If you are reading this post and haven't checked out the previous (and first) post in this series, you can find it here - Habit and Routine.
This series is about the 6 steps to a better organized house and life. Last time we found routines and habits that help us through the day, secretly hauling the heavy loads of decision for us. Today we are going to start by selecting a room and making it yours!
If you are standing in the middle of your house seeing chaos in every corner you peer into, then this is your next step. (Assuming you've read the previous post, I would start there). If you are living off of wishes, long term goals and ideas, or Pinterest ideas you won't make it far in the world of organizing. You need a "next best step" approach. When you are ready to start getting things under control you can't start by picking up a little in each room, (your kids and housemates will fill in those holes before you even get a foot out of the room.) You will need to choose one room to focus one. And may I add, concerning the other people in your house, you need to initiate some simple rules of putting things away in 'that items" home, getting out only one toy at a time, etc... But your job is to have a home for them to put things away in. Each item needs a designated home that that item can always be found in and put away in.
This series is about the 6 steps to a better organized house and life. Last time we found routines and habits that help us through the day, secretly hauling the heavy loads of decision for us. Today we are going to start by selecting a room and making it yours!
If you are standing in the middle of your house seeing chaos in every corner you peer into, then this is your next step. (Assuming you've read the previous post, I would start there). If you are living off of wishes, long term goals and ideas, or Pinterest ideas you won't make it far in the world of organizing. You need a "next best step" approach. When you are ready to start getting things under control you can't start by picking up a little in each room, (your kids and housemates will fill in those holes before you even get a foot out of the room.) You will need to choose one room to focus one. And may I add, concerning the other people in your house, you need to initiate some simple rules of putting things away in 'that items" home, getting out only one toy at a time, etc... But your job is to have a home for them to put things away in. Each item needs a designated home that that item can always be found in and put away in.
Your Personal Space
Are you ready to start! It's time to pick a space to clean and I suggest that you start with your personal space. That could be the master bedroom, your office, a corner you call your own, or the garage. This personal space is going to be your haven from the rest of the house. A place off limits to the messy people, a place you can go to calm down and relax in, get a deep breath before plunging on to the next thing begging for your attention.
Here is my example: I always make my bed first thing when I get up and once the bed is made it is off limits to my kids. They are not allowed on it to mess it up in any way. When I walk into the room and see a crisp bed with pillows in place it makes me exceedingly happy! So does that take the pressure off? It can be something that simple, the rest of the room may be a mess, but that bed is beautiful and calms my crazy brain.
What do you want from this space?
Once you have chosen your space, you need to create a plan for it. What do you want that space to do for you? (I suggest choosing your master bedroom if at all possible for this space, it is the easiest to set as an off limits from other people.) Some spaces will already have defined plans. The bedroom is for storing my clothes, there needs to be a bed and clothing organization, etc...
After you have claimed the space mentally, figured out the basic needs for the room, go a step farther and figure out what you need from the room. A reading spot, a place to set your journal, somewhere to hang your trophies, a wall or board for encouraging quotes and verses.
example: I keep talking in terms of whole rooms, but again it could just be a small spot. I have a friend who uses her fridge as a place for all of her encouraging quotes. If you have to, kick your kids scribbles of the fridge and hang them somewhere else, claim that spot for you and set some boundaries about what is allowed.
You are the Messy Police!
The reason your house is messy is because limits have not been set or not been followed. That could be by you, a spouse, children, guests, etc... You want your house to feel like a home, and a messy home is what the dwellers are used to, so don't flip there world upside down by posting list of 99 rules on the fridge and zoning off half the house. Take it one tiny step at a time, direct the toys to the bin, the dishes to the sink, and take one corner of the house at a time enforcing the clutter free rules as you finish each space.
Next time we will start discussing how to actually put the room in order, but for now, start looking around you. Your homework is to find your personal space and start visualizing it working for you.
Sarah
Comments
Post a Comment