Are you looking for some tips to maintain your newly organized home?  Some of you have already gone through the process of eliminating the clutter and finding a home for your things.  Are you done?  No, you are not!

Now you need to maintain the organized space you have created.  

There are some super simple and easy ways to put your things away.  They are short, sweet and to the point.

1.  Make sure it's easy to put your things away.  You found a place to store your holiday decorations in your garage on top of a shelf above the garage door.  Now you realize it's a bit difficult to get to.  (Been there, done that!  My ex-husband built a geat shelf above my garage door years ago to store the Christmas holiday decorations.  However, he always had to climb an 8 foot ladder and squeeze into a narrow opening to get the items up and down.  When we split, I changed that.  I was not about to climb up an 8 foot ladder, even if it was only once or twice a year, to retrieve my holiday decor.)  Consider how difficult it might be to put away and retrieve your items before committing to that space.  

2.  Make sure everything has a home.  All family members who share in putting things away should know where items belong. When bringing something new into the home, think about where it is going to live before you make that purchase.  

3.  Invest in good tools.  I don't mean the hammer and the nails necessarily.  I mean items like filing cabinets with drawers that extend all the way out so you can easily access the back of the drawer.  Purchase a better shredder to avoid paper jams.  Get items that will last so they don't fall apart and have to be replaced all the time.

4.  Develop routines.  Do your filing weekly.  Set a timer each night for 15 minutes for the family to participate in cleaning up. Eliminate junk mail on a daily basis.  Schedule one day a week to pay your bills consistently.  Determine what routines work for you and your family and be sure to stick to them.   

5.  It's doesn't have to be perfect.  Unless you are putting your home on the market for sale, your home does not need to be pristine. Set a comfortable standard in your home.  It's more important to have a home that is safe, functional and generally uncluttered.  Pefection is too strong of a standard to maintain and can be very stressful.  Relax and enjoy the comfort of your home without the clutter.  

If you have yet to start the de-cluttering and organizing process in your home, I can help.  I can set the stage for a home that is comfortable, functional and enjoyable for all members of the family to enjoy.  I have lots of ways to provide you with the tools you need to maintain the home long after the organizing process is completed.  Contact me if you want to discuss your organizing struggles.

In the meantime, happy organizing!