It’s spring, that time of year when we focus on spring cleaning. Before you do that, though, do some organizing.
This topic is top of mind for two reasons.
First, I’m personally going through the process of organizing. I’ve been trying to purge and generally organize since last quarter and keep that up throughout the year. It takes time, though. This time of year is a good time to look at clothes as I’m switching out wardrobes for the seasons and a great time to think about toys since it’s been a few months since our boys got a round of gifts for their birthdays and holidays.
Being organized is also a topic that came up in countless interviews that I did for my books. Let’s talk why this is important and why it came up in
Why organize or declutter?
Need some motivation to get started on organizing and
Second, you can save money. Can’t find that sweater you wanted to wear for the presentation you’re doing next week? Time to get a new one. Your kids can’t seem to figure out where their water bottle went? Oh well, grab another one at the store – again! You won’t lose bills and pay late (yes, some people get hard copies of bills). No need to get duplicates of items you already have.
Third, it’s distracting, especially if you work from home. Some moms can tune out the clutter and stuff everywhere. I’m not one of those moms and I don’t know many either. If stuff is everywhere, especially in the places I’m usually walking past, I will get distracted, especially if I’m working on something I’m not-so-excited about. If things are in their usual spots, I don’t have to think about putting them away. They’re not a distraction.
And finally, it’s not based on a professional opinion that I found during my research, but it seems like organizing helps increase satisfaction. Don’t you feel satisfied when you’ve done some organizing and/or purged? I certainly do!
Different places to find information on organizing and decluttering
There are a lot of resources for getting your organizing adventures started and keeping things that way. There are books (check out Marie Kondo’s). If you want more of a summary on her book, take a look at this segment from the Today show. There are loads of magazine articles, especially in the spring – I feel like Real Simple in particular has articles all the time on getting organized. There are even websites dedicated to getting and staying organized. We will be having a special guest post from one of those organizational gurus, so keep an eye out for that coming up. I’ve posted a few checklists on the Mompowerment Pinterest page to try to give you some easy resources on different rooms in your house.
What will you do with all the stuff when you’re done?
All of the articles and approaches seem to be slightly different. The consistent message in almost everything I’ve read or every podcast I’ve listened to says to make sure you know where things go after they leave your possession. After all, organizing isn’t only about putting things into their place. Some things simply need a new home away from yours.
- Ask friends or neighbors if they want/need anything you’re removing
- Take items to the non-profit(s) of your choice
- Sell them on one of the kajillion websites out there, maybe even one that specialize in what you’re trying to get rid of (e.g., kids’ clothes, designer clothing, etc.)
- Make sure to not let the stuff pile up that you’re trying to remove. (That seems to be my challenge – getting the stuff out the door.)
I don’t usually give advice on getting organized because it’s something I struggle with, but I will share what has started working working mom with two young children:
- I read in Gretchen Rubin’s The Happiness Project that you should put things away that will take a minute or less to do, so we do that. Everyone in the family does it with shoes, jackets, backpacks, etc. Even with toys before we leave the house. It saves times (and hopefully tears) later.
- Find a place for everything. If it doesn’t have a place, figure out if you actually need it and then find it a logical home. Always put it back in that place. The trick is to be consistent.
- Organize in small increments of time. With two active young boys and two businesses to run, I don’t have a whole weekend or solid days, in general, to dedicate to getting organized. I try to do a bit each day. Have a goal, though, whether it’s a room, a type of clutter, or whatever (e.g., clean off X type of clutter on your desk for 30 minutes).
- Put hard copies of bills and anything important you must hang on to temporarily in designated spots (e.g., event tickets, invitations to events, etc.). If you have everything you need on your calendar, take a picture and toss them.
- Throw stuff away or recycle circulars, junk mail, etc. immediately. It adds up quickly and it sucks to go through bunches of mail at once.
- Stay on top of your wardrobe. Get rid of things that have holes, stains, don’t fit. No need to keep things around that you don’t want/can’t use. Period.
- If you can only organize and declutter every once in a while, set a schedule (e.g., once a month). It can quickly overwhelm you if you let it go too long.
- And most importantly, figure out what works for you, regardless of what a book, article, or friend says. Not all approaches, whether for purging or keeping things organized, work for everyone and that is OK. Like so much related to work-life balance, focus on your needs and that of your family.
It’s Friday and no one wants to organize or declutter, but it’s worth it. Take 20-30 minutes and let your significant other watch the kids for a short while, preferably outside or at least away from what you’re specifically working on. Get your short organizing project done, and feel some s-a-t-i-s-f-a-c-t-i-o-n as your weekend starts.
Have some tips or an approach to spring cleaning and organizing that has really worked for you? Is there something specifically you struggle with when it comes to organizing? I’d love for you to share in the comments.
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