Before you can maintain your newly organized home, you have to figure out how you want it organized. The most important way to do this is by viewing your space as a blank space. If you aren’t moving into a new empty space, changing your perspective on your current space can make it seem fresh and new. Sometimes it’s OK to bring new items into your home if they maximize productivity or minimize clutter. The majority of your items will function the same as before you organized but how and where you store things (or if you decide to continue storing things) will change.
Always think about how to create systems. I remember moving from Florida to New York to attend NYU. There, I was shoved into a dorm not much bigger than my current kitchen. Thank God it was two of my dear friends from home who I had to live with. I had to think fast. Organizing with the intent of creating systems that serve your daily schedule will take the effort out of maintaining order, especially when you have to share a space with friends, loved ones or family, period. The more clear you are about what you want and need from your space, the easier it will be to sustain yourself in it.
Learning self-discipline for me came with martial arts. I got my black belt in Taekwondo at the age of 12 and was finally able to hold myself accountable before my Bar Mitzvah. Discipline is the key to keeping your life in order, with the word ORDER pertaining to various subjects, ideas and belongings. If you kick your shoes off and leave them wherever they land, your newly organized home will soon be a previously organized home. Everything you own should have a functional space to return to after use.
I had a Palm Pilot right when they came out. I must have been 17 years old, as it was 1997, and all I wanted to do was get everything in order. Phone numbers digitized, address, birthdates–anyone who knew me then knew I had that first Palm Pilot. Now we are digital. Not may people use a handwritten calendar, address book, note pad, but we all still create lists. One list that can rule most would be creating Amazon lists. Amazon offers the ability to create custom lists of products. Make a list of products you use in each room of your house and title this list by the name of the ROOM. This will allow you to store less in your home but still have what you need in an expedited way
Go digital. When I go back to Parkland, Fla., where my partner currently lives, I remember growing up as a tech enthusiast which comes from fascinations of understanding how things work. As a kid, I used to take apart all of my parents gadgets, which at that time were cassette players, VHS recorders, vacuums and pagers to understand them. I currently use a variety of DIY smart home products to control 75 percent of my livable space by voice.
Identify physical items that can be stored digitally. This will take your newly organized home (and life) to the next level of organization! A few years ago, I decided to label my minimal wine collection. I don’t drink often, but when I do a bold glass of cabernet sauvignon or a nice scotch will do the trick, and I was tired of wine expiring before I drank it. Total waste. Clearly label expiration
Dates. If your perishable goods have turned into perishable not-so-goods, there’s obviously no reason letting them clutter up your life. Knowing when products expire will allow you to stay ahead of the clutter and will also save you money. –Justin Klosky, professional organizer/organization expert and founder of The OCD Experience
