Take Charge! How To Organize Everything In your Home

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Life becomes a whole lot simpler when you organize everything in your life. This can feel like a monumental task, especially if you do not know how. How to organize everything will get you started, whether it's your home, workspace, digital files, or even your time.

You deserve to get organized. Good organization systems will make your life a lot easier, will reduce stress and bring you a more efficient daily life.

The easiest way is to break the task down into manageable steps and approach it with a strategy. In this post, we’ll walk you through how to organize anything with a step-by-step guide that can be applied to any area of your life.

The difference between an organized person and a disorganized person is the consistent execution of good habits. Don't put it down, put it away.

I want you to say this out loud, 'Don't put it down, put it away'. This is a basic organizing tip.

Assess the Situation

Before beginning your organization project take a step back and assess the area you’re about to tackle. Ask yourself:

• What is currently unorganized?
• What do I need to keep, and what can I let go of?
• How do I want this space or item to function for me?

This process helps create a roadmap for what needs to be done. Whether you're decluttering a living room or organizing a laundry room, having a clear vision of the end result will motivate you to get started.

Photo byMarj Bates

Declutter First

Organizing starts with decluttering. If you try to organize without clearing out unnecessary items first, you'll just end up rearranging clutter. Follow these steps:

• Sort: Go through the items in question and categorize them into four piles: Keep, Toss, Donate, or Store.
• Purge: Be ruthless! If something doesn’t serve a purpose or if it something you do not love it’s time to let it go.
• Minimize: The less you have to organize, the easier it will be.

Going through the decluttering process first prevents you from shuffling and storing clutter. For example, if you have a coat closet, how many things have sat in here for years and not been used by you or your family members? Why are you saving these things?

To Organize Everything Categorize

Once you've decluttered, it's time to sort everything into categories. For example:

• In your closet, categorize clothing by type (shirts, pants, shoes). Clear containers work great!
• In your office, sort documents into categories such as finances, personal, and work.
• For digital files, group them into folders based on their purpose, like photos, work documents, or personal projects.

By grouping similar items, you make it easier to locate things and maintain organization over time. Everything needs to have a proper place when you are not using it.

Photo byMarj Bates

Create an organizational system To Organize Everything

Now that everything is categorized, it’s time to assign a dedicated storage space for each category. This is a critical part of staying organized.

• Use storage containers, bins, or drawer dividers to keep things separate and neat.
• Or be creative! I use pieces of PVC gutter to sort my glass rods in my glass studio.
• Make sure frequently used items and important documents are easy to access.
• Label boxes, folders, and bins so you can quickly identify their contents.

For digital organizing, create a folder structure that makes sense for you. For instance, have a main folder for “Work,” with subfolders for different projects, and make use of cloud storage to back everything up.

Take a minute and ask yourself a question before you file. When you need to access this file, what will you look for? Name the file that.

Optimize Your Storage Space

No matter what you’re organizing, optimizing space is key. There are a number of ways to store things. Here are some storage ideas:

• Vertical Storage: Use shelves or hanging racks to take advantage of vertical space.
• Drawer Dividers: Keep drawers neat by using dividers to separate smaller items.
• Digital Folders: On your computer, use folders and subfolders to keep files organized.
• Batch Similar Tasks: For time management, group similar tasks or items together. For example, if you’re organizing your to-do list, batch tasks like errands or emails to streamline your day.

I do everything using the batch system. I do this because it is efficient. For example- I do not like to use my time cooking and I use a mixture of mushrooms, onion, peppers fresh herbs, and spices in most of the food I prepare.

So now and again I buy about 6 pounds of mushrooms and the other things I need and cook it all in a big pot. I freeze about a dozen separate containers of this mixture and it is available to me when needed. This is batching and I save a lot of time using this system.

I wrote an article 'Easy Ideas To Declutter & Organize Your Kitchen Drawers' with kitchen organizing tips.

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Implement a Maintenance Routine

Staying organized is an ongoing process. One of the most common reasons people do not stay decluttered and organized is they have no maintenance plan in place. Make it part of your daily routine to tidy up and put things back in their designated spots.

• Spend 10-15 minutes at the end of each day cleaning up your workspace, house, or digital space.
• Set a weekly “organization check-in” where you review any cluttered areas and tidy them up.
• For digital organizing, go through your files once a month and delete any unnecessary files, emails, or apps.

The things I mention are ideals. Very few folks are going to clean out their digital life monthly. Full disclosure - I have never accomplished monthly digital cleaning every month.

I make sure to empty my Inbox every morning. At least one of my inboxes. This is a habit, by making organization a habit, you’ll prevent clutter from building up and avoid the need for major overhauls.

The thing I do every night before I turn the lights out is clean up my kitchen, bath, and den. Every night, no matter what, I do this because it would annoy me to see a mess in the morning.

Personalize Your Organizing System

Everyone's organizing process is different, so adapt your approach to fit your lifestyle. For instance:

• If you're a visual person, use color-coded systems for easy identification.
• If you have limited space, consider multi-purpose storage solutions, such as under-bed totes, vertical shelves and multi function furniture, like ottomans with interior storage space.
• For digital organization, choose tools and apps that fit your workflow, whether it’s a file management app like Google Drive or a task manager.
• If you have bad habits, replace them with better habits. A simple act like putting something away immediately when you are through with it, makes a big difference in living clutter-free.

Photo byMarj Bates

Evaluate and Adjust Over Time

As your life changes, your organizational needs will, too. Make a point to evaluate your system regularly and tweak it if necessary.

• If something isn't working (like items still getting lost or clutter building up), assess why and adjust accordingly.
• Don’t be afraid to try new methods. Organization is not one-size-fits-all, and it’s important to find what works best for you.
• As you change your organizational needs will change too. Adapt and adjust. This is all to make your life easier.

Some folks do better decluttering and organizing when they keep track of their progress. So I put together a spreadsheet and call it Ultimate Decluttering Dashboard. I am hearing how helpful this is and it is free!

There are tips for daily, weekly, and once a year tasks. Check it out! It's free! As you check off your tasks, a cheery yellow progress bar rewards your progress!

Photo byMarj Bates

How to Organizing Anything Is About Consistency

The secret to organizing anything is not perfection—it’s consistency. Stay mindful of your habits, and know that organization is a process, not a one-time thing.

By taking small steps and making organizing a part of your routine, you’ll not only enjoy a clutter-free space but also reduce mental clutter and stress.

So, whether you’re organizing a kitchen drawer, bathroom cabinets, or your home office, follow these steps, and you’ll be well on your way to a more organized, efficient, and peaceful life.

High-Impact Projects Organizing Tips For a clutter-free home

A good place to start to declutter and clean are all your flat surfaces such as your kitchen counter, bathroom vanities, and coffee table tops. Having clean surfaces is like having clean windows, it makes any room more aesthetically pleasing.

Make a morning or evening routine of returning stray things to their proper places, like your remote controls, and throws.or things that do not belong on your kitchen counter. When the mail enters your home take care of it. Immediately. Make this a habit. Just doing these couple of things will make a huge difference.

Here are 50 Quick & Easy Decluttering Tips to get you started!

Photo byMarj Bates

Marj Bates is a life long ridiculously organized declutter-er and artist. Less is more are words Marj lives by in everything she does except collecting dogs. “Dogs are like potato chips! Can’t have just one.” says Marj. Marj wonders if growing up with a fanatically clean Jewish mom means her decluttering and organizational skills are in her blood.

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