The Struggle to Organize

No one wants to spend time constantly putting things back in order. But being organized has a lot of benefits, so most of us aspire to having better organizational skills.

When you’re organized, you know where everything is so you don’t go out and buy something you don’t think you have. You don’t spend time every day searching for what you need, and these benefits help intensify the intense feeling of relaxation you can have when your home is organized.

It’s likely you have heard, if not watched the Netflix show “Tidying up with Marie Kondo.”  It’s taking the nation by storm.  A lot of us are struggling to balance life with home and Marie Kondo helps teach us how to organize our lives and declutter our homes.  She shows how her methods can help every kind of individual, from families to retirees, with an emphasis on how we can look at decluttering as a way to bring joy to our lives instead of as a boring or difficult task. Her lesson is important, because our possessions shouldn’t have a hold on us, and if they don’t bring us joy, it makes sense to let them go.  You might not want to hold yourself to every Marie Kondo ideal, so we have some helpful tips on organizing your home, too.

How to Organize

There are many methods to get organized, and the most important thing is to have a plan. If you break the work down into segments that seem simple and straightforward, you will be able to approach the task with the energy and frame of mind.

If you think about taking on your entire home at once, you will find the idea too overwhelming. One of the best ways to segment the tasks is by dividing the tasks by room. That way, you will also be able to see the results quickly when you finish a room, and you will be more encouraged when it comes time to tackle the next room.

Here is a method for tackling each room that will help you organize from top to bottom in every room:

  • First, empty the room of everything that is in it. You want to see the room as it can be with nothing in it, at its least cluttered. You will also be able to see how much room you really have and get some ideas on how you want the room to be organized.
  • Your second step is to purge like crazy. If you have duplicates you don’t use, donate them. If you are keeping around clothes hoping you can fit into them someday, donate them and promise yourself that if you are able to fit into that size again you can reward yourself with something even better.
  • Don’t overthink it, and don’t trick yourself by thinking you can transfer the objects to other rooms. Be honest and get rid of what you don’t need.
  • The next step is to actually organize your items. Put together all the things that go together, like cleaning supplies or books or clothes. Keep your items together in easy-to-access storage bins and shelves. It is vital that you are able to see what you have and how much you have of everything. That may mean putting shelves inside shelves, and decorating your storage containers.
  • Next, make sure anything you can’t see is marked well enough that you can find it later. You can use gift tags, post it notes, or real labels from a home label maker. One great tip is using inexpensive spray paint to color code your storage bins so that you have a pattern that makes sense to you.
  • Once you have everything organized, you are ready to put it back where it belongs. You want to have a place for everything, and everything in its place. Make sure you have a plan before you return the items to the room, because you want to experience the joy of seeing the room in its organized state.
  • When you have everything in the room, take a picture, so you can remind yourself what your room can look like. If you can re-create that feeling of joy, it will help you later when you are tempted to stop being organized.
  • Make it a work in progress. Stay vigilant about keeping your things in their places, and see how the system works as far as your being able to comfortably use the items in the room. You want items you use more often easier to get to, while items you use less often can be where it is less convenient, such as on higher shelves.

Now let’s look at some helpful advice by room.

Organizing Your Bedroom

Most people think of their bedroom as a refuge from the world. Even if you don’t get to spend much time in your bedroom, it is the one room where you want to be able to go and relax. Most people have trouble getting the healthy, relaxing sleep they need, and having an organized bedroom is one way to help get the rest you need.

The biggest challenge you are probably facing when it comes to organizing your bedroom is your clothes. Most people have a variety of clothes for many occasions, and they need to have ready access to all of them on a regular basis. The clothes you don’t wear as often can be stored further back in your closet or on a shelf, but you will benefit greatly if you have the right dresser to fit your clothes.

Marie Kondo shows her viewers how to fold clothing so that it will fit well in a dresser. She shows examples of several kinds of clothing, including camisoles, where she says the secret is to include the straps in the length. She lovingly strokes the clothing as she folds it flat, then over, until it is in a rectangle. She says clothing that is folded correctly will stand up. This will give you more room in your dresser and make it easier to see which clothing is available.

Marie Kondo even has a lot to say about socks, because socks are so important to us in the way they support us in our daily lives. Such a small item of clothing that most of us don’t really think of is important to her, and she offers a way to fold socks that puts you in touch with them and lets you respect them. First you need to lie the socks one on another, then fold them into thirds. Once your socks have made a flat rectangle, you are ready to store them in your drawer standing up. Marie says that this method is better than rolling the socks in a ball as most people do, because that harms the elastic and makes the socks wear out faster.

At Another Man’s Treasure, you can find a wide assortment of dressers to suit your own unique style. There are new and used models, and even some beautiful antique dressers. Some of the items were custom made, so if you are lucky enough to find one of these specially made pieces, there will be modifications from a standard dresser that make it more useful. You can choose from among narrow drawers and deep drawers, and many other choices.

Organizing Your Office

This is another area where it is important to keep control of the chaos. Especially if you have an office at home, there will probably be many important papers and documents that you need to keep track of. Losing track of them could be catastrophic to the family budget.

Another Man’s Treasure has desks to keep you organized. Currently in stock there are newer ones with modern shelving, and older ones with a more basic form and function. You will find yourself staying more organized if you find the desk that makes you comfortable, whatever kind that is, because you will be able to have the right state of mind when you are dealing with the stressful parts of running a household.

Organizing Your Living Room

The living room is the room where you probably spend the most waking moments with your family. You want to keep this room clutter free, especially as this is the room where everyone is tempted to bring clutter.

Find the furniture that you personally find the most comfortable, and see to it that everyone in the home is has a place which is suitable. People have different habits, and your furniture should reflect what brings you the most physical ease and relaxation. You should be able to express your personality with your furniture while providing a pleasing aesthetic for guests. This is one of those matters where you may just have not found what you are looking for yet, but you will know what you are looking for when you find it.

For more tips and tricks on organizing your home check out our blog post on organization furniture.

A Never Ending Journey

If you currently possess any furniture that doesn’t bring you joy, you are shortchanging yourself. Life is too short to spend it without trying to achieve the greatest amount of joy possible in every moment. At Another Man’s Treasure, there is a seemingly endless variation among the many styles. If you want to replace your items that will doubtless provide more joy to someone else, call today for details on the consignment process.