With Marie Kondo’s “The Life-changing Magic of Tidying Up” splashing across international bestseller lists (and possibly snuggling in your Christmas stocking), you probably find yourself noticing the clutter in your home more than ever. Make your resolution this January to finally get organized: here’s a three-step process to get you started.

Purge and Sort

The first step in any organizational scheme is to make sure that the things you are storing are things you truly want and need. There are two approaches you can take to the sorting process: a massive all-at-once purge, or tackling one room or drawer at a time, a little bit each day. The former may go faster, but can also overwhelm. We tend to have a lot of emotional attachments to things, so make sure that if you do choose a “blitz” method you take time to care for yourself through the difficult decisions you may be faced with. No matter how you approach it however, this is a crucial step before you can put things away effectively. For each item, ask yourself “Do I love it? Is it useful? Do I actually use it?”. If the answer to all three is yes, it’s an easy choice to keep. If the answer to any one of them is no, consider donating or throwing it away (just make sure to recycle, and dispose of any electronics and hazardous chemicals in the appropriate facilities).

Storage Systems

Now that you know what you want to store, the next step is to figure out how to store it. You can DIY plenty of storage solutions, although working with professional storage solution companies gives you to the benefit of experience and access to a wide range of creative and attractive storage units. Do you need to tackle your garage most urgently? Closets, pantry, home office, mudroom, or guest room? Don’t forget about all the little things and accessories that you use every day and deserve a tidy secure home where they will be accessible yet out of sight. It doesn’t matter if you live in a multiple-thousand square foot home or a tiny cramped apartment, any living space can be organized into a beautiful and useful area.

Create a Future Plan

Now that you have only your favourite or most useful things left in the house, and they are put away in logical and easy to reach places, the final step is to keep things clean and tidy. One of the biggest challenges with keeping any space organized is not having a system for storage that makes sense to you; this usually leads to reluctance to put things away right after using. Now that you have a good system, you’ll need to break the piling habit and learn to put things away as soon as you’re done using them. With everything put away, it’ll be easier to keep surfaces and floors clean as well. Finally, watch for “clutter creep” by ensuring that when new items enter your home, they meet your original sorting criteria and do not duplicate existing things. A handy rule can be “one in, one out” – every time you get a new item, one other item must be given away or thrown out.

An organized home provides you with more free time to do the things you really value. Clean surfaces can even help to reduce your mental clutter. Have you taken a look at what you need to store, and need some help figuring out the most effective system? Perfect Fit Closets can help you out with nearly any space, and we offer free consultations.