5 Tips for Getting and Staying Organized

I simply adore how different people have specific, unique strengths. You know, those things that they do SO well… And today’s guest, I’m so pleased to say, is the queen of organizing. Would you like to know how to get organized? Who wouldn’t?! My sweet friend Abby from Just a Girl and her Blog is here today to help with getting and staying organized.

5 Tips for Getting (and Staying) Organized | Just a Girl and Her Blog for Maison de Pax

Hi there, Maison de Pax readers! I’m Abby from Just a Girl and Her Blog, and I am so delighted that Rachel asked me to pop over and hang out with you all today! If you would visit my blog, it wouldn’t take you very long to figure out that I am just a *little bit* obsessed with organizing… okay, maybe more than a little bit! 😉 So today I thought I’d share my top 5 tips for getting (and staying) organized.

1. Become a ruthless purger.

Of the 5 tips I’m going to share with you today, this one is the most crucial! It makes sense: the less we own, the less we have to keep organized, right? I like to start with getting rid of anything that is broken, stained, or unusable. If it’s not functioning anymore, why keep it around?

I then move on to items that are in good shape but are hardly ever used. These items can typically be donated, and someone else might benefit greatly from the stuff that’s just sitting around and cluttering up the house!

5 Tips for Getting (and Staying) Organized | Just a Girl and Her Blog for Maison de Pax

I also try to eliminate anything I have duplicates of (unless, of course, the duplicates are necessary!) or that serve the same purpose as something else. For example, we received a blender for a wedding present (over 10 years ago now!). It was a great blender, but I think we may have used it a total of two times because we had a Magic Bullet that was quicker and lower maintenance. I had been keeping the blender around because it was in great condition, but once I realized that 1) it was hardly being used, and 2) we had another machine that was doing the same job, I sent it off to the “donate” pile.

If there are some things I’m nervous about purging because I’m worried that I might need them “someday,” I do a trial run. I put those items in a box in the basement or garage and set a reminder on my phone to revisit them in three months. If I haven’t used them, it’s a pretty safe bet that I can either pitch them or donate them!

2. Give everything a “home.”

Once I’ve purged ruthlessly, I try to make sure remaining items have a “home.” This keeps things from being piled up on the kitchen counter or on the cabinet in our entry (or any other surface that tends to collect “stuff”). Giving everything a home makes our house feel much less cluttered, AND I always know where to find things when I need them. Win-win!

5 Tips for Getting (and Staying) Organized | Just a Girl and Her Blog for Maison de Pax

3. Train yourself to put everything back in its “home.”

This one is hard for me! I am naturally scatterbrained, so I tend to move from one project to the next, leaving a trail of “stuff” behind me as I go. I am continually trying to get better at putting everything back when I’m finished with it, and then moving on to the next task in my day. When I keep up with this habit, I’m never faced with a house that looks like a tornado went through it because I’ve picked up a little bit at a time!

5 Tips for Getting (and Staying) Organized | Just a Girl and Her Blog for Maison de Pax

4. Follow the “one in, one out” rule.

Remember how we purged like crazy and then gave everything a home? Well, our house will only stay uncluttered if I’m very careful about what I allow to come into our space. If I’m continually buying new items at the store, my house will start to fill up again pretty quickly. To combat this, I try to follow the “one in, one out” rule– every time I bring something new into the house, I try to purge at least one thing that I’m not using anymore. It’s super duper simple, and it helps keep clutter at bay!

5 Tips for Getting (and Staying) Organized | Just a Girl and Her Blog for Maison de Pax

5. Get the whole family on board.

Finally, it is absolutely NO FUN if I am the only one in my house that is committed to maintaining a decluttered and organized home. If I’m the only one following the tips I listed above, I end up getting frustrated because I’m trying so hard to keep everything neat and tidy while everyone else is making a big mess!

This can definitely be a challenge for sure. My husband is fairly organized and tends to maintain order in our home fairly easily, but our two boys (ages 8 & 5 currently) are another story! We are always working on developing habits and routines and creating systems for them that help them stay organized in the easiest way possible.

5 Tips for Getting (and Staying) Organized | Just a Girl and Her Blog for Maison de Pax

In the end, it all comes down to the fact that we as a family want our house to be a place that is cozy and relaxing and uncluttered. Since we know we’ll all be happier in our home if it has a sense of order to it, we’re all willing to put in the effort to keep it that way. Are we perfect at it? Not by a long shot! But when we’re on the same page about things, everyone knows what we’re shooting for and we’re able to create a better home environment for everyone.

 

Thank you again to Rachel for having me, and thank YOU for reading! I’d love to have you over for a visit to Just a Girl and Her Blog, and if you’d like to kickstart the organization process in your house, you can sign up for my free Intentionally Organized course here.

Hope you have a wonderful week!

5 Tips for Getting (and Staying) Organized | Just a Girl and Her Blog for Maison de Pax

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2 Comments

  1. Great information! We all just need a little mouse to follow behind us and remind us constantly. 🙂

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