If you work from home, then this past year has probably turned your space upside down. Between setting up shop for a home office, virtual learning and an excessive amount of online shopping, it’s likely that some home organization is well overdue.
Why? Because overtime, the misplaced items and piles of junk can take a toll on how we feel, both physically and mentally. Not to mention, a messy home makes it hard to focus and a cluttered space means it’s hard to unwind. And while organizing isn’t always the most exciting activity — in fact, usually quite grueling, there are a few life-changing organization tips that can easily help you keep your house mess-free… for the short term at least.
Here are several tips on organizing your home… Like a boss!
Get rid of everything that doesn’t bring you joy – Marie Kondo-style.
A couple of years ago, thanks to Netflix, Marie Kondo came in and changed our lives forever. “If you’re having a hard time getting rid of something, thank the item for the role it has already played in your life,” Kondo advises, recommending you say something to the garment like “Thank you for giving me joy when I bought you” or “Thank you for teaching me what doesn’t suit me.” Getting rid of a few things you don’t want can make a world of a difference in the process of organizing your home. After all, if there’s less stuff around it’s much easier to create practical storage solutions to house all your household items. If you need a bit of help in organizing as you declutter your home, The Container Store is a little slice of organizational heaven and a favorite of smart storage mavens like The Home Edit. Endless hours can easily be spent perusing through aisles of organizational tools or sifting through its site for storage bins, acrylic organizers, and more to help you bring this joy back into your lives.
Make use of storage.
Different spaces require different types of organizing. Regardless of whether you live in a spacious house, studio apartment, trendy loft, or fifth-floor walkup, keeping yourself organized is crucial, especially as we gear up for the last quarter of the year and get ready to promise ourselves (again) to get organized after new year. The Container Store offers storage boxes, bins and shelves that should be used to contain supplies and archived files. In a small space, particularly, having your things scattered is stressful and it’s truly amazing how much better you’ll feel after a few color coordinated bins. You can find storage carts on wheels that are easy to move around and can store small to medium sized items or equipment. You can store as many items as you need to in an extendable shelf cart or a flat shelf cart. On a budget? You can also go to your local second hand store and purchase cheap shelving, bins or boxes.
Give your closet a makeover.
Grammy-award winning singer and actress, LeToya Luckett recently worked on a custom closet with The Container Store Custom Closets and is safe to say that there is magic in reorganizing. The partnership featured a design of her dream closet in her Los Angeles home, and let’s just say we may all need a closet makeover. After thinning out and redistributing misfit items, the R&B singer took a true inventory of her belongings and devised a plan. Prior to working with The Container Store Custom Closets, LeToya was using a builder’s closet with mismatched hangers, shoe boxes for storage, and improper hangers for her incredible handbag collection. The end result was a custom walk-in closet complete with a luxury island for accessory storage, clothing organized by seasons, and an impeccably organized jewelry collection.
Discard and donate.
You probably don’t need the dress you wore that one time at a college party or the too-small pants you’ve never worn but have been keeping “just in case”. Embrace your minimalist side and get rid of the things you don’t truly need (without coming up with excuses as to why you still need it). Set a threshold or strict rule for discarding and donating any items you haven’t used in the past three, six or twelve months — since we’ve been in a pandemic this past year, this can be adjusted liberally to account for the last time you may have had a social life. There’s room to hang on to the things that bring back memories, but find a way to keep sentimental items to a minimum.