It’s a new year. And new beginnings always get us in the mood for starting new. Dreaming of an organized home is on many peoples’ minds this time of year. There are five general rules to follow to achieve organization. And, besides a few small details, they can be applied to most situations. Curious about this simple list?
5 Steps to an Organized Home
# 1 Take out everything. Everything.
# 2 Don’t feel bad about throwing away anything that’s expired or broken. (Donate unnecessary items in good condition.)
# 3 Sort items into groups–including groups that don’t belong in the specific area.
#4 Use baskets or containers to group those objects together as you add them back in.
#5 Do ONE closet/room/area at a time.
Let’s explore how this list can help in some of the most unorganized spaces in our homes…
Take On the Closets
Are there skeletons in your closet? Or just a lot of STUFF? We’ve all got them–closets with items shoved to the back that haven’t seen the light of day in way too long. Tackling closet organization is one of the best things you can do to start on a more organized path. When you remove everything to sort and pare down, adding items back in as groups will help you find what you’re looking for much easier. Choose baskets or clear bins to keep things in their places.
Maintain the Entryway
When we say “entryway,” we aren’t talking about the spot where guests walk in. Chances are, the front entry of your home is clear of clutter. We are talking about the “drop zone.” This is the spot where groceries are brought in, the path kids follow when coming home from school, or the spot Fido charges through after a trip to the vet. It might chaos, but it doesn’t have to be. 
It’s the perfect space for the “everything in its place” way of thinking. A place to hang coats and backpacks, enough shelving for shoes and boots, a special hook or basket for pet items can take care of much of it. This is an area that needs daily items–so if you’re not using them regularly, they need a new home. Getting unnecessary items out of these daily areas can have a big impact.
The Toy Room
If you have children, there’s a good chance you’re scanning the internet for the magical method to keep the mess at bay. Here’s the thing: That mess can seem constant with young children, but it won’t be around forever–even if it seems that way sometimes. If you’re looking for ideas, you can apply the 5 rules above, but we’ve got one more idea for you:
If you’re sick of picking it up, donate it, toss it or put it away for a while. (It’ll be like a whole new toy set after they haven’t seen it for a couple months!)
Want to Increase Productivity?
This is where our expertise really comes in! The best way to achieve success on your way to a more organized home is by making sure your productivity increases. A great way to do that? It’s all about the light. Window shades can have a tremendous impact on the overall atmosphere and mood of your home. Natural light entering can be energizing, unless it’s too much. Then, it’ll exhaust you.
Darker spaces can benefit from window treatments that pull the light into your home. Our window covering designers at Skyline Window Coverings would love to work with you the create the ideal balance of light, privacy and energy efficiency in the new year. Get in touch with us for your FREE consultation.
