3 Organizing Habits That Will Change Your Life!

We all have organizing habits that either support or hinder our ability to stay organized. We may not even be aware that we have organizing habits in the first place because, after all, they happen subconsciously. For example, you may get up at the same time every day, brush your teeth in the same exact order each time, shop at the same grocery store every week, drive the same route to and from work every day, etc. Our days are filled with habits but, because they’re operating on autopilot, we don't even think about how they affect our lives. The same goes with organizing habits. It’s just not something we’re taught to even think about, let alone process how they can affect our homes and our lives.  

In order to create new organizing habits, it’s important to examine your current ones, so you can successfully maintain organizing systems in the future. Here are the top 3 organizing habits that have changed my clients' lives and if you implement them into your daily routine, they will change yours too!

1. Don't Buy Stuff I Don't Need

Easier said than done right? It’s easier than ever to get whatever we want whenever we want it; it’s literally at the touch of a button. The habit goes like this: we want something, so we go buy it or order it. It arrives and we have nowhere to put it.

​Here are a few tips to help you implement this new habit:

• Shop from your home before you purchase something new because you may already have it in your home
• Any time you want something, ask yourself, is this a want or a need? If it’s a want, most likely you don’t need it.

2. Stop Buying in Bulk

Most homes are not designed to handle large quantities of items OR the huge boxes and packages that they’re stored in. I have yet to find a house that can accommodate 48 rolls of toilet paper, 12 rolls of paper towels, huge boxes of cereal, and giant bags of chips without taking up precious real estate and making the house look and feel cluttered. I know this may be hard to hear, but it’s so true.

Here are a few tips to help you implement this new habit:

• Avoid shopping at big box stores. Yes, you know the ones. You usually have to have a special “membership” card to get in
• Only buy what you need for the week.​

3. Don't Keep Things "Just in Case"

We all know this feeling. We try to get rid of something, but there’s a little voice in our head saying, “should I keep this just in case?” Spoiler alert: the answer is usually no! By letting go of the things that are holding you back, you will be able to move forward.

Here are a few tips to help you implement this new habit:

• Next time you find yourself saying, “I should keep this just in case,” take a moment to ask yourself a few questions:
  • Do I love this item?
    • If so, keep it
    • If not, let it go
  • Do I need this item?
    • If so, keep it
    • If not, let it go
  • Do I use this item?
    • If so, keep it
    • If not, let it go.​

If you would like to learn more about organizing habits that will change your life, how to get organized, and where to start organizing in your home, sign up for the VIP email list and save $100 off the upcoming course, "Clutter-Free Home: A Step-By-Step Guide to Shift From Feeling Overwhelmed to Organized in 60 Days!"

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Thank you for inviting me into your homes, lives, & hearts.
​xo, Sarah Larsen
Home Organizer in Portland, Oregon