The Simple Ways To Declutter & Organize Your Life

People constantly complain today they have no time. If you don’t have time to do the things you want to do this has nothing to do with you not having time because we all have the same 24 hours in a day. Not having enough time means you may have a scheduling issue. 

Time

An example of this is I may watch an hour of something on the screen at the tail end of my day. It is a rare day when I spend my time engrossed in media content. 

I get we all have to earn money and this can take a big chunk of time. We also have to sleep. If we work 10 hours a day and sleep 8 hours this leaves us with 6 hours! I don’t know about you, but I can a lot done in 6 hours!

My example is simplistic. There are a bazillion legitimate reasons we can’t spend the day at the beach every time we want.

The point I am trying to make is we waste time and if we are honest, we know we waste time. Falling down rabbit holes on social media is familiar to us all, including me. One day I made an inventory of my time and saw where I was wasting my time.

You can track your time on Clockify.

I make time every single day to do something I love to do, even if only a short time. If I have to take a little time away from sleep, I am happy to do so.

Get Organized

If you want to use your time more efficiently get organized! It is the only way. The first step is to get rid of all the excess stuff that surrounds you. There is no way around avoiding the decluttering process. Any professional organizer will tell you the same thing.

Quick story…people call in a professional for decorating advice. Do you know what the first thing the pros do? They remove most of the stuff if not all from the area because there is too much clutter. Small spaces now look larger. The number of items returned to the space is a fraction of what was there

The simple fact is the amount of stuff you have is directly commensurate with the amount of time you will spend maintaining your life. This was the number one reason I chose, 150 years ago, to just surround myself with the basics.

Start Small with Daily Decluttering

The key to maintaining an organized space is to do a little bit one step at a time. Set aside a few minutes each day to tackle a specific area, whether it’s a countertop, desk, or even a small drawer. You will see big gains in time by taking small steps.

By consistently addressing clutter on a daily basis, you prevent it from accumulating and overwhelming your living space. This makes home maintenance much easier.

The Junk Drawer

Junk drawers are a great place to practice decluttering! The ubiquitous junk drawer is such an easy decluttering task. Almost every home has one—a junk drawer filled with random items from spare keys to receipts, and everything in between. 

The first step is to dump out the contents of the drawer. Put a towel down and empty the contents of the junk drawer onto the towel if you expect a bunch of dust and stuff to tumble out. Grab a trash container and start tossing. Don’t overthink this.

The elastics you want to save will probably be disintegrated by the time you need them. Toss them. Put back the stuff you save in an orderly fashion.

Toss and Organize

After you have tossed the things you won’t use, transform this chaos into order by categorizing similar items and using drawer dividers and small containers.

Designate specific sections for pens, batteries, and other necessities. A well-organized junk drawer ensures that you can find what you need quickly without the frustration of digging through a mess. You may have to rename this drawer!

I no longer have a junk drawer. I have a separate place for batteries and other things commonly found in junk drawers. Sometimes some junk may end up in the kitchen utensil drawer, not for long though, because I recognize this for what it is and take care of it.

I try to stick to the 2 minute rule – if I can do it in 2 minutes, I get it done immediately.

Living Minimally

Minimalism does not mean you have to live in an empty house. Living minimally can simply mean you live in a well-organized home. Now I doubt the minimalist gurus would agree with me and this is okay.

We live in a world filled with an excess of everything and landfills are overflowing. In my area we have been told discarding old clothing in our landfill is no longer allowed. Where are we supposed to put all this stuff?

Embracing minimalism can be a powerful tool for decluttering. My decluttering begins at the point of purchase. I think about the things I may want and won’t buy unless the pros of purchasing outweigh the cons. The cons may be related to how often will I use this thing, or where will I store it. Will it last or how will I discard it if it does not last?

Collections

I visit friends with valuable collections of this and that, shown in a perfectly wonderful manner and yet I prefer the uncluttered look of space. We all have to decide what we like best and live accordingly. Another reason I dislike looking at a large number of items is that I find it very distracting. 

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Letting go of unnecessary items creates more physical space and easy access to daily-use items. This reduces the time spent on cleaning and organizing and allows you to spend your precious time doing the things you love to do. Finding things quicker when needed is a lot less frustrating too!

Establish Organizing Systems

Organize like with like. A well-thought-out organizing system is essential to maintaining a decluttered home. You can organize your entire home, one room at a time.

Grouping similar items is a key to an organized home. Whether it’s clothes in your closet, kitchen utensils, or bathroom products, having a designated place for similar items streamlines your daily routine. 

Consider using storage solutions for household items. Today we have stores filled with a variety of storage solutions! There are the pricier cool clear containers that work well in the bathroom. There are storage solutions for all your home organization needs.

Kitchen

Because the Kitchen is usually the hub of the home lots of stuff gets left in this room. The kitchen seems to be a magnet for duplicate things. I did a little kitchen renovation during Covid.

Because I spent a fair amount of money on the countertop, there is no way I would ever clutter the surface of it. I want to see my counter because I love my kitchen countertop and smile whenever I see it! 

Exceptions

I understand I am the exception and happy, busy families leave appliances on the counter to make their lives easier. I cannot stress enough – this is your personal choice. Do what makes you happy!

Looking around the kitchen you will see that the kitchen contains a large number of items. Luckily our kitchens usually include storage solutions like kitchen cabinets and drawers, drawer organizers, and often storage bins. 

By the way what is up with water bottles? Why do we need so many water bottles? Is it because we upgrade to better water bottles? If so why not toss the water bottles you don’t use?

Living Room 

I have a small den that contains a large hanging tv which frees up floor space. The other contents are a couch, 2 dog crates, and my aunt’s old wood cargo container, which she was sending to the landfill. There is also a slender pantry tucked in a corner. That is it. 

There is a floor lamp and a small lamp for task lighting which I keep on the couch. A cool wood armrest, that I made, for one side of my couch eliminates the need for an end table. 

There is not a designated dining room in my home because I would never use this room. I dedicate a room as a fiber studio and use this room almost daily. I don’t need a room for an office because my laptop fits anywhere. Live the way you want to live.

Bathroom

The best way to ensure a clean bathroom is to make the space easy to clean. A lot of time there is a bunch of bathroom stuff cluttering the surfaces in your bath or the desk in your home office. You are much less likely to clean it because you have to start moving stuff around.

I leave a clear bottle of clear hand soap only on top of my bathroom sink top. There is nothing else in sight. It takes me less than a minute each day to keep bathroom immaculate.

Sentimental Items

Sentimental items often pose a unique challenge when decluttering. Decluttering sentimental stuff strikes a lot of chords in people. People handle this subject very differently. It is important to strike a balance between preserving memories and maintaining a happy organized living space.

Maximizing Your Home’s Storage Potential

We spoke of organizational systems. Our homes usually have other organizational areas such as a basement or garage. There are practical solutions to apply in these areas as well.

Utilize vertical space with shelves or wall-mounted organizers to free up floor space. Storage ottomans and multipurpose furniture can also contribute to a clutter-free and well-organized home.

Changing a couple of habits and adding some simple tips into your daily life can lead to a more organized and efficient living space.

By tackling clutter daily you’ll find yourself with more time to spend doing the things you love to do and a greater sense of peace within your home.

Happy organizing!

Marj Bates is a life long ridiculously organized declutter-er and artist. Less is more are words Marj lives by in everything she does except collecting dogs. “Dogs are like potato chips! Can’t have just one.” says Marj. Marj wonders if growing up with a fanatically clean Jewish mom means her decluttering and organizational skills are in her blood.

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