5 Easy Ways To Get Organized

Get Organized.

I’m not the only one constantly thinking about organizing this time of year – right? There’s just something about getting a fresh start in the new year that makes me want to de-clutter and organize every space in our home.

I get so into it that I even offer to help friends and family organize their homes and most of the time they say yes because they “have no idea how to get organized“. My mom always tells me that she never knows where to begin because there is just so many areas in her life that need organizing.

I’m here to tell you that changing your habits so that you can live a more organized lifestyle is not hard – it just takes a bit of discipline.

Following are 5 easy ways to get organized.

1. Set goals.
Goals are always important when you want to accomplish something, so setting one or more organizing goals is a good first step.

If children’s toys have taken over your home, one of your goals may be to find a good organizing system for those. Maybe you are always missing appointments and need to find a way to better organize your time. Whatever issues you have in terms of organization, set goals to fix them.

2. Set up schedules and timelines.
Setting goals is great, but if you don’t give yourself a deadline for completing them, it’s more like wishful thinking, because those goals aren’t likely to be met (not in a reasonable amount of time, anyway).

Once you have set your goals, determine some dates for completing them and then schedule time once per week (or bi-weekly) to work on your goals, until they have all been met.

3. Organize one thing at a time.
Although it’s tempting to want to completely organize your entire home and life in one shot, it’s near impossible. Cramming too many organizing tasks into your schedule will leave you exhausted, overwhelmed and likely frustrated.

Pick one organizing goal from your list and work away at that one until it’s completed. Then, move on to organizing task #2.

4. Invest in quality organizing supplies (sometimes).
Organizing supplies can be pretty expensive. The key is to know when to invest and when you can go a cheaper route.

When it comes to organizing bins for small items, I always suggest going to the dollar store. They have a huge selection or bins available for a few dollars or less and they work just fine for many organizing projects.

If you are looking for larger organizing bins and carts to store items such as clothing, art/paperwork, wrapping paper etc. – I highly recommend spending a bit more money and purchasing decent quality bins (Rubbermaid is my favourite brand). I have purchased cheaper bins in the past and have had many items ruined because the lids didn’t secure well enough and dirt or moisture would get inside.

I also suggest investing in a good quality label maker. When it comes to organizing, labels are your best friend and you will need to make them often. Pick a label maker that will last you a long time (I use this label maker).

5. Never stop organizing.
If your plan is to get organized in general and not just to organize one particular space in your home, you need to realize that staying organized is a way of life. It’s something you will have to work at every single day. Of course, with time it becomes easy and like second nature. You just have to make it to that point.

For example, in order to ensure that we have home cooked meals every night (well.. almost every night), I need to have an organized kitchen. This means that I need to make sure I put my dishes, cutlery, kitchen gadgets and small appliances back where they belong after I use them. I need to have labels in our kitchen cupboards so that my husband and helpful guests know where to put things when they are tidying up.

Keep up with your organizing, because, trust me, it doesn’t take long for things to become unorganized and out of control again.

There are so many benefits to being organized. Not only will your home be clean and clutter-free, but you will also save money by knowing where everything is in your home and knowing when your bills are due.

The most important thing you can do is just get started. Tackle your smaller projects first and then move on to the big ones. This will ensure that you see progress and progress is one of the best motivators!

I’d love it if you shared your organizing tips in the comments!

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