I’m passionate about owning less because it saves me time and money. So, I’ve established daily strategies to control clutter and create order. Adopt these habits and reclaim hours in your day with less stress and more time to do what you love. Check out my 7 proven strategies to organize your home.
7 Strategies to Organize Your Home
1. Stop Shopping
With love in my heart, I really mean stop shopping. Question every purchase before you make it. Wait 24 hours before you click “order.” Turn off one-click and avoid stores where impulse buys occur.
Consider a shopping moratorium. I resolved to go 6-months without clothes shopping and found it easy to extend to 8. I still remember the first item I bought and I didn’t love it. A few months later, I donated it.
2. Borrow, Repurpose, Reuse, or Do Without
Save time and borrow a cup of sugar from your neighbor. Or maybe a power washer or crockpot? I love to build community through borrowing. Several of my friends understand that collectively “We own 8 folding chairs” and a myriad of other large items we can share. If you cannot borrow, wait a few days to see if the need passes.
3. Shop Local
Are you already going to the grocery store? Consider buying toiletries and paper products there. I save a lot just staying out of stores like Target and Costco. These stores heavily advertise impulse buys and erase any supposed savings.
Advertising works because Storm Troopers are staged near the boys’ clothing. Sticking close to home and shopping in fewer stores saves time, money, and gas.
4. Use existing inventory
Whether it’s groceries or toiletries, refuse to buy until you’ve used everything. I hear a lot of pushback when it comes to the grocery idea but it’s so much fun for us as a family! My husband and son have learned to love my #InventoryChallenge. How many days until we really need to grocery shop? Our current record is 35 days. We laugh about our strange meals and find endless ways to substitute ingredients. You’d be surprised how many meals come from the existing inventory. Try it! The meals are healthier than eating out and always less expensive. Seriously, we were ready for quarantine when items were scarce.
5. Define Your Spaces
Instead of cramming utensils into a caddy or struggling to close drawers, establish boundaries for where things can live. Then, reduce the number of items to allow them to fit comfortably in these designated spaces. Allocate space for a given collection, keep what fits nicely and is used most often then donate the rest.
6. Start with your stuff
Don’t worry, the rest of the family will follow in their own time. Set the example so they see the difference in you. Start in places you use daily, like your clothing closet, kitchen, bathroom, car, work bag, or junk drawer.
7. Remove furniture, bins, and baskets
Containment devices serve a purpose but they work against you too. Furniture holds and hides our stuff. To truly declutter a room, remove furniture for maximum impact. Resist the need to maintain extra seating for guests who don’t live there. Try this. Count the number of seats available compared to the people in your house.
Now it’s your turn. Pick one and get started.
Which one?
All get points. We have become a society connected with things instead of people. So as you said, we don’t know our neighbors and we keep trying to connect with things.
I began my journey of organization with time management. I could keep things pretty organized, but I was a mess with my time. Focusing on making one change at time worked for me. The extra benefit from managing my time better showed with being even more organized with my stuff.
As The Minimalist say, “Love people, use things. The opposite never works.”
I love that we both are talking starting with your own stuff this week! Ive also been surprised by how little I need. The challenge of shopping during the pandemic has led me to make do with what I have more than ever. A lot of shopping ends up buying thins I honestly don’t need, and sometimes don’t even really want.
Ah yes, experimenting with less is always successful. There have been silver linings about shopping during the pandemic for many. I need even less than before. So good!