Simplify Your Life | Practical Organization Tips!

Discover ways to simplify your life with our ultimate organization plan. Easy tips and tricks that’ll make your life simpler!

The key to getting and staying organized is to have a dedicated space for everything. This does not mean everything has to be tucked away, out of sight. Keep what you like, where you like it. The point is to always return the things to their dedicated spaces.

Simple Steps for a Clutter-Free Life

Organizing anything can feel like a monumental task, especially if you have a bunch of clutter in the way. Whether it’s your home, workspace, digital files, or even your time, getting organized leads to a clearer mind and more efficient daily life.

The key is to break the task down into manageable steps and approach it with a strategy. I’ll walk you through how to organize anything step-by-step that can be applied to any area of your life.

Assess the Situation

Before diving into organizing, take a step back and assess the area you’re about to tackle. Ask yourself:

• What is currently unorganized or disorganized?
• What do I need to keep, and what can I let go of?
• How do I want this space or item to function for me?

This process helps create a roadmap for what needs to be done. Whether you’re decluttering a room or organizing files on your computer, having a clear vision of the end result may motivate you to get started. Plus if you don’t have a roadmap or a plan how will you know when you get there?

Declutter before Implementing Any Organization Plan

Organizing starts with decluttering. If you try to organize without clearing out unnecessary items first, you’ll just end up rearranging clutter. Here are the steps to take…

• Purge
• Be ruthless! If something doesn’t serve a purpose it’s time to let it go. Get three heavy-duty trash bags and label them Toss, Donate, and Sell. Pick up each item and place it in one of the bags.
• Minimize
• The less you have to organize, the easier it will be. Plus it is far easier to keep a space clean the fewer objects you have.
• Sort
• Start sorting your remaining items. Bring the different categories of sorted things into the room they belong, such as the kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom.

Categorizing Everything is the first step in Your Organization Plan.

You have now decluttered your space and carried everything to its proper room, Now it’s time to sort everything into categories. For example:

• In your closet, categorize clothing by type (shirts, pants, shoes).
• In your office, sort documents into categories such as finances, personal, and work.
• In the kitchen sort cookware, dishes, glassware, etc, and all the other items of kitchen things.
• For digital files, group them into folders based on their purpose, like photos, work documents, or personal projects.

By grouping similar items together, you make it easier to locate things and maintain organization over time.

Creating a Storage System is Part of the Organization Plan

Now that everything is categorized, it’s time to assign a dedicated storage space for each category. This is a critical part of staying organized.

I wrote an entire post on creating storage systems.

• Use storage containers, bins, or drawer dividers to keep things separate and neat.
• Make sure frequently used items are easy to access.
• Label boxes, folders, and bins so you can quickly identify their contents.

For digital organizing, create a folder structure that makes sense for you. For instance, have a main folder for “Work,” with subfolders for different projects, and make use of cloud storage to back everything up.

Something as simple as a dedicated storage space for your kitchen spices will help a lot!

Help yourself to 3 sheets of spice labels I made! See what a difference organized spices make in your meal prep!

Check this out for more Kitchen Cabinet and Drawer Organization Tips!

Implement a Maintenance Routine

Staying organized is an ongoing process. Make it part of your daily routine to tidy up and put things back in their designated spots.

• Spend a few minutes at the end of each day cleaning up your workspace, house, or digital space.
• Make it a habit to check and make sure clutter isn’t starting to build in any area.
• For digital organizing, go through your files once a month and delete any unnecessary files, emails, or apps.

Clutter is insidious and can innocently start as a few books here, a pair of boots there with some keys, scarves, and papers mixed in. By clearing this up weekly you will not allow clutter to build.

By making organization a habit, you can prevent ever having to do a major decluttering again. This for me is all the motivating factor I need to stay organized!

Personalize Your Organization System

Everyone’s organizational needs are different, so build your system in a way that makes sense to you! While color coding may work well for some, others will have a better system for their needs.

• If you’re a visual person, use color-coded systems for easy identification.
• If you have limited space, consider multi-purpose storage solutions, such as under-bed bins, vertical shelving, or multi-function furniture with storage. Be creative! Organizing does not have to be expensive. You probably have things at home already that will help.
• For digital organization, choose tools and apps that fit your workflow, whether it’s a file management app like Google Drive or one of several task management systems. Notion offers a good free service.

Evaluate Your Organization Plan and Adjust as Needed

As your life changes, your organizational needs will, too. Make a point to evaluate your system regularly and tweak when necessary.

• If something isn’t working (like items still getting lost or clutter building up), change the system!
• Don’t be afraid to try new methods. Organization is not one-size-fits-all, and it’s important to find what works best for you.

Organizing Anything Is About Consistency

You can have the sassiest, trendiest organization systems, but they will not help you much if you don’t return the items to their proper place each time.

The secret to organizing anything is not perfection—it’s consistency. Be aware of your habits, and know that getting organized is a process, not a one-time event.

I am currently setting up an all-inclusive business organization system and adding to it daily. The concept is brilliant!

My friend Lindsay Kelly of Organize Your Online Biz got me started. This simple system, called my Second Brain, is saving me tons of time!

By taking small steps and making organizing a part of your routine, you’ll not only enjoy a clutter-free space but also reduce mental clutter and stress.

So, whether you’re organizing a kitchen drawer or your entire home follow these steps, and you’ll be well on your way to a more organized, peaceful life.

Happy organizing!