Simple Steps: How To Organize Your Room
As of late, all of our lives have been flipped upside down by COVID-19. From practicing social distancing to learning how to shelter-in-place with grace. Indeed it intense times + I’m a strong believer that all of these preventative measures are 100% necessary in order to keep ourselves, our family + our community safe!
For as long as we’ve known each other, John + I have always believed that in life, we’re given the test first + the lesson later. That in order to pass you have to find the lesson that can be applied later. But my lawrdddd, all of this being cooped up inside has us longing for a tinsy bit of normality. Can I get an a-men?
Whether your little ones are still living at home or you just picked your kids up from college ––– everyone is living under the same roof again –– which means that (if you’re not there already) in the coming weeks, you’ll be longing for someone else to teach them a simple lesson like how to organize your room (*wink*)
So without further ado...shall we?
THE COST OF CLUTTER
Before you can really appreciate the 5 simple steps I’m about to share with you for how to organize your room I first want to gloss over the underlying cost of clutter.
STRESS
There’s an unsettling stress or an embarrassment that some of us associate with clutter + trust me, while you may or may not experience this personally –– it’s very real for others.
WASTED TIME
Imagine how productive you could be if you weren’t always hunting for your purse, looking for your keys or scratching your head as you try to remember where you left your phone or the remote control or your shoes… you get my point. When we’re surrounded by clutter we waste time + energy looking for necessities.
WASTED TIME + MONEY
If you’re unable to find what you need when you need it, you’re likely to not only feel an overwhelming sense of stress + wasted time but you’re also likely (if you truly need it) to waste money buying it again. Organizing your room, ensures that you have a place for everything so you don't over buy or accidentally purchase things you already own.
In fact a recent “Lost + Found” study released by Pixie, reveals that Americans spend an average of 2.5 days a year looking for misplaced stuff. That’s nearly HALF of a week we lose just searching for things!
MISSED OPPORTUNITIES
If you don’t prioritize decluttering your room + keeping it organized, consider the opportunities you’ll miss out on because of stress, anxiety or the feeling of embarrassment that comes along with being disorganized. Knowing that you’ve not only wasted time but money. Collectively Americans spend a whopping $2.7 Billion dollars every year simply replacing items they can’t find –– all because getting organized wasn’t a priority.
Now, that sure puts things in perspective + with a slight understanding of how much clutter is costing us — let's roll up our sleeves + dive into the nitty gritty deetz. How to organize your room in a few simple steps (so easy your kids can do it.)
TIP #1: MAKE YOUR BED, EVERYDAY
I love this speech by U.S. Navy Admiral — William H. McRaven in which he says “if you want to change the world, start off by making your bed.”
Even if the rest of your bedroom is tidy + feels pulled together, when the bed isn’t made…
When your sheets + that cozy double stuffed duvet of yours is all crumpled up at the bottom of your bed or the piles of pillows that’ve been thrown on the floor (you know what I’m talking about) it makes the entire room look like a mess.
So if you want to start your day off feeling productive, why not start by checking off a super simple task that’s not only easy but has a massive impact on the underlying tone of your day, as well as the look + feel of your bedroom? Take a moment everyday but especially now to straighten your sheets, fluff your duvet + tidy up your pillows.
Trust me, everyone in the house will appreciate it — and so will you.
TIP# 2: DECLUTTER YOUR NIGHTSTANDS + DRESSERS
Honestly, the precursor to organizing just about anything is to first declutter. There’s a quote about clutter that we both love (+ talk a bit about it in how decluttering benefits your health) which is “clutter often reflects life’s unfinished business.”
When it comes to decluttering the surfaces of your nightstand or dresser, think about what you really need, or want, on them and then remove everything else. John has the most tidy nightstand I’ve ever seen + it never seems to get cluttered because he only needs a space for 3 things on a nightly basis (his watch, his phone + a glass of water) the rest of the surface space he uses to neatly display what he cares about most, so it’s always looking gorgeous.
If your dresser drawers, on the other hand, are overflowing or you’re in need of decluttering them, we recommend pulling everything out + categorizing your clothes by activity. Be selective about what you actually wear + only keep the things you have room for.
TIP# 3: TRANSFORM YOUR CLOSETS
Similar to drawers, we want to remove everything hiding in your closet + to be extremely mindful of what we’re choosing to hold onto. This way, we’re not putting anything back we don’t truly use, love or need.
When it comes to organizing clothes in your closet — again think in terms of categories. Create a specific place for tops, pants, dresses + shoes. We also recommend going even deeper by categorizing each subcategory (i.e. tops or pants) by color. In turn, not only will it look amazing, but this little step makes it super simple for you to maintain your organized system long term
Plus, it won’t eat up a ton of your time putting things back after you wear them or if you’ve decided to wear something else. Whats a girl to do... right?!
TIP #4: TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE EXTRA ROOM YOU DO HAVE
As interior designers + professional organizers, we realize that not every home has the perfect walk-in closet or ample room for a large dresser to live. Many of us are living with what we have + that’s totally fine but instead of hyper-focusing on what we don’t have –– let’s talk about how to take advantage of the extra room you do have.
If you’re short on surface space because you can’t fit a dresser in your closet or simply don’t want to take up that much room, consider adding a jewelry wardrobe that hangs on the wall. Designed in an elegant way, a jewelry wardrobe is a great way to maximize vertical storage without giving up space in your closet or overwhelming your surfaces.
If you’re struggling to find extra space for hanging jackets, sweaters or scarves you could go a couple different directions. Have you utilize storage space under your bed for seasonal clothing or other bulky items? What about hanging hooks either on the wall or back of your door… is that an options?
STEPS TO FOLLOW FOR HOW YOU ORGANIZE YOUR ROOM
While this is quite a glossing over of “exactly” what to do, here are some simple steps to follow for how to organize your room:
1 | REMOVE EVERYTHING
Regardless of how big or small the space you're organizing is, the very first thing we recommend to all of our clients is, remove everything.
2| SORT IT
Next, with your closet, drawer, wardrobe or shelves empty sort + group your items. After working as a professional organizer, we often find that people have too much stuff, so grouping items into three categories (do I use it, do I need it, or do I love it) allows us to quickly sift through our belongings + make decisions.
3| PUT IT BACK
With everything grouped into categories based on like items, it’s now time to start putting things back together. Regardless of how you organized your room the most important thing is that in the end, everything makes sense for the way you use your space. And if you’re wanting our help creating a fool-proof gameplan, download our Organizing Roadmap. Don’t worry boo, we’ve got you.
At the core, clutter itself is the unfinished business of life. So, as we navigate these unknown circumstances in our day-to-day lives, remember that we’re in this together. Know that everyone’s in the same boat, simply trying to do their best. In fact, a few weeks ago we wrote an article that dives into how clutter affects your home, your life + your mind.
And at the end of the day, if you find yourself in need of some additional hand holding as you work through this process know that I’m here to help + that we can do so virtually (no matter where you live.)
Checkout more about our online organizing sessions + book your FREE clarity call to get started.
Wishing you all safety + good health :)