2 Big Impact/Little Effort Habits (Become More Organized Without Having to Get Rid of Anything) Part One

Is being more organized one of your resolutions this year? Now that we are over a month in, are you reaping the rewards of a more streamlined life or have you already given up because you don’t know where to begin? Is it all just too overwhelming? Don’t give up! It might help to realize that BEING organized is a habit and therefore GETTING organized requires forming new habits. It’s not something you DO and then ARE. It’s not one-and-done. You have to PRACTICE it just like any other worthwhile change. Change is hard but YOU CAN DO IT! I want to help you on your journey by suggesting 2 big impact, little effort habits to work into your lifestyle before you tackle the hard stuff (I’m looking at you, “sentimental boxes”). 

These simple habits to be more organized don’t involve getting rid of anything, per se. They take practice but you can start small. Don’t get discouraged by thinking it’s all or nothing. As these habits become a normal part of your life, it will be easier to move to decluttering because you will already see some benefits of living with less. Where to start? I always ask my clients: what will have the biggest impact on you right now? What will lift the biggest burden from you today? What do you feel like working on at this point? Start there. WARNING: these tips aren’t ground-breaking! They are simple. They take practice. They work.

Habit #1: Use what you have (and don’t over-stock consumables or redundant items!)

This one is huge! How much space are you sacrificing in your house to keep unnecessary back stock or redundant duplicates? This obviously goes without saying, but I am not talking about (true) emergency supplies or medical items. I’m talking about surplus food, beauty products, paper goods, soaps, detergent, cleaning supplies, even art and crafts and office supplies. Not to mention non-consumables like clothing, toys, games, books, and so on.

Some questions to ask yourself before buying and strategies to reduce the inflow:

-How many of these do I already have? 

Tip: Keep a running list on your phone so you know what you need and don’t overbuy “just in case”. This is true for groceries and consumables as well as other things like clothing. 

-How many of these will I use up before my next shopping trip? 

Tip: Think about how long something will last when determining how many backups are right for you. Are you really going to use 5 jars of allspice before you can buy more?

-What is the shelf life of this item?

Tip: Think about how long an item can sit in storage before stocking up. Even it is on sale, it doesn’t make sense to buy stuff that will go bad before you use it.

-Do I have room to store this?

Tip: Buying in bulk can result in a lot of, well, bulk. If cramming your cupboards with extras makes it too difficult to get to the things you need on a regular basis or if keeping overflow product out of sight results in forgetting you have it, think about whether you can hold off on purchasing more at this time. Is your bookshelf already piled high or your closet so jammed you couldn’t possibly hang up another t-shirt? Try reading through the “to read” pile before buying more books. Again, keep a list on your phone so you remember you wanted it when you need another book to read!

-Do I already have something that serves the same purpose?

A lot of pantry items can easily be swapped or quickly made from scratch. Sugar blended on high for a few minutes quickly becomes powdered sugar. Likewise, mix in some molasses and you have brown sugar. Spice blends can be mixed real-time and save a lot of precious pantry space. A simple collection of cleaning supplies is usually enough to keep the house sparkling. While everyone’s opinion on personal style may differ, you can only wear so many items! Side note: the laundry pile is a reflection of how many clothes you’ve worn, not of how many you have. You don’t do more laundry if you have fewer clothes. 

-Do I even use the similar one I already have?

From piles of books you haven’t had time to read, to scrap books yet to be assembled, to clothing with tags still on them, people often already have much of what they re-buy without even realizing it. This is great if you are getting value from these things, but if you don’t have the time to use them, you certainly don’t have the time, or probably the space either, to use more of them. 

-Unsubscribe. 

Remove your email from marketing lists so you aren’t tempted by new items and sales. Sales, by the way, will happen again. 

-Stop scrolling. 

Or at least scroll more strategically. Instead of perusing websites or social media, focus efforts on finding creative new ways to use the things you have. Pinterest is a great resource. You can search for recipes using ingredients you have on hand, or new outfits using the clothes you already own. Follow social media accounts of people who are creative instead of those who are always pitching the newest latest and greatest. Work on changing your perspective from “I need that exact thing” to “Let’s see if I can get creative and make that with what I have”. 

-Borrow.

If you find yourself “needing” something, be creative with what you have or borrow from a friend or neighbor. I love this especially for one-off kitchen appliances or tools you only use a few times a year, but it could be anything: specialty clothing like snow or formal dress, sports gear, camping equipment, baby gear, and so on. Chances are your friend doesn’t use it often either and will be more than happy for it to get some use.

-Wait 24 hours.

Don’t impulsively click “buy now”. Wait 24 hours and see if you even remember you wanted it the next day. Remember there will be another sale down the road. 

-Find a “better” use of your time. 

I totally get it. Days are long! We live busy lives and just want to veg out at the end of the day. If your downtime leads to needing to work more overtime to cover all your impulse purchases, maybe you could pick up a book instead or call a friend for a chat. If you pop into the shops to kill an hour between school drop off and your meeting, keep that book in your car or go for a quick walk instead. Chances are you will feel better too. 

HHF Perk: Make this practice a habit and get used to using what you have (who doesn’t love finishing a product, doing a thorough pantry/fridge clean out, getting a compliment on that sweater you have owned since high school!? So satisfying!) and find your cupboards, closets, garage, drawers, cabinets, and shelves naturally becoming less of a mess. Not to mention less waste, more savings, and fresher supplies! You’ll also find you have a lot of free time on your hands to do the things you really want to do. Maybe read those books or finish those crafts. 

Don’t underestimate the bandwidth bringing new items into your home requires. You won’t have to deal with the packaging waste. You won’t have to find somewhere to keep the thing. You won’t have to spend time caring for the thing. You won’t even have worry about what to do with the thing when you don’t want it anymore. 

As a side note: returning things isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Firstly, it’s another time-suck and secondly, a large portion of returned items just get thrown away (that’s after packaging it all up again and shipping it somewhere. What a waste!).