There are so many articles and blog posts and Pinterest boards about how to organize that it’s easy to lose sight of why. The goal is not to have things that are artfully arranged and labeled, but to make your life easier! Here are some tips to help you do just that: 1. Designate a home for everything – It’s impossible to put things away if there is no “away”. Take some time this week to look around your house for the items that always seem to be left out. Are there piles of incoming mail, kid's toys, or shoes near the door? Decide on a home for these things and let everyone in the house know where it is. If you try this and certain items are still consistently left out, consider relocating them to a more obvious or accessible spot. Make it as easy as possible and everyone will be more likely to comply. 2. Put things back when you’re finished with them – Once you’ve done the work of designating a place for everything, cultivate the habit of putting things in their place. It might seem easier to throw your work clothes on a chair instead of hanging them up at then end of the day, but after a week you end up with a big pile of wrinkled clothes to contend with. If you take an extra minute now to put something back, it will save you a lot of time later. 3. Prep for next time – We all know the annoyance that comes from sitting down to eat and realizing there are no clean forks. Prevent this by automatically preparing for next time when you are finishing up an activity. Wash dishes right after you eat, fold laundry when it comes out of the dryer, refill toiletries when you unpack from your trip, and plan the next day’s agenda before leaving work. It won’t happen 100% of the time, but the more you do this the easier your tasks will become!
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