Getting organized isn’t always easy. After weeks of letting things pile up in a corner, it’s usually a huge mental hurdle to even consider making it look nice and tidy again. While there are some occasions where it’s best to just take a deep breath and let go, there are a few habits I’ve built into my routine over the years to make sure things stay where they belong, so I can find them as quickly as possible.
- Make a home for your belongings.
This is a huge one for me because I tend to be forgetful. If I can’t find something, it’s usually because I wasn’t mindful to put it back in its space: hooks for keys, grocery bags in the car, pens in my favorite organizer. Make a home for your things, and keep them there when you’re not using them.
Taking this a step further, it’s also super helpful to consider where something new will go before you purchase it. When I get excited about buying something new, I tend to put them back on the shelf or let those items sit in my cart sit for a while and really think if I have the space or necessity before buying. If there are fewer things to organize, it’s easier to stay organized, right?
Read: 5 Easy Tips to Keep Your Small Space Organized - Delete files you don’t need at the end of each workday.
When I bought a new MacBook for work, I made a commitment to keep all my files organized and delete anything I didn’t need. Keeping my digital life organized always felt like a huge chore, because I would only do it once I hit my breaking point. For the most part, once I closed out of a tab or file, it was out of sight, out of mind. Though when it came to looking for files again, it would sometimes take me up to 20 minutes scrolling for a single PDF, and I just couldn’t have that.
Now at the end of a workday or even a work session, I delete everything I downloaded from the day and move it into Trash. I also close out all the Chrome tabs that aren’t necessary, so I can open my laptop the next day to a fresh start.
Find: Favorite Organizers from The Bella Insider Amazon Shop
3. Lay out what you need the night before.
When I was still going out to see people every day for work, I would pack everything I needed for the next day to minimize the stress I felt and just make it as easy as possible. Lunch in the fridge, work items in my handbag, clothes laid out, you get the point.
Now that I’m working from home, this might not seem like it applies, but it absolutely still does. When I start winding down work, I lay out my desk in a way so that when I come to see it again in the morning, everything is ready for me to jump right in and start working. Thank you, me-from-the-night-before.
I’m curious to know how you like to stay organized. Do you have trouble with it? Which tip from this post are you going to try? Do you have tips that work for you? Let me know in the comments!
