10 Steps To Creating a New Home Organization System

What is the secret to having an organized home? Systems!

The key to creating and maintaining organization whether it is at home or work is having systems in place. The systems have to work for you, not your neighbors, relatives or friends. 

Here are 10 tips to get started:

1. Have systems in place and a home for everything.

It’s ok if you have a busy week and the office or house gets a little messy. If you have systems in place, it will take you half the time to straighten because you know where everything belongs.

2. Keep like items together in one spot.

Don’t have items scattered all over your home. When you go to search for something, you will find it in no time. No time will be wasted trying to remember where things are located.

3. Have a filing system for your bills and important papers.

Have a system to process paper and mail. Handle it right away.  It is easier to spend five minutes with it initially than to spend hours on it months later.

4. Have drawer organizers in all your drawers.

Who says you can’t have a junk drawer? Junk drawers can be organized.   Having drawer dividers will maximize your space and create more room for other items. 

5. Get rid of clutter.

When there is clutter, items get lost, you forget what you have and you end up buying duplicate items and wasting time and money. Having systems in place will eliminate the headache of trying to find items in the clutter.

6. Go through your clothes closets every season.

Make a plan twice a year to take everything out of your closets.   Every item in your closet should have a home.

7. Prepare for the week ahead.

Every Sunday have a system to prepare your meals for the week. Get your outfits ironed and ready for the week.

8. Keep a running to-do list.

You will feel a sense of accomplishment as you check items off the list.

9. If you have children get them involved in organizing.

It’s never too early to teach your children about getting organized. Let them participate in the process and set up the systems with you in their bedroom and/or toy rooms.

10. Less is more.

Keep it simple. Enough said.

Set aside time to get your home organized.  Start by organizing one room at a time.  If you tend to get overwhelmed easy, start with a plan to do one drawer and ease into the organization process.

You will have more free time, less stress, save money, have more energy and people will have more confidence in you when you become organized.  Organize! Energize!

Kristin Carcieri-MacRae is the founder and owner of Organizing in RI. On January 19 she will be at Greenville Library, and January 22 she will be hosting a Girl’s Night Out at Village at Waterman Lake. More details on the Events page at www.organizinginri.com or on Facebook Organizing In RI.