You want your home to feel more organized, more functional, more peaceful, but the truth is, it’s hard to organize when you’re not fully committed to all of your stuff. It’s not that you don’t want an organized space. It’s that you’ve got items taking up prime real estate in your home that you barely use and now you’re shuffling those items out of the way every time you need something you do use. Sound familiar? If so, keep reading! (and make a note that we have a decluttering challenge coming to help you reset your space and your mindset).
The biggest factor is that organizing starts with decluttering. You can’t create a sustainable system around things you don’t actually need or use. Yup, it’s true!
If you’re finding yourself constantly adjusting, moving, or working around things in your home, it’s probably time to ask:
Do I use this often enough for it to live here?
Is this in my way more than it’s helping me?
Am I keeping it just because I’m used to seeing it in this spot?
Decluttering doesn’t mean getting out a garage bag a tossing everything that’s laying around (although, maybe for everything on the floor in your teenagers room 😉). It means keeping the things that support your everyday life and the way you live it. It means finding smart, intentional spots in your home for everything you actually need and use. It means taking those keepsake items and giving them a safe spot to live tucked away in a bin or on display on a shelf out of the hustle and bustle of daily life. This is how it starts, this step will propel you into becoming organized. And staying that way!
Let me give you a relatable example: Summer is busy in a different way (amiright?).
You’re spending more time outside, heading out on adventures, or enjoying a little chaos with the kids home more often. You’re not always in your home, but when you are, it should feel like a place to relax and reset. Definitely not like a space that overwhelms you the second you walk in. And yet, that’s exactly what happens when your everyday items are buried beneath seasonal clutter, old habits, and “I’ll deal with that later” piles.
If you’re digging through three baskets just to find the sunscreen, or moving a baking pan, muffin tin, and spatula (“oh there it is!”) to grab your favourite cutting board, you heard it here first, it’s time for a reset.
Ok, so maybe this is sounding good and you’re thinking this might be what you need buuut how do you decide what to do with the stuff?
Here’s a quick system we use in our decluttering assistance sessions:
Use it often? Keep it in a “prime real estate” spot. Somewhere easy to access and, the most important part, this spot should be in a space where you use the thing that you’re storing there. Let’s use your kitchen for an example: the counter where you do your food prep like cutting and mixing should be where your knife block is, and cupboards or drawers close to there should be where your cutting boards, mixing bowls, and whatever else you need to prep, is stored! Makes sense right?
Sometimes when we move into a new home we just fill the cupboard to get unpacked without thinking about the flow of the space. And then, when we live somewhere for a while, potentially the flow changes, or new items are brought into the kitchen, in these instances an update is required to take full advantage of the functionality of the space. Functional = organized.
Use it occasionally? Store it in the back of a drawer or cupboard, or even in a labeled bin or basket tucked away in the top of a pantry or back of a closet. Somewhere you can access but it’s not out at the ready. An example of this would be a kitchen tool you only use once a week or maybe even just a couple times a month. This could be a potato masher, or a pizza cutter. Do they need to be front and center in your utensils drawer? Nope! Move them to the back and pull forward your spoons, knives, and spatulas that you’re using more regularly.
Never use it? Ask yourself why. If it’s no longer serving you, it might be time to part ways. If it’s a keepsake that’s not for use, the best thing you can do is file it away for another day. When we’re emotionally connected to things it can be hard to decide what to do with them, and it’s taxing on your body. Don’t force yourself to make decisions, allow yourself to pause. Grab a sealed bin (to protect your things from the elements) and fill it with the sentimental things you love and want to save, but don’t need displayed on your kitchen counter to get splashed with tomato sauce when the 4-year-old wants to stir the spaghetti sauce. (IYKYK).
And if you need a hand with this, remember, it’s ok to say for help! It doesn’t make you less than. Plus, we’re never going to force you to throw something away. This is your space. Our role is to support, guide, and help you build a home that works for you, not pressure you or judge you.
These reasons are what inspired the August Decluttering Challenge.
It’s time to create space for what’s next. Whether you’re a parent, grandparent, business owner, or busy professional, this challenge is for you. We’re helping you clear the clutter now, so you can head into the September–December season with:
Less decision fatigue,
Less time spent searching for things,
More calm, ease, and flow in your day-to-day routine,
And less stuff!
This challenge will include small, actionable steps (no massive weekend clean-outs required), and plenty of encouragement along the way from your favourite organizers!
Ready to make space for what matters? We’ll be sharing more details soon, but for now, all you need to know is this:
August is for decluttering, September is for structure, and this challenge will help you get ready for it all.
If your home has been feeling a little heavy, this is your invitation to lighten it up, with support, without judgment, and in a way that works for your life.
Let’s do this together. Click right here to be put on a waitlist to be the first to get all the details when we launch the Clear the Clutter Challenge.
