When it comes to organization I have a simple mantra:
No clutter in my home.
No clutter in my heart.
No clutter in my mind.
No clutter in my spirit.
I have found that you can tell a lot about a person by how they keep their closets; how they’re feeling and even what they think of themselves.
A disorganized home doesn’t have to be a permanent thing, nor is it a quick fix. It takes some dedication to a process. Here are some things that can get in the way.
1. You impulse buy without having a home for things
This is such a big issue for so many people. Recently, I walked by a building on garbage day and saw so many Amazon boxes that just made me go “Wow.” First it was the number of boxes and secondly, I wondered how many of these deliveries were necessities and how many impulse buys.
In a world where rabid consumerism is flaunted as something that we should all aspire to, people forget how little we need to live comfortably. That is relative to each person, but it is also important to question, how much does a person really need to be happy.
Ask yourself before a purchase, “Do I really need this item, and will it have a home?” “Does it add or take away from the vision I have for the space?” You don’t bring a baby home without having space for it, so apply that thought process when it comes to new purchases.
2. You don’t have a vision of what you want your space to look like
Before getting to the organizing and decluttering of your home, it is really important to have a vision for your space. There has to be an end goal in terms of what you hope to achieve. Your vision has to be clear and realistic.
It is therefore important that you hone in on your likes, dislikes and what inspires you in your home. Whether you’re a minimalist or a maximalist, everyone wants a home that is free of clutter. With that in mind, assess the clutter hotspots in your home.
Whether it’s the kitchen, your bedroom, entryway, or bathroom, find out why things accumulate in that area, and try to work on a solution that is suitable for the space. Make purchases within your budget to help make the space more functional.
3. You attach emotion to almost everything
There are things in your home that genuinely hold significant meaning and value, but there are those that you think you just have to keep. Learning to distinguish between the things that give true joy, and things you just want to keep makes a world of difference.
Whether it past trauma or difficulty letting go of things, this behavior can be problematic for your living space and other household members. Everything with sentimental value does not have to be kept.
I once read about a young woman who said she kept a balloon that was gifted to her, because it meant so much to her. She was in foster care and she moved from home to home, so she held onto everything that showed someone cared. It would make sense why even the smallest things meant so much, given her life experience. She eventually learned that not everything needs to be held onto.
You have to let go of some old things to make room for the new ones. You can still have the memories.
4. You have unrealistic expectations
Where do I begin with this one. As an organized person, I cannot begin to tell you how often I have fallen victim to this. Let’s use laundry for instance.
I used to want all the laundry folded properly, organized by long-sleeved shirts, short-sleeved shirts, long sleeved pants and so on. In the closet I organize by color, sleeve length, pant leg and season.
Who has time to maintain this with the never ending amounts of laundry? It became exhausting and drain, especially since I was the only one doing all the washing and folding, along with one million and one other responsibilities. It was unrealistic.
When setting household goals, you have to be sure that they are attainable and it can be maintained long term. That’s what makes it realistic.
5. You don’t commit
You have a vision, you’ve created a plan, you’ve sought out help from family members or a professional and you still can’t follow through.
For change to happen, you need to commit to it. Not doing the homework assigned by a professional only makes it difficult to even start and possibly maintain the process.
You need to follow through. Put one foot in front the other and start the process.
What habits do you have that prevent you from having an organized space?