How decluttering will help you find homes for all the items in your space so you can stay organized #129

One day , one small book called the Life-Changing Magic of Tidying changed everything and I began to learn strategies for making everyday life easier . Today , I have the systems in place that means life can throw almost anything at me , and I want to share them with you . If you're an overwhelmed mum struggling to keep it together , then this is the podcast for you .

Grab a coffee and settle in for a quick chat with someone who gets your reality . Hello and welcome to this latest episode of the living clutter free forever podcast . If it's the first time you've been listening , I am so happy to have you here .

I'm really glad you found us and if you're returning and you've listened to an episode previously , thank you for coming back . I'm listened to an episode previously . Thank you for coming back .

I'm really looking forward to talking to you about today's topic , because it's actually something that's come up as a result of a message I got on Instagram from somebody who follows me and who also listens to the podcast .

Akshaya , you're listening this is a shout out to you and she was letting me know that she finds it really hard to find the right home for every item . So she's trying to tidy up and organize and she's just really , really struggling to find the right home .

And I don't know about you , but the frustration of constantly searching for items or the overwhelm of dealing with clutter is just sometimes too much .

It's really stressful , especially if you're under time pressure , you're trying to find something to get out of the house or because you've got an event happening and you just can't because you don't know where you left it .

And it gets particularly bad , I think , around the holiday season because of the fact that we are pulled in so many different ways when it's holiday time .

So I wanted to talk about this today , and what we're going to do is I'm going to explain why assigning a home to every item , including your seasonal decorations , is just an absolute game changer , and I'm also going to dive into how using the KonMari method as a guide a framework , if you like will really help , and I'll give you some tips on how to set up

your spaces and also make some reference to ADHD strategies , because I know that a lot of you listening have an ADHD diagnosis or have kids with an ADHD diagnosis . So let's start off with why finding a home for everything matters . I think it's really important , when we're tidying , to be purposeful about it , and the KonMari method really helps you with this .

There is this emphasis on intentionality that helps give every item a designated place , so it means that when you're tidying up , it makes it faster and easier because everything has got a place to go back to . So that's the first thing . Then there's the fact it gives you this peace of mind and mental clarity .

Everything having a place to go back to is going to reduce decision fatigue , and who these days is not suffering from decision fatigue ?

It's going to help us feel less overwhelmed , and another outcome is that it's going to create a calming environment for us , and it's very clear to me , having gone through the whole process 10 years ago of KonMari-ing our home , that the environment feeling calm makes me feel less overwhelmed , and everything having a place to go back to just reduces the decision

fatigue hugely . And then the final part of this is that it's going to release the mental load .

So we at the moment perhaps , are having to juggle all this stuff in our heads , we're having to remember where things might be , where they should be , and that creates extra mental load in our day , whereas if we have got a dependable routine for where items belong , we're going to remove that mental load . We're going to know where things are .

There's not going to be any might or could anymore , and that makes such a difference on a day-to-day basis . Try and think of a time during the day where you know you're searching for something or you're wanting to put something away but can't find a space for it , and how that makes you feel .

If we could get rid of these stressy feelings , this overwhelm , it just makes life so so much simpler . So the KonMari Methods approach to assigning a home for everything is to declutter first . Now I'm going to be totally transparent with you . It is really hard to find a good home for everything if you still have a lot of clutter . It just is .

So the first thing you need to do is declutter , and I know that you don't feel like you have time to declutter . So I have created a really brilliant guide on how to declutter using just 15 minutes a day . Yes , you heard me right just 15 minutes a day .

I will put the link in the show notes for my declutter guide and you can grab that , and you will also then receive some emails from me with extra tips , because I know how hard you are finding it to find the time for decluttering . But that is the first thing . It's key to understanding what you actually need to find homes for .

If you're trying to find homes for everything but actually you've got a ton of stuff that you don't ever use or need and doesn't bring you any joy , then you're just making the whole job so so much harder . So , talking about joy checking , we're going to use it as a tool . We're going to ask does this spark joy to help determine what to keep ?

And at the moment , at the time of this recording , we're heading into the holiday season , so seasonal decor , for example , can accumulate over time . So joy checking it can keep the collection meaningful and manageable , meaning you have actually got space to store it all , and then you can move on to assigning a space with intention .

When you don't have all this extra clutter , you can really think about where each category of items lives , based on accessibility , frequency of use and also what storage options you have available in your home , and that is something that will come with practice .

You may , for example , put one category away in a place and then , after you've done a bit more decluttering , you will find that actually there is a better place for that because you've now freed up some space in a different drawer or cupboard . So that is something that comes with practice . But assigning a space with intention is half the battle .

And then you've got to find homes for the categories of items , and this is where it starts to be really important to think about whether they are everyday items or occasional items .

Everyday items need prime , easy access storage versus things like your seasonal decor , which can be tucked away somewhere that it's a bit harder to get to because you don't need access to them every day . You need to be creative , perhaps , about your solutions for storage . So I have got my Christmas decorations in a plastic Ikea box .

We actually have two plastic Ikea boxes .

One of them has all the decorations and the lights for the tree and then any other lights that we would put up anywhere else , and then the other box has got general decor that we put up around the home , and it means that I can store them under the roof in an attic space and when we get to that time of year I can get them down .

I also have stored in there Christmas linens like tablecloths , cushion covers , because I don't need those in my prime locations the whole year taking up space , and it means that when we get down the Christmas decorations I automatically have access to everything else that I'm going to need in the holiday season as well .

So really think about how you're going to set them up so that you have easy access to them and for seasonal decoration , really think about places like attics or basements or under the bed , using dedicated bins . I have everything labeled so that I know what is in which box .

So you might have , for example , if you've got a box for spring decorations or Easter decorations , then write it on the box , or Christmas lights . It makes it easier to get them out and quick and simple to find . And then you've got sentimental items or rarely used items .

So think about having a specific spot where they're going to be , but you're going to keep them in a place that you don't need access to them frequently .

So with a lot of my clients we have created a memory box or a sentimental box and that is stored at the top of the closet on a high shelf , tucked up at the back out of the way , because we don't need access to it all the time , but if we find something , or something becomes a sentimental item .

We know where the box is , we can get it down and we can add that item to it . And I also think that it is really important to have zones for functionality . So what I mean by this is assigning a zone for each category , literally each category . So it means that you can locate the items more easily .

So , for example , kitchen gadgets stay in the kitchen , winter gear goes in the entryway or the closet . Dog paraphernalia for taking the dog for a walk gets stored near the front door or the back door , depending which way you go out , in a box or in a drawer , so that you've got easy access to it and when you come in , they go back there .

So always gathering together categories and storing them in one place means that not only do you know where they are , but the rest of the family do too , which is absolutely amazing . Now , the next thing I'm going to talk about makes these systems ADHD friendly , but they're also things that are amazing for anybody to use .

So I would highly recommend , as I've already said , using labels and visual cues on bins and boxes so that you know what is being stored in there . There is real power in having clear bins so that you can actually see what's in there . You maybe could use colour coded labels and make the storage spaces visually intuitive .

So the things at the front are the things you're going to be using every day . The things stored at the back maybe you only use once a week or very , very irregularly .

If you're in the kitchen , use your high up storage for storing those kitchen items that really are seasonal and don't get used very often . So if you have something huge for cooking a goose in , for example , or the turkey , then have it high up in the kitchen because you're only going to need it once a year .

So this goes back to keeping it simple and accessible . Simplicity is the key to this working for you long term . The more complicated you make the system , the less likely it is that you're going to be able to maintain it so frequently . Use items within reach and make sure the system works for everyone in your home .

There is no point having a place for coats to go back to , but your two-year-old can't hang their coat up because they can't reach . Have a low down hanger or hook for that child or somewhere that they can put their shoes that's accessible for them when they come in .

Or if you want them to be involved in being able to get something to drink in the kitchen and your child's age five but they can't reach the high cupboards , then have cups and beakers in places that are available for them , like a low drawer or cupboard , so they can get them out . And then regularly re-evaluate your organization systems .

I do this every few months . I will just go through a cupboard or a drawer and just make sure there's not build up happening and ensure that homes for items are still serving their purpose . Things change . How our home is set up now is really different to how I set it up 10 years ago . 10 years ago I had three kids , all under the age of seven .

We had a house full of toys . We had little people that couldn't reach to get things . I've now got a 17-year-old , a 15-year-old and a 12-year-old . They can all reach the cupboards . They don't have toys anymore . So everything has been rejigged and rearranged because I don't need to be making sure everything's accessible .

So really think about regularly looking at whether it is still functioning and servicing your family as they are now . And one thing that I'm always talking in my membership clutter free collective about is habit stacking for returning items . If you don't put things away , it's going to get really cluttered in your home really really quickly .

So putting things back immediately after use , building that habit of returning items to their home , is so , so important , and I know it's difficult . We have a saying now in the membership put the damn thing away , because we know we're really bad at using something and saying oh yeah , I haven't got time now , I'll do it later .

We haven't got that one minute , really , because we know where that thing goes back to now . We haven't got the time I do think we have . Know where that thing goes back to now . We haven't got the time I do think we have . And we really tend to put things off on a day-to-day basis because we think we're saving ourselves time in the moment .

But look at how much work we create for ourselves later having to go around and put all of this stuff away . So what are the benefits of an organized home beyond clutter-free living ? You're going to save time and energy by knowing where things are .

It is going to save time because you're not going to be searching for things , and it's going to save your energy and your decision fatigue because you're not having to make repetitive decisions all the time Where's this going to go back to , or where did I leave this ?

It's going to create a calmer space for you , and there is a huge correlation between organized spaces and emotional well-being , especially in homes where clutter has got particularly overwhelming .

I am somebody who , as I have said many times on this podcast , I am naturally very disorganized , but for me to walk into my living room and for there to be only a couple of things out that we're currently using it just makes me feel calm , and I've had to work at it .

This has not come easily to me , applying the KonMari method and doing so much work on habit building and mindfulness and understanding how my brain works and why I need the system that I do for me .

It's taken the work , but it's been worth it , because I now have a home in which I feel calm , and so I would highly recommend you grabbing my free guide to 15 minute decluttering , because I know it's going to make a difference for you and it's like the kickstart you need to actually get going , just to be spending 15 minutes each day for seven days , which

is what this guide is going to help you with . It will make such a difference to kickstarting new habits and getting you in the flow , ready for the holiday season . Let's finish off with some tips for sustaining these systems long term , which is what I'm all about . I don't want you doing all the work and it , in six months time , being back to how it was .

I highly recommend doing a seasonal refresh so , as you get out the decorations and then pack them away again later , just do a bit of decluttering , tidy them up , update the homes for items that you want to keep , stay flexible but consistent .

So finding a balance between keeping routines , which are going to help you stay on top of things , but also being able to adjust them slightly and tweak things as life changes , that is really important and that will help you stay on top of it long term .

And finally , and the most important thing , which I love , on Wednesdays , we always have Wednesday wins in the membership . Celebrate the small wins , recognize and celebrate the progress you have made by committing to finding homes for everything . Even these tiny , small changes are going to have a big impact on your daily life .

Now , before I say goodbye today , I would like to say a massive thank you . I am really excited to let you know that this podcast has now made it into the top 3% of all podcasts worldwide , and that is down to you , thank you , thank you , thank you . If you haven't yet left a review , it makes such a difference .

So if you listen on Apple , there you can scroll through and you'll eventually , after about four or five episodes , come to a place where you can leave five stars or write a review . If you have time to do that . It can be something as simple as love this podcast , great tips . You don't need to write an essay , so that would be really helpful .

Thank you , because it means that more people get to find out about the podcast , the more reviews there are and other crazy things have been happening . Podcasts are split into different categories , and this podcast is in the home and garden category , and last week we were number one in Hong Kong , number one in El Salvador .

If you listen in El Salvador , please , please , send me an email and let me know . I want to say thank you , or if you're in Hong Kong , for that matter , and also in Canada . We jumped a huge 140 places and landed at number 11 in the charts .

So things are really starting to happen for this podcast and it means that more people are going to get to listen to it .

So keep telling people about it , tell your friends about it . Let's spread the word and let's make a huge difference to as many people as we can . And let's make a huge difference to as many people as we can . I would love to help as many people as I can create calm and peaceful home environments , because I know firsthand what a difference it makes .

Until next time , if you've enjoyed this episode , please send the link to a friend you know would appreciate it , subscribe and leave a review . I look forward to bringing you more organizing tips next time , but if you can't wait until then , you can go to my website or find me on instagram , at carothor , or on facebook at caroline organizer .

Thanks for listening and I look forward to guiding you on your journey to find your clutter free ever after .