Congrats! You have now organized your space and checked that off of your to-do list. But now how do you maintain it so it doesn’t revert back to its previous state? Our mission here at Nice & Neat Homes is to help our clients transform their spaces into clutter-free, functional havens, with useful organizational products, but it’s also important that the solutions are manageable for the long-term. That stress-free feeling you currently have is something we want you to continue feeling, so here are three tips to help you maintain the order and harmony in your newly organized space.
1. CULTIVATE DAILY ORGANIZING HABITS
Establishing daily organizing habits is crucial for maintaining your organized space. We find making a habit to immediately return items to their designated places after use is so helpful in keeping your space nice and neat! Resist the urge to leave things out “just for now,” as it can quickly lead to clutter buildup. Now that you have labels on your bins & baskets and other organizational products, a system is in place for you and everyone in the home to know where things go. If you haven’t labeled everything yet, make sure to get on it as soon as possible! We have great labels for any project you need to tackle available here. Check out our favorite labeling supplies and organizational products here.
If that isn’t always feasible for your lifestyle, another option is implementing a 5-minute nightly reset! At the end of each day, dedicate a quick five minutes to tidy up your space to help you stay on top of messes. In the five minutes, put away items, straighten surfaces, and restore order to ensure a fresh start the following day.
2. SCHEDULE REGULAR DECLUTTERING SESSIONS
Clutter is the enemy to organization. We recommend setting aside dedicated time each week or month to declutter and eliminate any unnecessary items, or do it as you go. Our favorite tip is the “one in, one out rule.” Every time you purchase something new and are putting it away, take something out! Whether it be a clothing item or a new bag of chips. Regular decluttering prevents accumulation and keeps your space tidy. Make sure to utilize and go through the organizational products we put in place for you!
If you are feeling overwhelmed, remember to focus on one area at a time. We have put together a breakdown cheat sheet for decluttering by space. If you’re struggling to decide whether you should keep an item, ask whether you’ve used this item in the past year or if you plan to use in the upcoming months. If you have not, could you repurchase for $20 or less? If the answer is yes, then it’s best to donate, sell, or discard the item. The stress of hanging onto an item is not worth the emotional toll in the long run!
3. PRACTICE MINDFUL CONSUMPTION
Last but not least, it’s essential to cultivate mindful consumption habits so clutter build up doesn’t happen again. Before making a purchase, evaluate its necessity and whether it aligns with your needs and lifestyle. Avoid impulsive buying and focus on acquiring items that add value to your life. Be intentional about what enters your space, as each new item brings the potential for clutter! Be sure you have a place for your item in your new home organization products that we’ve put into place.
An easy method to avoid impulsive online purchases is to add to your cart but wait a few days to check out. You may have forgotten all about the items and realize you didn’t actually need them! Don’t be sucked into bulk purchasing if you don’t have the space or need for that quantity. Remember, “buy for the house you have, not the house you want.”
Maintaining an organized space is an ongoing process that requires commitment and consistency. Our homes are being lived in and the goal is not perfection, but creating systems with organizational products that work for our daily routines and lifestyle. By cultivating daily organizing habits, regularly decluttering, and practicing mindful consumption, you can sustain the benefits of an organized space long after Nice & Neat Homes has left. We hope these tips and the featured organizational products can help you enjoy the tranquility and productivity that come with a clutter-free environment.