The longest month of the year is behind us! Did you get some decluttering and purging done in January? If so, congratulations! Take a moment and celebrate that success. Now it’s back to business. Your spaces look great, you feel lighter… but how do you keep it this way? Today, we are focusing on the last of what I refer to as the four S-es: sustaining. You may recall from earlier articles that I see home organization as having four prongs: self-identity (an organized mindset), space (declutter and create space for your belongings), systems (create systems, or habits, that foster organization) and sustaining.
You have done all this beautiful work decluttering and organizing your spaces. Now for the tricky part: keeping it all organized. How is that even possible with a busy life, items flowing in and out of your home constantly, and perhaps family members that are not as committed to organization? Read on for suggestions.
check in with your systems
People with organized homes rejigger their systems as needed to stay organized. As I stressed in my article on creating organizational systems, your systems should be intuitive to you and the way you live, and feel natural enough that they become habits. Forgive me for being blunt, but if your spaces are not looking like they did the day you finished your purge and organize, your system for that space failed. The end result of having systems is a consistent level of organization. If, for example, paper clutter is creeping back in, rethink your mail processing system and your filing system. Assess where the breakdown is and tweak the system so that it works better for you.
periodic refreshes
Even without a breakdown in your systems, life happens. You have a busy week, new stuff comes into your home, etc. This is not your fault. Even the most organized people need to refresh their organization and do mini-purges from time to time. The frequency of these refreshes will depend on the space. In the kitchen, you can do a weekly check of the fridge and pantry for spoiled or expired items, and ensure the junk drawer is in order. I run through my closet and do a quick edit on a quarterly basis. Alternatively, every six months, or when changing from warm weather to cool and back, will work fine. For the kids’ toys, the approach of a birthday or a gift-heavy holiday like Christmas can be a reminder to toss any toys that are broken, outgrown, or missing parts and pieces.
Another approach is to keep a running to-do list that is specific to organizing. Schedule an hour or two on your calendar once or twice a month to address as many items on the list as you can accomplish during that time. Revel in the joy that is checking things off a to-do list! The main idea here is that these refreshes should be quick and painless because you have already done the hard work of decluttering and organizing.
incentivize family members
At times, it can feel as though your family members are actively trying to undermine your organization. This is likely untrue; however, they simply may not care as much about having an organized home as you do. Maybe they are too young, maybe they have a different level of tolerance for clutter. The sooner you accept that you are likely going to be doing the heavy lifting, the less frustrating it will be. That said, you should not shoulder the entire burden, and it is OK to expect help. When it comes to getting family members on board with maintaining organization, incentivize, don’t nag. Most people, be they partners or children, respond better to carrots than sticks. Make it age-appropriate, and make it fun.
celebrate the wins
As with many things in life, it can be easier to focus on what’s going wrong than on what’s going right. This is not going to help with your organization. It can be tempting to fall into the trap of “well, the garage is a mess again, what’s the point of even trying?” I encourage you to walk away from that thinking and look around for a space, any space, that’s going well. Appreciate it and be proud of it. Then think about why it’s working, and try to replicate that success in other spaces in your home.
Your turn! Once you’ve gotten organized, how do you stay organized? Let us know in the comments!