Our Top 3 Tips for Staying Organized

Tip One:

Throw trash away immediately. The idea may sound simple, as we often hear people often say things like “I’m not a hoarder,” or "I don't keep trash in my home," though there is rarely a job we come across where there isn’t some trash that gets thrown away during sorting and purging. I urge you to look around your house with what I call 'organizer eyes'. 

That piece of mail that you don’t need? It’s trash. 

That receipt from 5 months ago in your wallet? Trash. 

The tags on the pants you’re not returning. That’s trash, too! 
Identify the items for what they are and throw them away right away. It will reduce clutter and stress so fast that you will find yourself looking for trash on autopilot from here on out!

Tip Two:
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Pick up as you go. Instead of leaving a trail of items behind you as you go through your day, put them away as you use them. For example, when I do my hair,  instead of leaving the comb, blow dryer and curling iron out afterwards, I put them all away when I'm done using them. They each have a home in my bathroom, helping to keep my counters clutter free. This step is, of course, much easier if you have a home for everything, so getting organized first is a key to success. Imagine picking up as you go instead of spending entire afternoons on the weekend putting things away throughout your home, or in the evenings the day before your cleaning service comes. It is a time saver and makes household maintenance much easier in the long run.

Tip Three:
Keep like-with-like. If you organize everything in your home this way, you will be able to find what you need when you need it. This means, for example, all of your vases together, all of your spare home décor together, and all of your candles together.  

​This is especially important in your kitchen. A pantry and kitchen organized this way will save you time and money. Like-with-like makes it so you don’t over-purchase because you can see how much you have of each category. It also allows you to organize items into a space that fits the entire category together. If the category doesn’t fit in once space, it is time to pick a new space or declutter some of that category.

These three tips are easy to remember but harder to implement. It takes discipline and time initially, but once you get organized, these tips will maintain organization in your home in a simple way that will become habit. You’ll do them without even thinking. Make a sign to hang on your fridge or in your office that says Throw Trash Away Right Away, Pick up as You Go and Like with Like until you have them memorized. It’s amazing how much stress these tips eliminate and how much time and money it will save you. Begin today, and you will not regret it!

Cheers to getting and staying organized!

​Melissa Fortino