So, you’re set to organize an area — but what are some things to NOT do while you’re decluttering so you can stay focused, on task and not take forever to get it done. Here’s 4 of my best tips!
Hi, I’m Hilary — I’m the curly head here at Pulling Curls and at The Pregnancy Nurse®. As a busy mom to three AND nurse I needed my house to run itself rather than me putting a ton of effort into it. I compiled all the ways I worked to make my house easier into a course The Organized Home — so, if you’re looking to make your house easier to mange, check it out!
Ok, but what NOT to do — let’s get started!
Think Like Your Grandma
Our grandmas kept #allthethings and it’s easy to think we need to keep:
- Every school drawing
- Everything we “might” need later
- Things that hold any setimental value to us
But, we also have phones that can take photos of important things (pro tip if you upload them right to your drive so you know you’ll have them long-term).
We also have Amazon that we can order from if we get in a pinch.
Often, we’re holding onto an item that could be replaced for under $20 that we haven’t used in YEARS — and someone else could get some value out of.
It’s important to think about each item paying rent to live in your house.
Is it worth $5/month to keep the item? Then toss it.
For me I just notice when I’m turning into my mom or grandma as I look at items — and I shake my head and remind myself I’m a modern woman who values people over things. It makes it easier.
BTW, getting on a cleaning schedule was a GAME changer for me as a working mom:
Dwell Too Much
Sometimes we just take WAY too long to think if we should keep or give away an item.
I prefer the one-touch method that you pick it up, you make a choice, and you put it in a pile. BUT if one or two items is really causing you pain, put them in their own pile and I think it will be more clear as you finish the project. Just make sure that you’re not putting TOO many items in that pile, only a few.
Pro Tip: I sometimes have clothes I can’t decide on. I have a small drawer in my closet where I put those clothes. If I go some time and notice I haven’t missed them at all (or am NOT losing weight like I’d hoped to) I am much more willing to give them away at that point. It keeps from dwelling, and when that drawer is too full I have to pull it out and go through the items. By then, it’s not really hard at all.
I love that pro tip above because clothes can be REALLY overwhelming — you love an item but it’s not fitting right, or whatever. Having that “space” to decide if it’s really for you is important. I have lots of pro tips like that in here.
Not Have Bins
Sometimes I think I can just have “piles” — instead of defined bins for:
- Trash
- Give Away
- Goes in another room
When I have bins — whatever they are… Amazon boxes, laundry baskets (a personal favorite), or storage bins — it really helps. It helps me see progress rather than just moving things from one pile to another pile….
I have some collapsible laundry baskets that are one of my favorites to use in these types of situations.
Wanting a few more organizing tips — check out these posts:
- 5 Easy Ways to Get Motivated to Organize
- 4 Signs It’s Time to Organize
- 3 Things NOT to Do When Organizing
- The 4 Best Ways to Store Pots and Pans
- Playroom Organization Ideas: Toy storage hacks in small spaces
Leave the Room
One big mistake I see my teenagers do is to leave the room a lot.
They find something that goes somewhere else, so they go put it away (often checking their phone on the way — but that’s a whole other issue).
THIS is why I have a “doesn’t belong in here” basket. That way, when I’m done I can put those other items away and not waste the time (and possibly allow a lot more distraction) of going to the other location.
I really try to just stick to that room while I can. Yes, sometimes you need to grab something, but the more you stay there, focus on it — the faster you’ll be done!
I’m a HUGE fan of using timers for this (racing against myself) — join my 10 minute tidy challenge if you think timers could help you:
Get Overwhelmed
I know that feeling. You pull everything out of a drawer and suddenly you’d rather burn your house down than do anything with that pile.
I get that too — and I have one of the top-selling organization courses online. It is REALLY tough to see a pile of poor choices, putting things off, and just CRAP that you need to sort through. It can feel overwhelming. Here’s three tips for you when you get that feeling:
- That feeling is NORMAL — don’t get down on yourself
- It really is going to take less time than you think to fix this problem (especially if you use a timer)
- It’s going to feel SO good to have it done, and you won’t have to think about it again after this!
Here’s the thing: No one really loves to organize, but we LOVE having easy systems to put things away and having our house easier to manage. So, don’t think you just don’t have the “gift” — we’re all just doing it for a finished product!
I get a lot of people who say that they feel so alone in organizing their house (even if they have a husband and kids only making the problem worse). That’s why I created this to help you out and not feel so alone.
I even priced it so it’s in your budget. Join me for just a month, you can cancel at any time.
And, if you’re not sure if it’s REALLY going to be helpful — join me in my 5 Word Organization Challenge — I think you’ll get a lot of value in that free challenge too!
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