Okay…so you’ve purged and organized and contained. Now it’s time to maintain.
It’s easy to stay organized when everything has a home. But it does involve commitment and discipline. After all, you are forming a new habit. The toughest part will be establishing the new routines and discipline you need to stop clutter from building up again in your newly organized space.
One of the best habits to get into is putting things back where they belong. Instead of putting something down, put it away. My husband and I spend zero time organizing our own home. Everything has a place and when we’re finished using something, we put it back. It’s just a habit…we don’t even think about it.
Let’s talk shopping. I recently worked with a client who had a closet full of clothes and nearly 50% of them still had the tags on them. And many of them had been purchased more than a year ago! What?! If you don’t have impulse control when shopping, whether it’s for clothes, kitchen gadgets, office supplies, etc., ask yourself “Do I REALLY need this?” “Do I REALLY love this?” “Where will I put this if I buy it?” If the answer is “no” or “I don’t know,” put it back and keep walking.
“But it’s on sale!” you say. Stop bargain hunting. Stop it now. Buy what you need when you need it. Just because it’s on sale, doesn’t mean you need to take it home with you.
Curbing the shopping impulse saves you time and money. The less you buy, the more you save. The less you have the less you have to store and clean.
Stop clutter before it gets in the door. Don’t bring it home.
Learning any new skill is both challenging and rewarding. It’s the same for organization.
For some people it comes naturally. For others, there’s a learning curve. It’s so exciting when that “ah-ha” moment happens and a client understands why clutter has overtaken their lives AND how to conquer it…for good!
And remember, if you need help, I’m just a phone call away!
