How to organize: 3 important steps
It’s a chilly Tuesday morning here in North Carolina, and I’m sitting at my kitchen table drinking my favorite coffee (Jazzy Java from Twin Valley Coffee in Elverson, PA — do yourself a favor and order some). We had a relaxing, quiet weekend at home which was a nice change of pace (hello, wedding season). Saturday night we watched the Penn State football game while we ate takeout from Anna's Pizzeria in downtown Apex (great food if you're local, btw). Unfortunately, PSU broke their winning streak. But, the pizza & fries were delicious, and truthfully the food and drinks you typically eat when watching a sporting event are usually what make it the most entertaining for me 🤫
I did a little bit of downsizing in my closet, but I think this part is going to take a little longer than it typically does. I'm finding that I'd like to transition my closet to less options, more luxury. You get what I mean? Less trends, more timeless cashmere. I told my husband that I want to slowly build up my “fine jewelry collection," and I couldn't tell if his facial expression was fear or he doesn't know what fine jewelry even means. God bless him.
Anyway, I thought I'd share 3 things I always do when beginning the organizing process. Just 3 things to consider if you've been downsizing & decluttering with me (if you’re feeling out of the loop, check out my previous blog post). I follow these steps when I'm organizing any area in my home. I find it helps set up my space to work for me, not against me.
1. Take stock of what you have
Before you shimmey your butt on over to Target fully inspired to swipe away your credit card on all the expensive storage bins, take a look at what you have, IF you really need to purchase any storage (do you already own something that could work?), and where you plan on putting it (so you don't get storage that actually doesn't fit). I promise you that taking stock and coming up with a general game plan will save you time in the long run.
2. Clean it out
This is oddly my favorite part. I always dust, wipe down and vacuum before I put anything back. A good wipe down of the space just makes it feel better. Why put all the things you decided were important enough to keep back on a dusty shelf?
3. Imagine the flow + make it accessible
How do you want to move through this space? How can it be set up for efficiency and functionality? First I find a home for the things I use most. We all usually do this in some way whether we realize it or not. You might have a coat rack near your front door, because that's when you need your coat, when you're about to leave your house. If you want to do yoga every morning, then the yoga mat needs to be easy to grab and put away when you're finished. Another example would be storing your dishes and silverware near your dishwasher/kitchen sink so that's it's easier to quickly put them away. These are small, simple tricks, but all these little efforts can have a big payoff.
Whether you do these things or not, just a friendly reminder from me that organization does not have to equal perfection. At least it doesn't in my house. It's just about only owning what you use and love, making them easy to access, and keeping them maintained 💕
