Minimal Is Bliss

Now that you have invested the time and energy to organize your home, how do you maintain that?

It doesn’t all come in at once, and it ideally it shouldn’t go out all at once. You may have recently done some major purging and editing of your belongings. Nice work! And it was, probably, a lot of work. So, how can we keep from having to dedicate large chunks of time and energy into dealing with all of our stuff?

1. Declutter regularly.

   Keep donation bags or boxes handy, and make a habit of dropping in items that aren’t being regularly used or are no longer useful or loved. Schedule seasonal or monthly sessions to evaluate your items in a particular space. Create a calendar to rotate through the areas of your home.

   This means looking, really looking, at our items. It’s easy to think that just because we don’t own as much, what we have is all needed. It’s easy to think that because we have room for everything, that it is all needed. Even if everything has a home and is beautifully organized, it isn’t always all needed.

   There may have been items kept when you first decluttered that you hadn’t been using, but thought would get used now that they were more accessible. Did they get used? You may absolutely love it, but if it isn’t being used it may be better to give it to someone who will enjoy it.

2. Involve your family.

   Get your family in the habit of regularly decluttering their items. This is a great lesson for kids, to help them understand the energy it takes to maintain their things. Kids tend to be “collectors” and want to keep every rock, seashell or scrap of paper. And they should be able to keep things they love, in a designated spot or container. Having a boundary for how many sentimental items helps them decide what Is really meaningful to them.

3. Follow the “One in, One out Rule”.

   Keep excess away by donating one (or two!) items when you get a new one.

4. Be  mindful of what comes into your home.
   

   Retail therapy, impulse purchases and unwanted gifts (dealing with unwanted gifts probably needs its own blog post!) Avoid bringing in items into your that give short-term joy, only to become clutter in the near future.

   An organized home is more almost more of a feeling than an aesthetic. It doesn’t have to look perfect for it to feel light and uncluttered. And hidden clutter in an otherwise organized-looking home can cause stress when using the space, even when a room looks otherwise clutter-free.

   Making regular decluttering a part of your home maintenance routine will keep your organized spaces in order longer, and with less chance for needing a complete reorganization session!

Hope this helps you have a plan for organizing your spaces! If you have any questions, please feel free to ask in the comments, on Instagram, or contact me directly.