen every night means you can wake up the next morning to this…
Or you could skip the dishes and be greeted by this…
The homeowners in these photos are a young couple with a toddler. We have decluttered their kitchen twice, now, but still they struggle keeping the counters and cooktop clear. This missing piece for them is making the behavioral changes that go along with organization. They are both so tired after supper is finished that they put of the kitchen until the next day. Sometimes they don’t get to it then, and the mess just gets bigger and bigger.
I’ll Deal With It Later
Let’s face it, life happens and sometimes we just can’t muster up the energy to do one more thing. There are times to show yourself a little grace and do the dishes in the morning. That’s OK from time to time, but when that becomes your normal practice it gets harder and harder to get back on track. In my own home, and in the homes of my clients, I have found that the quickest way to get a space unorganized is not taking care of things right away. A little pile of “I’ll get to it in a minute” often grows and spreads until it’s a big pile taking over an entire area. The photo below is an example of a space that’s been taken over by clutter.
This is one of the clutter “hotspots” in my client’s home, and it’s an area that she usually pushes to the “later” list. She had spent time decorating her shelves for the Fall, but you couldn’t see any of her pretty decor or her precious family photos because of the clutter. We cleaned out the cabinets and got rid of a lot of things on the shelf. We gave everything a home inside the cabinets, so that putting things away is quick and easy. After we were done, her pretty Fall decorations and her treasured family photos were able to shine!
What Would An Organized Person Do?
When you’re faced with the “I Can’t Evens” it might help to ask yourself a couple of questions. 1) What’s the reward if I do it now? Five minutes invested now putting away dishes and random things collected through the day means clutter-free kitchen counters when I start the day tomorrow. Another helpful question is: 2) What would an organized person do? Think of someone you know who’s organized and has a tidy home. If they would clear the counters now rather than wait until later, then it’s probably a good idea to go ahead and clear the counters.
It Doesn’t Happen Overnight
It takes time to change your routine. I’m sure you’ve heard that it takes 14-21 days to form a new habit. Current research indicates that it actually takes anywhere between 18 and 254 days depending on the behavior you’re trying to change and your motivation! If you miss a day or two don’t give up altogether. Reset and try again, and before you know it you’ll be an organized person, too!