10 Ways To Keep Your Home Organized

So, we are in the final stretch of summer (sigh) and this is the time of year that I start thinking about how I can stay organized for the school year.  Juggling the things that kids need for school, sports and activities can be a challenge. Here are some of my best tips and strategies to keep things in order.

1. Purge.  I have heard two rules that stick with me…one is that if something new comes into your home, something should go out.  I can’t say I adhere to this 100%, but I try! The other rule is that every month you could find 3-5 things in each room to throw away or donate.  Try it, you might surprise yourself!
2. Backpack/family command station. Even if you don’t have a fabulous mudroom, you can still create an organized area for the kids to put their shoes, backpacks, etc.
   

   Image Credit: Remax Quebec

3. 15 minutes. Commit to 15 minutes a day and set an alarm on your phone. Each day spend 15 minutes on something…the junk drawer, the medicine cabinet, kid’s drawers, etc.
4. Dry Erase board. In our home, I use a weekly dry erase board and outline the big events for the week. Kids like to know whats coming up..and it even helps my husand to know which night I am going out with my girlfriends, when the kids have soccer practice, birthday parties, etc.
   

   Photo courtesy of Hobby Lobby

5. Homework caddy. Keep a little bin filled with sharpened pencils, erasers, crayons, glue sticks and a ruler. Keep it in a central location and pull it out at homework time. Trays are a great way to organize items on a coffee or side table (remotes, magazines, coasters, etc.)
6. Hooks instead of shelves. Carefully placed hooks in your bathroom, closet and kid’s rooms can make all the difference.
7. Labeling. It’s great to label items so you can easily find things. There are tons of options, like the cute chalkboard labels below or you can use a labelmaker. There are also tons of cute and free printable labels on Pinterest.
   

   Image Credit: Mrs. Meyers

8. Donate Regularly. Put a big plastic bin in each closet marked “donations”. Go through the closets regularly to find items that don’t fit or are not worn. When the bin is full, its off to Goodwill.
9. One Year Rule. Go through your closet each quarter and be strict about what you get rid of.  If it is not something you have worn in a year, out it goes!
10. Tabletops Clear. Feng Shui rules say it is important to clear table tops on a regular basis. I agree! When we come home we tend to throw our keys, purse, etc. onto the closest table top and things accumulate quickly.  Try to keep your table tops tidy and clear them periodically throughout the day.

An organized home will make your life feel more harmonious in all areas, it really works!

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