If you are struggling with organizing sometimes, it is a great idea to go back to organising basics. Relearn what it means to you to be organized and this refocused attention can help to get your home and life to a point where you are happy.

Defining the space

Before you can begin organizing, you need to know the purpose of the space, if it is not clear to you then it is going to be difficult to bring in a system that will work and allow you to become organized.

If you have toys in every room of your home, this is fine as long as you are aware of the toys and their function in the room. Getting the boundaries in place will allow you to focus on the space in hand and this will allow you to organize in the correct manner.

But having the division of the function of the space decided will allow you to understand how you want to use the space for your family.

Organizing basic principles and sorting items

You need to organize your belongings; each item needs to have its place that it can call home. Often we have items in our homes that we just don’t need any more. It is not about throwing everything away but working out what items that you need to keep and those items that you need to throw away because they are broken; sell items that you no longer need or donate items to charity.

Only when you have purged your items can you organize those remaining into the space. It doesn’t mean that you need to rush out and buy more storage so that each item has a home. It means looking at the items that you have and considering which ones you want to keep in that space. Sometimes it is necessary to buy more storage options but always plan as to the items that you need and research; never go out and buy the first thing you see.

Keeping focused on organizing basics

This is the most difficult aspect of organizing that you will find, it is about knowing that you need to put the item away when you have finished with it. Children will learn to tidy away their items when they see that you are able to put away your items too. Children follow by example, witnessing that you are unable to put items away when you have finished with them can encourage others to be untidy too.

Organizing your home isn’t going to happen over-night, it is going to take time and patience until your home is completely organized. When you have reached this point, it is about maintaining the systems so that you are not falling back into old ways. You need to have a way that is often unique to the individual as to how to keep on top of the organizing; some people believe one item in, two out. What system works for you and your family is going to take time to find but once you do, sticking to the system will ensure that your home isn’t taken over with clutter again.