5 Rules of Organization According to a Professional Home Organizer

After spending a week in the desert cleansing my mind and body I decided I also had to deal with my material clutter back at home.  If you're like me than you find decluttering and organizing to be somewhat overwhelming.  Organization is definitely a skill set and one that I am not adept at.  Luckily I have a sister who happens to be an extremely talented home organizer.  She just spent a week going through every inch of my home from the garage to the storage areas to every closet and drawer.  By clearing the clutter from your life you are clearing out the stagnant energy which in turn allows fresh new energy to flow in.  You can physically feel the difference. I feel lighter and more well balanced.  Organizing your home is just another form of self-care that everyone should practice so I asked my sister, Jenny Rybek of Live Simple to give us her top five rules for an organized life.

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1. Follow the Two-Minute Rule

The Two-Minute Rule is simple, but if you can make it a real habit, it will bring massive change to your life. The only tenet of the Two-Minute Rule is this: if it takes two minutes or less to do, do it now. Essentially, the Two-Minute Rule helps you cut down on procrastination and encourages you to maintain tidy and organized habits. 

For example, it takes less than two minutes to do all of the following: hang/fold your clothes at the end of the day instead of dropping them on the floor; put your dirty dishes in the dishwasher instead of piling them in the sink; file bills and receipts as they arrive rather than letting them pile up on your desk. By following the Two-Minute rule, you’ll be amazed by how much you reduce your daily clutter and you’ll avoid sinking into a trap where mess piles up all around the house – all in two-minutes or less! 

​2. Maintain a Minimal Mindset
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A big part of organizing is decluttering. This also means that a big part of staying organized is maintaining a clutter-free home. In order to do so, you need to train your mindset to think like a minimalist. 

Determine if you really need the item. Chances are if you haven't used it in over six months it’s time to ditch it. While it may be easier to adopt this mindset during your initial phase of extreme decluttering, it’s important to remember to maintain this mentality as part of your new lifestyle in order to stay organized long-term. When you consider bringing a new item into your home, whether that be a piece of clothing, a book, or a new piece of furniture, ask yourself if you really just want it or if you really need it. 

Another way that some people adopt a minimal mindset is by following the “One-In, One-Out Rule.” This means that every time you buy a new piece of clothing, for example, you have to let go of an old one. This rule can work for everything from beauty products to kid’s toys. This rule helps to ensure that you never become a clutter-bug again.

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