We’ve all been there. You’ve tried to get organized and all you have to show for it are more containers and more mess. You’re worse off than before. Now what? Before spending more time searching for the best way to organize, start here…
Step 1: Identify if you have failed organization or have failed expectations
Does your space get a lot of traffic and is extra lived in but you want it to look like an untouched magazine cover? If that’s your goal (nothing wrong with that – my entryway for example) then you have to organize it to function that way. My partner didn’t understand why there were pillows and a blanket draped over the entryway storage chest…that couldn’t be used. DUH! So it looks like the Pinterest post I liked! This is the area for hidden storage for items you rarely need – seasonal, 1-2 x a month use, or only when you have guests. Maybe that space won’t have any storage or functional space, period. Or, in the case of high use and functioning space like a living room, you need one step access to things. It should only take you one move/step to get to a frequently used item. No moving piles, taking something out of or shifting something around to get to it.
Step 2: Are you trying to force your organization method or is your organization flowing with you?
Failed organization means you need to look at how you realistically use the space, first. Have you made the frequently used items difficult to get to? Or does it not organically flow? If you continuously put the laundry detergent in the spot where the iron is – trade spaces! Don’t fight it. Before committing to a method, notice how you and your family use the space. Let there be some mess at first (gasp). Put a basket of toys out and see where the kids go with them to play (with limits of course). If they have a tendency to stick to a corner of the room, don’t set up the toy storage/trunk on the other side of the room or in another space. The likelihood of it getting put up is minimal.
Step 3: Identify which comes first. The way it looks or functions?
This one is touching on Step 1 a bit. They BOTH exist simultaneously and apply to every organization adventure. You can have it function and look nice, but you have to understand which drives you the most in order for your organization to stick. If the sight of color-coordinated clothing makes you calmer – then that’s the priority. If you need to get ready quickly with little thought, then put your clothes in a drawer or hanging order of how you put them on. If you don’t want to or will never get in the habit of folding your underwear, then put them in a drawer by themselves and just toss them in! If having them folded brings you peace when you look at them, then the KonMari method will do wonders for you! It’s not realistic that I am going to take the time to fold my clothes in a perfect rectangle, but other parts of the method I do apply with success!
Step 4: Are you trying to fit 13 eggs into a dozen carton?
Go ahead, try and get that one extra egg into the dozen egg carton. The dreaded, it’s time to get rid of stuff section. Yes. Yes. I’m all for minimizing and it’s probably taken me too long to get on board, but I get it. You don’t have to dwindle down to only 30 articles of clothing – unless that’s all you have room for or you are really wanting a minimalist lifestyle. But hear me: no amount of organization is worth your time if you’re struggling to get it to fit. That’s the cue that you have to get rid of some things. Don’t even take the opportunity to see if it sparks joy – if it hasn’t been used in two years, bye. Your sanity and time are way more valuable than anything you own.
The Messy Polka Dot 