9 Things You Can Do to Kick-start Being More Organised
Being organised can take a little time investment upfront, but you'll reap the rewards
Hannah Young
3 July 2019
Professional Organiser in Yorkshire and a member of APDO (Association of Professional Declutterers and Organisers). You can find me online at www.ReviveYourSpace.co.uk or in person helping others to declutter, organise and restyle their homes. I believe it's important to make the most of what we already have and love to share the benefits of being organised and efficient, creating more physical and emotional space for the things that are most important to us.
Professional Organiser in Yorkshire and a member of APDO (Association of Professional... More
You might think being organised isn’t all it’s cracked up to be and a lot of hard work, but I’ll let you in on a secret – it’s about making the tedious things easier and allowing more time and energy for the fun things. It means you know where to put things away and you’re able to locate what you need, quickly, easily and safely.
Here are some tips you can follow now to set you on the path to a more ordered home.
This article is from our Most Popular stories file
Here are some tips you can follow now to set you on the path to a more ordered home.
This article is from our Most Popular stories file
Declutter first
It’s possible to be a very organised hoarder, but it can also be very time consuming and costly. The less stuff you have, the easier it is to keep it organised and clean.
People who follow the ‘simple living’ philosophy might even choose to live in a smaller space, as it limits the amount of things they can keep.
If you’re struggling to get organised, or trying to cram too many things into a small space, take the opportunity to edit your collections and keep only the very best of what you own. Let go of some of your possessions, so they can be used and enjoyed in another home.
It’s possible to be a very organised hoarder, but it can also be very time consuming and costly. The less stuff you have, the easier it is to keep it organised and clean.
People who follow the ‘simple living’ philosophy might even choose to live in a smaller space, as it limits the amount of things they can keep.
If you’re struggling to get organised, or trying to cram too many things into a small space, take the opportunity to edit your collections and keep only the very best of what you own. Let go of some of your possessions, so they can be used and enjoyed in another home.
Design around your lifestyle
Sometimes our homes can work against us, rather than for us. If you’re finding it tricky to keep a certain spot tidy, it might be time to take a look at how you use your home on a daily basis. Write down which areas you use, and where you tend to dump your stuff.
If you’re redesigning an area of your home, look at how you can incorporate things that will make life easier. For example, if you’re lucky enough to have a utility room like this one, add a shower to give the dog a wash after a walk and to wash down your muddy wellies.
Sometimes our homes can work against us, rather than for us. If you’re finding it tricky to keep a certain spot tidy, it might be time to take a look at how you use your home on a daily basis. Write down which areas you use, and where you tend to dump your stuff.
If you’re redesigning an area of your home, look at how you can incorporate things that will make life easier. For example, if you’re lucky enough to have a utility room like this one, add a shower to give the dog a wash after a walk and to wash down your muddy wellies.
Measure up
It’s easy to think that buying storage containers will make you more organised, but be careful to measure your space beforehand. If you’re redesigning an area, take storage into account as part of the design process.
Try to include a place for everything you need to store, so you avoid ending up with an area between shelves that’s too short for tall items, or a deep shelf with wasted space.
Tempted by built-in storage? Find carpenters and joiners in your area.
It’s easy to think that buying storage containers will make you more organised, but be careful to measure your space beforehand. If you’re redesigning an area, take storage into account as part of the design process.
Try to include a place for everything you need to store, so you avoid ending up with an area between shelves that’s too short for tall items, or a deep shelf with wasted space.
Tempted by built-in storage? Find carpenters and joiners in your area.
Embrace your style
The main consideration when it comes to organising and storing stuff at home is whether you prefer things out of sight or on display.
If you’re a visual storer, you could opt for open shelving, glass doors and beautiful pots and baskets to throw things into. If you prefer things out of sight, then think about how you can incorporate built-in storage around your home, or freestanding cupboards and drawers.
The main consideration when it comes to organising and storing stuff at home is whether you prefer things out of sight or on display.
If you’re a visual storer, you could opt for open shelving, glass doors and beautiful pots and baskets to throw things into. If you prefer things out of sight, then think about how you can incorporate built-in storage around your home, or freestanding cupboards and drawers.
Set up systems
See if you can work out some systems to help things run smoothly at home.
This picture shows a great example of a smart system – a rail placed in the utility room for hanging shirts and tops. The garments can be hung up straight from the wash, and either worn from the laundry room or taken back to the wardrobe.
If a system like this, or something else, works for you, share your novel solutions with friends and they might have some tips to share with you.
See if you can work out some systems to help things run smoothly at home.
This picture shows a great example of a smart system – a rail placed in the utility room for hanging shirts and tops. The garments can be hung up straight from the wash, and either worn from the laundry room or taken back to the wardrobe.
If a system like this, or something else, works for you, share your novel solutions with friends and they might have some tips to share with you.
Go easy on yourself
Make it as easy to put something away as it is to get it out. Store frequently used items in easy-to-reach spots and keep those difficult-to-access corners for seasonal stuff.
Open baskets can be great for large items, children’s toys, toiletries or outerwear. Very small items will get lost at the bottom of a large basket, so use little containers for these.
Make sure people can reach the boxes and baskets in order to pop things away, and that the box isn’t too heavy to lift. If it’s fiddly or difficult to put an object away, it will probably end up on the floor near its box rather than in it.
Make it as easy to put something away as it is to get it out. Store frequently used items in easy-to-reach spots and keep those difficult-to-access corners for seasonal stuff.
Open baskets can be great for large items, children’s toys, toiletries or outerwear. Very small items will get lost at the bottom of a large basket, so use little containers for these.
Make sure people can reach the boxes and baskets in order to pop things away, and that the box isn’t too heavy to lift. If it’s fiddly or difficult to put an object away, it will probably end up on the floor near its box rather than in it.
Create a home
Allocating a spot for everything will help you stay neat and tidy, so adopt a strict routine at home to help you stay organised and in control. For items that don’t have a specific place, put them in a junk drawer, but make sure you clear it out frequently.
Encourage children to be tidy by using language they can relate to. They understand the concept of belonging and so it can be helpful to ask them where a toy ‘lives’, ‘belongs’ or has its ‘home’.
Allocating a spot for everything will help you stay neat and tidy, so adopt a strict routine at home to help you stay organised and in control. For items that don’t have a specific place, put them in a junk drawer, but make sure you clear it out frequently.
Encourage children to be tidy by using language they can relate to. They understand the concept of belonging and so it can be helpful to ask them where a toy ‘lives’, ‘belongs’ or has its ‘home’.
Share your schedule
If you have to tie your schedule in with other members of your household, it’s a good idea to have a shared online calendar to ensure you don’t book clashing appointments.
It can also be handy to have a large board or calendar somewhere easily accessible, so that everyone can write down things they need to do. Allocate a central hub in your home where you keep keys, shopping lists and essential paperwork, too.
Having one spot for all these things can help you communicate with others you share your home with, even if your paths don’t cross very often.
If you have to tie your schedule in with other members of your household, it’s a good idea to have a shared online calendar to ensure you don’t book clashing appointments.
It can also be handy to have a large board or calendar somewhere easily accessible, so that everyone can write down things they need to do. Allocate a central hub in your home where you keep keys, shopping lists and essential paperwork, too.
Having one spot for all these things can help you communicate with others you share your home with, even if your paths don’t cross very often.
Love labels
Whether visible or behind closed doors, labelling your boxes, files, drawers and folders will make it super quick for you to locate paperwork and other items.
This is also very helpful if you live with others, as it will be clear to everyone where things are kept. Feel free to make your labelling as minimalist or pretty as you like, but try to stick to a uniform style in the same area.
Tell us…
Do you have any systems in place at home that help you stay organised? Share your ideas in the Comments section.
Whether visible or behind closed doors, labelling your boxes, files, drawers and folders will make it super quick for you to locate paperwork and other items.
This is also very helpful if you live with others, as it will be clear to everyone where things are kept. Feel free to make your labelling as minimalist or pretty as you like, but try to stick to a uniform style in the same area.
Tell us…
Do you have any systems in place at home that help you stay organised? Share your ideas in the Comments section.
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Am I the only person who doesn't have a utility or laundry room? So many of these tips begin "If you have a utility room..." but then don't say what to do if you don't! If I had one, most of my storage/organising problems would be solved, and it's at the top of the list for our next house (in about 5 years). I currently have a 5 bed house but absolutely nowhere to put a utility space, and I can't build out because we're in a conservation area. Add to that a messy partner, and two teenage boys (one of whom plays cricket - have you seen the size of those bloody bags???!) and my private hell is complete...
Had to laugh at your last sentence, Emma. No pantry either I suppose? Way back when I had a family of 8... hubby, myself plus his 2, my 2 and our 2 we managed with a washing machine in the kitchen, washing line outside... airer and 'drape over radiators' when it rained (whip everything off if guests expected!)... and ended up getting a Dyson (yes, he made washing machines for a while - guaranteed for 20 years!!) because the drum capacity was huge and the wash time much less cos of its more efficient split drum twisting action. But it was seemingly always wash day! And ironing day! But you cope somehow. And you'll miss those boys when they leave home...
I won't miss the cricket bag though! :D