How to Organize Your Home Once and For All - Part 1
An organized home can always feel just one drawer, one pile, one closet away. Why does it never feel like you've achieved it? I’m sure you’ve spent time organizing an area only to find that a few weeks later it is back to a disorganized state and you need to organize it again. You don’t have time in your life to continue this cycle! One of the most common missteps is starting in the wrong place.
Decluttering is the first of three key Steps to Achieving an ORGANIZED HOME!
Everyone’s home has unwanted or unnecessary items (probably more than we’d care to admit). Decluttering is the act of removing those items. If you skip the decluttering step, you are simply organizing those unwanted/unnecessary items. This is the hardest part of getting organized for most people, which is probably why so many people skip this step.
Why is decluttering so difficult?
I think we all innately know that we own more than we need, so why is this clutter that drives you so crazy is also so hard to get rid of? We have emotional attachment to physical items and we use physical items as a sort-of safety blanket, which means when you tackle an area to organize, you tend to:
do a very cursory declutter and maybe get rid of one or two items
skip decluttering altogether
True, deep decluttering is hard. It feels easier to simply keep everything than to really look inward and make the hard decisions decluttering requires. This is where a professional organizer can really help you. I often hear clients struggle with a decision because:
I spent so much money on it.
It still has the tags on.
I might need that …
This brings back so many memories!
It seems so wasteful to discard this
As an home organizer, I help my clients reframe these thoughts and ask further questions to help them process the emotions a meaningful decluttering session will bring. A solid discarding session will not only give your loved belongings room to shine and help keep you organized, it will also help you evaluate and confront your buying habits and how you exist in this world of excess.
The most transformative approach is to commit to tidying with Marie Kondo’s KonMari Method®. During the KonMari Method®, you will become deeply attuned to what truly sparks joy for you. We will hone that instinct as you progress through the 5 categories - Clothing, Books, Paper, Komono (miscellaneous), and Sentimental - so that you will become quick and confident about what items you want to keep and bring into your life.
Begin with mindset work before decluttering
What is your vision for your life and home? What do you really want in life? How do you want to spend your time?
Answering these questions will help you determine what you want to keep in your life - what sparks joy.You are making room for the things you love and for new things to come into your life.
The waste happened at the time of purchase! Your home should not be a holding station for items simply to relieve you from the guilt of discarding. Learn and grow from this process and adjust your purchasing habits to avoid future waste.
Pull everything out
Yes - you need to make a huge “mess,” but it will all be worth it! You cannot make a true keep/discard decision unless you are holding the object. Holding an object is a much more intimate process than simply scanning the contents of a drawer, shelf, or closet. It forces you to focus on each object individually. Marie Kondo recommends that you, “Pay close attention to how your body responds” when holding the object. It can guide you in determining what objects spark joy and should be kept.
You Don’t Have to Do It Alone!
As a certified KonMari Consultant®, I would be honored to guide you through the tidying process so that you can have a home that functions smoothly and feels organized once and for all!