Maintenance Organizing

Just like losing weight or getting fit, once you get where you want to be, you can't quit or all your hard work will be lost. Being organized is much the same process where there are huge improvements early on but maintenance is needed to keep things the way you want them.

Create spaces that you will like to look at.  When you like the way something looks you are more likely to keep it looking that way.

Pick up items that don't belong in the space and evict them on a regular basis.  If you are going to a room upstairs and see items that belong there pick them up and take them with you so that you are not wasting the trip.  You can also have a bin or area to hold items that are going to a different area so that you can take them on the next trip there.  I often have papers, mail or other items that need to go to my car.  Instead of running to the car every time I find an item, I lay it on the counter next to the door into the garage and then take all the items the next time I go out to the car.

Define what belongs in an area.  Simply by deciding what belong in an area you are also defining what doesn't belong in the area.  If you have defined a drawer as the silverware drawer, you most likely will not put a screwdriver in there because it is not silverware.

Avoid miscellaneous areas the lack of definition makes it harder to decide what will go there or more importantly what will NOT go there.

Determine when you will do maintenance organizing.  You get to create the rules but you also have  to be the one to enforce them. So make rules that you can live with.  Don't tell yourself that you will organize an area every Sunday night when you know that is a time you prefer to spend with family.  Instead choose a rule that has you picking up the clutter after you use an area or before you leave the area.  There will be much less to do and it will be easier to do right them rather than come back and do it later.