How to Organize Your Home When You Don’t Know Where to Start

January is GO {Get Organized} month. It’s the perfect time to simplify and organize our homes. A fresh start. More peace. Less stress. What could be better than that?

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Give yourself grace on this journey. You may have started and failed multiple times. Relax. Enjoy the small moments as you organize each area. Organizing is not a destination. It’s a continual thing we choose to do to make our homes a more joyful place to be.

Here are 6 tips to help you get started organizing when you don’t know where to start.

1. Pick one focus for 30 days.

Thinking of a whole year is way too overwhelming. Break it down into 30-day increments. Each month is like a new year! Now you have 12 new years. 12 fresh starts.

Ask yourself, “What area of my home bugs me the most?” Choose that area as your focus for the month. ONLY organize in that space.

For example: January – Master Closet.

At the beginning of February determine the next area that bugs you the most. Maybe it’s the kitchen. March it could be paperwork (which is very timely since taxes need to be prepared). April might be the toy room, etc.

2. It starts in your mind.

At the beginning of each month I want you to take a few minutes and visualize the end result.

How will you feel when you walk into your organized, master closet? (Proud. Peaceful.)

How will it feel to only see the clothes that you look amazing in when you go to pick your outfit each morning? (Easy. Light.)

What will it be like to cook in a kitchen with clutter-free surfaces? (Exciting. Free.)

Then, state the feelings and results you will achieve. “I feel so proud and peaceful that my master closet is simplified with clothes and shoes I love and look amazing in.” “I love cooking for my family in my kitchen that only has things I use. I feel happy looking at these clutter-free surfaces!”

Concentrate on these thoughts daily, before you start your organizing tasks. These thoughts will bring feelings (pride, peace, excitement) that drive the action (organizing) that will bring results (beautiful, organized spaces).

3. Assign small tasks each day.

Part of the reason we don’t start projects is because we are overwhelmed. The project seems too big, too hard, or too scary. That is not the truth. Instead of believing those thoughts you could choose to believe another option: I am smart. I can do a little each day and get my home organized!

One of my clients went through a VERY devastating experience where her house suffered out of control. The simple task of cleaning her kitchen floor (which was very dirty) overwhelmed her. What she finally had to do was divide the floor, in her mind, into small sections. One day she cleaned just one of the sections. It wasn’t as bad as she thought. The next day she cleaned another section. Eventually, the floor was completely clean.

Divide your 30-day focus into really small tasks and take one per day.

The tasks for your master closet might be to organize shoes, scarves, belts, tanks, hats, pants, sweaters, shorts, etc. Maybe organize your clothing by doing one color per day.

Look at your calendar and see which days you can organize. Write the tasks on each day. Maybe it only works to do a task M, W, and TH with Saturdays open for catch up and bonus projects.

Use an inexpensive calendar like these. Write the room or area to focus on at the top of the month. Write the tasks within the space on each day. You could write the tasks on Post-its. Then, if you are in the mood to do a different task that day just switch them around.

4. Set a deadline AND an accountability appointment

Did you know it’s  proven that if you have an accountability appointment set you have significantly increased your chances of completeling a goal.

Find someone you respect. Send them a before picture of the space(s) you are planning to organize. Ask if they would be willing to come into your home and see the organized space. Decide on a day (in 30 days) that works for both of you and schedule it on your calendar.

It’ll be interesting to see if you are up late the night before the appointment getting your tasks completed. 🙂

5. Invite a friend to organize her home at the same time.

Life is more fun with friends. Ask a friend (or two) from work or church or your neighborhood if they’re interested in organizing their own home at the same time.

6. Pray for deep joy.

Maybe you are hard on yourself because your home isn’t the way you want it or the way you think it should be. You may be scared and overwhelmed and not know where to start. You may even think there is no use.

Begin to pray. Focus on shifting your thoughts (tip #2).

Begin with a rampage of appreciation. State out loud all the ways you are grateful for your possessions.

Ask God to direct you. Should you keep this item or could it bring more joy to someone else. Ask God who or where you could donate it.

Meditate while you organize by repeating a scripture that makes you happy. Turn uplifting music on.

Allow organizing to be a beautiful part of your day exfoliating the stuff that’s no longer serving you.

Would you like more help?

Learn the steps to organize here. If you want an organizing coach contact me here.

Blessings as you begin. You are amazing. May you find joy in the journey.