3 Simple Routines for Maintaining Your Home Organization

Your dream has come true: You have an organized and tidy home! Baskets are clearly labeled, like items are with like items, you've said goodbye to items that no longer serve your family, and you feel a sense of peace around you. Pure bliss.

But wait... How are you going to keep it this nice?!
​
Lucky for you, we're sharing 3 simple routines for maintaining your home organization.

Routine #1: Tidy in 10 Minutes

Maintaining your home is easy when you know where everything goes and every item has a home.

Tidying daily is best, but try for at least every few days. Make it a routine to walk around the main living areas of your home and pick up all items that don't belong there and return them to their designated location. Then tidy up what stays within each room, such as dishes into the sink to wash, clothes into the hamper, and books back on the bookshelf.

Get the family involved too! Toys, books, and games can get especially messy in the blink of an eye. It's OK to help out, but it's vital for kids to learn how to help clean up their possessions too. If mom always does it, it will be left out for mom to do it! (Read more about organizing playrooms and getting kids involved here).

Another strategy is to collect these items throughout the day if you're already walking by. This is my favorite way to do it! I'll grab something that needs to go upstairs and place it at the bottom of the stairs. Then the next time I'm running upstairs, I grab the item waiting there on my way. It's efficient and a fantastic habit to get into.

One more tip we share with clients is to take photos of how we organized your completed spaces and save them to an album on your phone. That way, if you forget how something was arranged, you can open the album in your photos app and see exactly how it was professionally organized.

Routine #2: Fast Decluttering for 15 Minutes

I get it, nobody, not even professional organizers, keeps their homes perfectly pristine and organized like it was just organized that day. If there's a small area of your home that needs some decluttering love, you can use the same steps that we do as pro organizers, but on a mini-scale.

Set a timer for 15 minutes and do some quick decluttering magic. Empty that drawer, basket of toys, or one small section of your clothes (like all PJs), and sort into broad categories. Be ruthless and donate anything you're not using or that's expired.

Throw out anything unusable, and create a donation bag for items in good shape. Put items back into the space, grouped together by like categories. If you had us organize the space already, you will likely have labeled baskets, drawer organizers, or a closet layout to easily put items back into.

Bonus tip: We always suggest that clients have a designated donation area/bag in their home. This makes it easy to put aside items that you want to donate. When there are enough items, put the bags in your front seat so you'll actually remember to donate them!

​When we organize or come by for maintenance, we will gladly take any donations away for you that you've set aside.

Routine #3: Hosting Bliss in a Half Hour

Before your home was professionally organized, you probably felt panic like no other when guests were expected. Now, tidying is a smooth and quick process. All you need is 30 minutes or less.

Start with Routine #1 to put items back in their place and do a quick tidy sesh.

Think of where guests will come in: Can you put some coats on your hooks back into the coat closet so guests have a space to hang their items? While you're there, put shoes strewn on the floor back onto your shoe rack. Move the mail pile aside (or open it if it's small enough). A tidy entrance will make the best first impression.
​
Fold your blankets, fluff your pillows, and clear any excess clutter where you'll be sitting. If guests are staying over, set out clean hand towels, place fresh towels and washcloths on the bathroom counter, put toiletries in the shower, and make sure there are clean sheets on the guest bed.

Turn lights on throughout the downstairs to welcome your guests and think about offering some tea or coffee! Time to get cozy and relax with your guests.

As much as we try and as good as our intentions are, life happens. It can often be difficult to follow these routines and keep our homes tidy. We totally understand! That's why we offer our maintenance services.

​We can refresh the systems we already created, do another round of decluttering, tackle your accumulated mail and paper piles, or even put away the 12 loads of laundry you finished (ha!). It feels like it never ends, and we get it!
​
Feeling overwhelmed with tidying, despite your attempts to get organized? Download our organizing guide to see what it's like working with a professional organizer.