Get organized from the inside out! Have you ever had a wonderful day, but felt your mood drop the second you got home? A disorganized living area might be causing stress, discomfort, and unhappiness.
That pile of paperwork on your desk is probably hiding your cable bill—and now you are scrambling to find it. Trust us, we have all been there.
The key to feeling positive, accomplished, and organized is getting rid of clutter once and for all! The CGS Team has put together some tips to help you do just that. Follow the steps below and feel better in no time!
Psych Yourself Up
The full clutter clear-out should be done on a day when you don’t have to rush. Reserve a Saturday or Sunday as your organizing day. After a long day of work or school, you probably won’t be in the mood to clean. On your designated cleaning day, open your windows, turn on some music, and light a candle.
With natural light, good music, and a nice ambiance, you’ll feel ready to knock it out. Understand that you will need some time to fully reorganize and de-clutter. Prepare yourself and keep your eyes on the prize!
Create an Action Plan
Instead of just attacking the first clutter space you have, set up a game plan. Do a walkthrough of your place, listing each area you’ll work on: kitchen, office, bathroom, bedroom, closet, and so on.
Identify what needs to get done in each room. As you knock items out, cross them off the list!
Reserve a Spot for Each Item
Take Lifehack.org’s advice on this one:
“Quick—can you tell me where your underwear is? I bet you can. Most people have a special drawer for their underwear, and most people know exactly where their toothbrush is, because those things have a specific home. Virtually everything in your home can have its own parking spot so you can find things quickly and easily.”
We could not have said it better ourselves! It takes some time to get used to having spots for things like unused office supplies, but putting everything in a designated location makes it much easier to find what you’re looking for!
When you’re done using something, put it back in its spot. Your Express sweater shouldn’t hang on the door when its true spot is in the closet!
Give Yourself Deadlines
You already reserved the day to get all of your organizing done, but what about the tasks that require you to leave the house? Do you need to drop off old clothes to Goodwill? Do you need to buy a rack to hold all of your mail? Set a deadline for any tasks you’ll complete outside your home.
Drop off your clothes the next day. Pick up a mail rack after work on Monday. Don’t procrastinate, because these are necessary for maintaining your organization. Check out 6 Tips for a Perfectly Organized Closet to get started!
Don’t Be Afraid to Let Go
Do you really need 100+ issues of Cosmopolitan? What about those high school notebooks? If you haven’t used something in years, then it’s time to let go. Hold on to the things that are truly important to you.
Anything else should be thrown away or donated. The more things you have in your living space, the more opportunity there is for clutter and chaos to come back. If you are working on your closet. Check out the How To Make Money When Clearing Out Your Closet article for extra incentive to give up some items!
Reward Yourself
When every item has been crossed off of your action plan list, then you deserve a reward! Treat yourself to a mani/pedi! If your budget doesn’t allow for a pricey splurge, then get yourself a drink from Starbucks. Acknowledge all of the hard work that you’ve done to get organized!
Keep It Up
The hardest part about getting organized is staying organized! However, if you consciously work towards maintaining your organization, it really won’t be too difficult. Anytime you bring a new item into the house, put it where it belongs. Don’t let your desk get filled with papers and mail, use your mail rack!
Once one place gets cluttered, it’s much easier for other places to follow suit. Make an effort to keep your area organized and you will notice the difference in your mood!
Related: Declutter Your Way to Happiness
Organization is a wonderful thing! How do you feel about getting organized and staying that way? Do you have any words of advice to share with the group? Leave a comment below to share how you help declutter your life!
2 thoughts on “Get Organized from the Inside Out!”
I would definitely clean off my desk if there is a Starbucks Latte waiting for me after!
I am inspired! I’m going to tackle my bathrooms, including under the sinks, this weekend.