Organizing comes naturally to other people. Bur for most, it has to be learned. Here are five habits you can learn from people who are naturally organized.
Three years ago, I was a very disorganized individual. My house was always cluttered. But I contented myself with the thought that the clutter is because I have 3 kids in the house. Who can maintain a clean and tidy house with 3 kids, right?
But obviously, it was just an excuse on my part. And I realized this the moment it dawned on me that my kids have grown, they are no longer toddlers and so I cannot blame the clutter on them anymore.
So from that day forward, I decided to tackle the clutter in my home and started organizing.
This realization and action led me toward the practice of minimalism.
Admittedly, I still have a lot to learn but I am happy with the progress that I have made. My house is a little neater and nicer to look at since I made the decision of becoming a minimalist.
Here are some of the habits of organized people that I have adopted in my organizing journey.
Declutter
The one thing that will make organizing easier is if there are fewer things to organize. So practice the habit of decluttering your house regularly.
If you cannot declutter daily, you can schedule at least a few minutes during the weekend to check each room for things that need to go. Either get donated or thrown in the garbage.
A house free of clutter will allow you to have an easier time cleaning and tidying up.
Have a designated place for each item
In addition to having an easier time cleaning and tidying, a home free of clutter will also allow you to designate a place for each item in your home.
As my teacher in grade school used to say, a place for everything and everything in its place. This allows you to be able to locate an item easily and they don’t get cluttered somewhere they don’t belong.
An item that does not have a home will become clutter. It will attract other homeless items to pile up making your once clean and tidy home become a mess.
So to counter this, you should also develop the habit of having a place for each item you own.
For example, a hook where you can hang your frying pan. A separate hook for your spatula. A designated space in your kitchen cabinet for your slow cooker, and so on.
Put things back in their proper place
Another habit you should learn from highly organized people is to always return items to their proper place.
That is, with each item that you use, put it back in its proper place once done. Do not make the mistake of leaving it where it does not belong because the tendency is that you will forget you placed it there. Next thing you know, items will start piling up, creating clutter.
Others refer to this practice as the “one-touch policy.” That is, only touching an item once and returning it to its proper place immediately after use. Rather than temporarily putting it somewhere and then going back to it later.
Again, you may forget to return to it until it has been moved several times, consuming additional time and effort.
This practice should also be used for new items that enter your house. Once you receive new items or packages, set out to put them in their proper homes or create a place for them immediately.
Keep surfaces clear of items
Keep your tabletop or surface areas free from clutter.
Flat surfaces are very appealing areas to “temporarily” place things, and once an item is placed there, expect it to multiply quickly. Cluttering up your tabletop or flat surface
Therefore, exert effort to always clear flat surfaces free from any item. This will allow your home to stay neat and tidy to look at.
Having a neat and uncluttered surface will allow you to breathe easier and become more at peace and at ease in your home.
Being mindful of what enters your home
Practice the habit of being mindful of what enters your home.
Once you have decluttered and made a home for each item in your house, it will also be wise to guard your home from what enters it.
Keep in mind that each new item you introduce to your home will mean time and effort in cleaning and maintaining said item.
So before you purchase a new item, ask yourself if you really need it. Check if there is a designated place for it. And if keeping the item in your home will be worth the effort.
Conclusion
Once you’ve made the decision to become more organized, keep in mind that there are certain habits that organized people have that you can emulate in order to become more organized yourself.
These 5 habits are:
- Decluttering,
- Designating a home for each item you own,
- Putting things back to their place immediately,
- Keeping flat surfaces clean and clear of items, and
- Be mindful of what enters your home.
Although these habits are simple, it will take a lot of practice before it becomes second nature. But once you get the hang of it, these simple habits will certainly make your home more organized and easy to maintain.
Please share your thoughts or ideas about 5 Organizing Habits You Can Learn From Organized People in the comments below. And if you liked this article, you might be interested as well in these articles:
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