One of the most common questions we get after helping someone organize their home is: “How will my family maintain this?” It’s a valid concern. The excitement of a newly organized space can quickly be overshadowed by the reality of daily life when clutter soon reappears and old habits resurface. But maintaining an organized home doesn’t have to be difficult or time-consuming. Here are some practical ways your family can keep your newly organized home intact for the long term.
- Establish Daily Routines
A clutter-free home starts with a daily commitment to staying organized. Encourage your family to establish simple routines, like putting things back where they belong as soon as they’re finished using them. For example, make it a habit to do a quick “five-minute clean up” before bedtime. Spending just a few minutes a day clearing surfaces and putting away items can help establish a routine. A small investment of time each day can prevent clutter from building up and will keep your home organized without much effort.
- Designate Spaces for Everyone
One of the keys to maintaining an organized home is ensuring that every family member knows where his/her things go. As part of our process, we like to provide clients with appropriate storage areas, drawers and bins, which we clearly label. This ensures that everything has a designated place and everyone has their own space for their personal items. Whether it’s a basket by the door for shoes or a drawer for children’s toys, making sure everyone has a clearly labeled space for belongings makes it easier to keep the house in order.
- Review and Adjust Monthly
As a home’s needs evolve, your organization techniques and strategies will also change. Periodically review the organization systems in place, making sure they’re still working for everyone. Perhaps a child outgrows certain toys or you realize that certain spaces need more functional storage. Regularly assessing and tweaking your organization plan will keep it relevant and sustainable for your lifestyle. For example, let’s say you recently organized your kitchen pantry by grouping items into clear bins labeled “Snacks” and “Baking Supplies.” However, after a month, you noticed that the “Snacks” bin is overflowing, while the “Baking Supplies” bin is barely used. During your monthly review, you can split the snack bin into separate sections for kids’ and adults’ snacks and move the rarely used baking supplies to a higher shelf to free up space.
- Keep the “One in, One Out” Rule
To keep clutter at bay, implement the “one in, one out” rule. This means that for every new item brought into the house, something else should be donated, recycled, or thrown away. If you bought a new appliance because the old one wasn’t working well, don’t keep the old appliance “just in case;” throw it out! Whether it’s clothes, toys or gadgets, this rule ensures that your family stays mindful about the things they acquire as well as not letting unnecessary clutter build up. It’s a simple strategy that can help maintain a tidy and organized home over time.
- Stay Flexible, but Consistent
While it’s important to stick to routines, it’s equally important to stay flexible. Life happens and sometimes things get messy. Don’t expect perfection from yourself or your family. Instead, focus on consistency. If everyone continues to make an effort to follow the organization systems, even on busy days, you’ll maintain a tidy home with minimal effort.
To summarize, maintaining an organized home doesn’t require drastic changes, just small, consistent efforts from everyone in the family. By creating routines, designating spaces and sticking to simple principles, your home can remain a peaceful and organized environment for the long haul. The key is making the process as natural and seamless as possible, so that everyone in the household feels motivated to keep it up.
Remember, the goal isn’t perfection; rather, it’s about creating a home where your family can thrive, enjoy time together, and feel a sense of calm.
Melanie Sosland and Ilana Lawrence are professional home organizers. After continuously helping their friends stay organized, Melanie, who previously worked on Wall Street, and Ilana, who works in real estate, decided to start IM Organized. Follow them on Instagram at I.M.Organized for more tips and to see some before and afters. Alternatively, they can be reached at: [email protected].
