Few tasks can seem more immediately daunting than trying to plan out how you’re going to organize your home.
On the surface it sounds pretty good, right? Get some storage bins or new shelves to keep stuff on, toss out whatever you don’t like anymore, and suddenly voila, your house is cleaner than it’s been since you moved in!
But...how the heck do you get started on something like that?
Trying to begin any house cleaning or organization project can be a daunting task if you’re not prepared, and getting prepared can be easier than you think. The next time you want to start a home organization project big or small, follow these handy tips and get off to a much better start!
Don’t waste too much time thinking about it: This might sound like it flies in the face of everything we just said, but bear with us a second. A lot of people get too hung up on the details before they start and find themselves paralyzed—they get torn between three kinds of cleaning supplies, they start weighing their options for clothing donations, and so on. In a lot of these cases you should just go with your gut; by buying the supplies you need and mapping out a course of action, you can get started much more quickly than if you get stuck on the little things.
Solve one problem to start: By getting one thing done, suddenly everything else will feel much easier to finish. Start off by zeroing in on one specific, solvable problem and get it done at the outset. Clear off one counter, clean out one cabinet, clear off one shelf, empty out one dresser drawer, or just start with the first things you see in the morning and you just might surprise yourself at how much more manageable the rest of your tasks become.
Pace yourself: Try to avoid the temptation to get everything done at once in some fevered rush. A lot of decluttering/organization projects start life as a sudden burst of enthusiasm for cleaning up your living room, but pacing yourself and doing the work that needs to be done as opposed to whatever blips across your mind is going to be much more productive in the long run. As in many cases, slow and steady wins the proverbial race.
Find a schedule that works for you: What might help more than anything else is the idea of attacking your clutter bit by bit. Some people want to do it all at once, some people work better if they set aside a little time every night, and there’s no wrong answer—just find one that works with your schedule (and stress level)!
Don’t stress: For certain personality types it might be too late to suggest this, but when trying to declutter, just remember not to be too hard on yourself. Stick with it and the work will get done soon enough, you don’t need to force yourself to work harder than is necessary or let it take up too much of your waking hours.
What about your last cleaning project—how did you get started? Where did you decide to begin? Let us know in the comments!