It never really bothered me whether my room was organized or messy until I moved out of the home for higher education. I would wake up early, get ready and leave for college only to return later in the evening to a room full of mess. Even though the room was small and could be decluttered in a few minutes, it would be back to being jam-packed with clutter in no time. It was then that I wondered how my mom had been doing it for years, keeping the entire home clean and organized while the rest of us just lived there.
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I used to wonder if some people are blessed with some secret superhuman powers to help them keep their homes neat and tidy all the time. I have a few friends who are simply obsessed with organization and here I was, wondering where these people get the time and motivation from to do it all. The only thing I wished for is to steal their secret recipe to have it all together – a shiny home, a perfectly maintained garden and the most properly organized shelves. Do they really have a secret that they aren’t willing to share?
Well, I now have it all figured out. Having developed a habit of helping my Mom out in keeping the home organized, I have certainly learned about her secrets of being able to do it all. Here are some of those secrets that help keep our home clutter-free and tidy round the clock:
1. They Work In A Systematic Manner
Having a To-Do List to organize your home is as important as it is for working on any of your work-related projects. Decluttering the home won’t be effective enough if you don’t have a proper plan in place to carry out the tasks. What truly differentiates true organizers from the rest of us is their tendency to always draw out a plan that guides them towards a realistic goal.
Organized people tend to start with one room before breaking it down into smaller achievable tasks – decluttering the closet, going through and sorting the pile of papers before arranging them in the mail holder, changing the bedsheets, and rearranging the contents of the drawers. A proper system in place makes it easier for them to declutter without going all overwhelmed.
2. They Have A Place For Everything
People who always have a clutter-free home barely have things lying out of place because they have a home for everything that they own. They put the scissors back in the drawer after using them. They maintain a proper folder for all the papers and bills in order to eliminate paper clutter. Everything from craft supplies to stationery items has a designated place in their homes which makes it easier for them to stay organized.
3. They Return Items To Their Designated Place
If you don’t return the items back to their original place after using them, you’ll be living in a home jam-packed with clutter in no time. People who always have clean homes spend a few minutes every day in keeping the utensils, office supplies, shoes, snack containers and clothes back to where they belong.
4. They Know How To Let Go Of Things
What mostly leads to the accumulation of clutter are the items lying purposelessly in your home because you’re finding it hard to part with them. Many items like childhood toys, drawing books and gift items carry a sentimental value that makes it even more difficult for you to let go of them. You might still be holding on to the clothes that don’t fit anymore because you think they may be of some use in future. In order to give yourself a more organized space, look out for the items that aren’t serving you any purpose and get rid of them as soon as possible.
5. They Make Most Of The Digitization
Organized people are always trying to keep clutter at minimum by digitizing their stuff. In a world where things like books, papers and movies can easily be stored in your smartphones, it’s so not worthy to let them take any space in your cupboards. I have forgotten what DVDs and CDs look like ever since I subscribed to Amazon Prime Video. Although I like reading books in their paperback form, I have started using Kindle now as it helps me save a lot of money and space.
6. They Follow The ‘One In, One Out’ Rule
The ‘One In, One Out’ rule is quite simple in the sense that it doesn’t allow a new item to enter your home until you get rid of the older one. In order to prevent clutter from magnifying, organized people make it a point to let their old pair of shoes go before letting the new one in. They do the same with things like kitchen knives, appliances, makeup items and kitchen utensils. Not only does it help them get rid of the duplicate items but also saves time and energy that would otherwise be spent on cleaning and maintaining both the items.
7. They Clean Flat Surfaces Daily
Clutter always manages to find a place on flat surfaces like kitchen countertops, tabletop and bedside tables. If you’re not cleaning these on a daily basis, it will only be a matter of time before your home finds itself in complete disarray.
8. They Have A Donation Box Accessible At All Times
In order to purge their homes off the excess stuff, organized people maintain a Donation Area that is accessible throughout the day. Any item that ceases to be of any use to them gets tossed into the donation box that is available all the time. Most of the people I know set up the Donation Box in their hall or in a corner of their living room where it can easily be seen.
9. They Get Rid Of The Disposable Clutter Immediately
Organized people don’t let clutter accumulate in the first place by addressing the stuff that is immediately disposable. They take out the trash bag immediately, handle physical mail as soon as they receive them and throw out the empty shipping boxes right away.
Although these are some tips and tricks that can come handy in keeping your space clutter-free, the most important secret is to follow through your daily decluttering routine. After all, a properly managed home allows you to have time and energy for things that truly matter to you.