Is decluttering or organizing your home on your list of resolutions year after year? Are you ready to get it done it once and for all? For this post I'm going to skip over the how to's of decluttering and organizing and go straight to what happens after. Because let's be honest - if we don't make lasting changes to maintain the space we will be right back where we started.
Ok, so imagine you have this fresh, decluttered and tidy space...how do you maintain it long term? Check out the tips below:
Everything in it's place (the nightly sweep) - Put items back where they belong after use and do a quick 15-20 minute sweep of your home every evening to make sure everything is put away and tidy.
Get everyone on board - This is a great opportunity to set some rules to ensure everyone in your home is on board with maintaining it. I'll admit, this can be difficult so lead by example, communicate, make things easy by keeping designated places for things such as mail, shoes, coats, toy baskets, etc. and maybe even make a game out of it.
Scheduled maintenance - You can do this with so many areas but I'm going to use paper as a starting point because I've heard this is a major pain from previous clients. Of course, going paperless as much as possible is key. Second, schedule scanning and shredding time. It could be weekly, bi-monthly or monthly depending on what works best for you. Scheduling something on your calendar (yes - really put it on there) makes it automatic without delay and prevents piles from stacking up.
Habits - Change your consumption habits and be mindful of what you bring into your home. Give yourself time to ponder before you purchase to avoid random impulse buys. Go with a list of what you really need and if you do buy something new, get rid of one or more items. Resist the freebie and/or good deal unless you absolutely love and need it - you usually don't.
Pass on it or pass it on - Kindly decline items that are not useful to you. If you do receive a gift that is not useful to you, pass it on to someone who could use it or donate it.
Consistency and commitment - Be consistent with all the items listed and the scheduled items on your calendar. Commit to these small steps to maintain your space and free up your time and energy for other things in life!
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