Our Easy Guide to Organizing

Let's De-Clutter Your Space & Make Room for You

"I have too much stuff." Ever heard yourself saying that? We all accumulate things we don't need or want...yet rarely think to remove them from our spaces. Sometimes we buy items on a whim. Sometimes they are given to us. Sometimes we end up with décor from older relatives who are attempting to downsize.

In my humble opinion, the more "things" you have in your home, the more stressed and disorganized you will feel and the less your personal story can be told.

Our easy guide to organizing and sorting your space will leave you feeling motivated to conquer your clutter. I find myself doing this before vacations to make sure we come home to an organized, lighter space, so keep that in mind too. Let's get started!

SORT ONLY ONE AREA PER DAY

We know it can be tempting to dive into your entire home in one day, but a few hours into it might have you thinking differently...

I'm hungry...should I order a pizza?

Did I ever respond to those emails?

I should probably Instagram this mess.

#minimalist #sorta

Overwhelm breeds inaction. Trust me. Break your home down into sections. Choose one room, one closet, even one drawer and commit to doing that specific area that day. Grab a sorting buddy if you can and get to work. Once you've completely sorted and organized that one area, you're done for the day. The next day move on to your next area. Consistency is key. Make the commitment and just do it. A month from now you'll be glad you did.

SORT FAST AND GO WITH YOUR GUT

Don't take time to reminisce over every piece of decor, furniture, or old book. It might bring sweet or nostalgic memories, but if you haven't used it or touched it in years, it might be time to let it go, especially if you know someone else could use it. Bottom line: If you truly don't like it, you should probably donate it, recycle it, or throw it away if its in poor condition.

Start by walking around the room with three containers or large bags. One is for donations, one for recycling, one for garbage. Don't try to donate things that are clearly worn out or broken. Those items go into the garbage or recycling unless they are legitimate antiques (in which case, you could sell them or donate to a favorite charity).

TAKE INVENTORY OF WHAT YOU LOVE

After you have ruthlessly attacked each room in your home with the trash, recycle or donate method, take any donations to the nearest drop-off location for your charity of choice and put recycling and garbage on the curb. Don't overthink it. Just do it.

Congratulations! You should feel proud of your hard work. Now that you find yourself surrounded by only items you love, try to find new ways of arranging them. You could move furniture to different rooms or place artwork in a different room or even a bookshelf. Sometimes a simple switch is all you need to see old items in a new light.

If you find yourself stuck and don't know how to make things work together, now is the perfect time to reach out for professional help. Working with an interior designer brings a fresh set of eyes on your home decor and can help you establish a plan for your space before making any new purchases. Otherwise, those items could easily be donated in next year's round of organizing and sorting.

Reach out here or message us anytime @nancylaneinteriors!