9 Ways To Organize Your Life Right Now

1. Don’t depend on your memory - write everything down.

As much as we try - we’re human and that means sometimes we forget even the most basic things. Making lists totally help to stay organized and on top of things. You can always jot down notes or lists on your phone or on paper. To-do, shopping, and other lists really help to stay on track.

2. “A place for everything and everything in its place.”

A lot of times the root of clutter is that we don’t have a place to put things. For example, if you have coats lying around on the sofa, maybe there isn’t space in your coat closet for jackets. Either get rid of some jackets or find another storage solution for them. Start putting things that do have a place diligently in their designated spot, and the clutter will immediately be gone. Identify the things that do not have a “home” and create one or get rid of it if you don't really love or use it.

3. Clean Up Regularly

“Organization is a process, not a project.” It doesn’t happen overnight and just like anything else - the grass, your hair, you name it -- it needs maintenance. Imagine how tangled your hair would get if you didn’t brush it for 3 days. Or how smelly and dirty your mouth would be not brushing for just a few days? It’s the same with cleaning. It doesn’t take a lot of time but if you can even allot 15-30 min for daily tidying and decluttering, it will go a long way!

4. Keep the Hotspots Clean

Every household has a “hotspot” for clutter. It attracts clutter like a magnet because it is such a convenient dumping ground. Coffee tables, side tables, and the kitchen sink and counters are all examples of this. Consciously note these places and clean them daily so things don’t pile up and eventually become a mess.

5. Donate and Recycle

Go through each section of your house and do a little Marie Kondo. Personally, I really like her method of gathering everything in a category, taking each one by one, and honestly ask yourself if it sparks joy. For example, when cleaning your closet, gather all the clothes together in a large pile and go through each one. If there are things you like but haven’t worn for more than a year - give them up. Someone else can use and enjoy it and you won’t even miss it or realize it’s gone.

6. Check Expiry dates on Food and medicine.

Go through your pantry and medicine cabinet and dispose of any food or medicine that has expired. It’s not healthy and is unusable, so instead of letting it clutter up your cabinets, get rid of it. It will instantly free up a bunch of room and give you more space to organize the things you actually use.

7. Create A Command Center

Having a place where everyone can keep up with schedules, appointments, shopping, and other obligations is very helpful in keeping the whole family organized. Create an area where everyone can commonly stay on track together.

8. Try to Put Things Away Immediately

Things easily pile up when you “dump” and plan to put away “later.” Practice putting things away right at the moment you finish with them, this will seriously decrease clutter. I also love the 5-minute rule which is, if something takes 5 minutes or less, do it then and don’t wait for later. This saves a lot of time and overwhelms in the long run.

9. Create Daily, Weekly, And Monthly Schedules for Cleaning

Organize your cleaning schedule. It’s draining to have a single “cleaning day” where you clean everything all at once. Evenly distribute tasks, so for example, dishwashing could be done daily; while vacuuming could be scheduled weekly and cleaning the windows done monthly.