What if you could start one new habit this year that saved time, money, and even improved your mood? Would you do it? Yes? I thought so.
The habit i’m speaking about is organizing! While not the most glamorous, this practice can change your life in the best ways possible.
This two-part series will cover the benefits of organization and include some terrific tips for families at every age and stage.
Why Organize?
Save Time
Without a doubt, the time I spent organizing our house during the early days of the pandemic continues to save time. I can find things more quickly and can tell at a glance if we’re running low on an item.
“When you are organized, every item in your home has a space dedicated to it. You are no longer searching for your car keys or spending precious moments searching for your child’s sports equipment for a game,” says my friend, Lauren Saltman (owner of Seacoast’s Living Simplified).
She added, “If your home is well organized, you will have more time to do the things you want, such as spending time with your family, having time to exercise or enjoying lunch out with a friend.”
Plus, if everything has a proper place, cleaning up isn’t such an ordeal. Kids will know where the stuffies go or what to do with the art work they cherish. Kids helping more equals more time for you to do other things.
Save Money
It is an understatement to say that prices and expenses have gone up in the last year. Anything we can do to not spend needlessly helps!
“It may seem counterintuitive but spending the time to get your home organized will save you money. How many times have you been at the grocery store, and you aren’t sure if you have a key dinner ingredient in the pantry, so you buy an item only to find out that you have a full jar of it at home?”, said Saltman.
Finding items in cluttered closets and cabinets is sometimes futile. And you may also end up re-buying the items you can’t find. It can be an irritating waste of both time and money.
Improve Your Mood
I’ll admit that disorganized spaces make me somewhat cranky. I almost imagine little signs above an unopened pile of mail, or unorganized drawers and closets, “Do Something With This!” It is not at all relaxing.
A key benefit to organization is how it can help our well-being. Where disorganized spaces can be distracting or even aggravating, looking around a well-organized and de-cluttered home can help boost our mood.
There are also social benefits to organizing your home.
“When your home is organized, you won’t be embarrassed when your doorbell rings and your friend stops by unexpectedly. You will look forward to having guests over in your home, and everyone in your family will find that the home runs more efficiently,” said Saltman. No more apologizing for “what a mess” your house is.
Organization 101: Let’s Start!
Part two of this series will dive into organization tips and techniques for families at every age. Not surprisingly, organizing with toddlers at home will look different from organizing with school-age kids and teenagers!
And I honestly understand how overwhelming even considering organizing can feel. Starting small is just fine, and it’s not all or nothing. One drawer, one closet or just one shelf at a time — begin wherever it makes sense!
Even Netflix star and best-selling author Marie Kondo recently admitted that her home is messier now after having her third child. There are limited hours in the day and limited energy.
The end goal of organizing doesn’t have to be a perfect, magazine-ready home (unless that is what you want!) Spend some time thinking about what isn’t running smoothly.
And then start to change that.
