How To Declutter & Organize Your Home? Tips & Hacks

First, let’s be clear on one thing, no bins and no containers will ever make your home organized, but your habits will!

Read more about ideas on forming new habits and tracking them (get your free printable here).

Between balancing a career, marriage, kids, finances, chores, travels (and if you are lucky then some me time), and have a social life amidst all these responsibilities (aka a balancing act) takes a lot out of us, especially in terms of time and energy.

And quickly cleaning and organizing become the last priority on that long never-ending list and things can get out of control even more quickly. Especially if you are a shopaholic, a hoarder, and/or switch up the decorations in your home every single season/occasion (guilty, GUILTY, GUILTY!)

But, this is no rocket science and we do not need superhero powers to have a clean and organized home. It is extremely simple logic and purely lies in the act of how we go about each action (aka habits) –

Do you hang your clothes after trying on your new purchases or do you let them sit on the couch/bed for weeks before you get to them (cuz you are unsure about them)? And did you buy the same outfit in 3 different colors even though you have no need for it?

Do you put things back where they belong after you use them or do you let them sit on the kitchen/bathroom counter until you go on your next cleaning spree? And the next time you want to use this said item you can’t find it and then quickly go on Amazon Prime to order one more of the same item, or maybe even 2 more just to be safe in case you misplace it yet again?

Do you dedicate 5-10 minutes each night to clean up your kitchen after dinner or is it a once in a while ritual?

Do you pack and put away the decorations once you bring them down or do you let them occupy the dining room until you have guests over?

Notice a distinct pattern here?

Knowingly or unknowingly we all follow a pattern, and that is because of our personal habits, good or bad.

And I know, it is ironic that I am writing about decluttering and organizing the house while my home (looks) looked as if there was an explosion, at least that’s been the state of my home for the most part in the last 3-4 months (you already know this if you have been following me on Instagram).

I know it is a problem, and I know I have a problem, and I will be the first one to admit that! I need to get back on track with decluttering and keeping my home organized.

The thing is, I am not a messy person, the mess in facts messes with how I function. Too much clutter around me doesn’t allow me to think or work as productively as I am capable of.

I very well know how to effectively organize things and keep the house clean (know what Monica clean is? I am that person!).

But when life happens, I let my home look like the aftermath of a whirlwind!

And believe you me, I already have all the containers and bins and organizers (enough to keep not just one home but even two homes organized) and yet none of those helped, you know why?

Because of my habits, rather not following through my good habits, is the missing piece of the puzzle!

But it (is) was about time that I took action and implemented some tips from my own home cleaning tips to get my house back in order.

And I am happy to announce that with the exception of one room in the entire house (there is always that one room right!? It is next on my list though), I am mostly decluttered and organized.

If any (or all of the above) rings a bell then this declutter and organizing tips and hacks blog post is for you my friend. And this post will also be a reminder to me if and when I slip.

It is also one of my goals (read more about goal setting and successfully achieving them here) this year to keep on top of keeping my home clean and organized, so much so that I won’t mind having guests over at a moments notice (if you know you know ;)).

How To Declutter & Organize Your Home?

Tips & Hacks To A Clean House!

1. The first step to organizing your home is to declutter. Start small and don’t let yourself feel overwhelmed even before you begin.

2. Be realistic about how much you can/will declutter. Don’t be hasty and throw something out only to realize that you don’t have it anymore when you actually need it cuz you went on a decluttering spree. Not all of us are minimalists and that isn’t the goal here either (at least not for me).

3. Instead have a dedicated place for everything where you can keep all your belongings without them having to occupy the floor, the couch, the bed, the dining table, etc, you get the point!

4. Practice the 2-minute rule, if you are able to get something done in 2 minutes then do it right away instead of waiting until later. For example, after breakfast rinse and put your mug/plate/bowl directly in the dishwasher rather than let those dishes pile up in the sink.

5. Put it away instead of putting it down!

6. Have a place for everything and practice putting everything back in its place! So you don’t have to worry about where you will put that new pair of boots you bought because your shoe rack is overflowing. Evaluate as you make the purchase and buy another shoe rack if needed or plan on donating a few old pairs of shoes (something new in then something old out).

7. Keep things where you use them so you don’t get lazy and let them lay there forever. This way you are more likely to put them back immediately after use. For example, don’t keep something you need in the bedroom in the bathroom. This is where organizers come in handy, and having a proper system in place always always helps.

8. Create a habit/routine and tackle cleaning/keeping things organized just by spending a few extra minutes as you go about your day. It is what organized people do differently, dedicating some time throughout the day so they don’t have an unorganized messy home by the end of the week and feel overwhelmed about tending to it.

9. Also, #PACT15 during or at the end of the day so you don’t end up spending 3 precious hrs during the weekend just cleaning your home (read more about it here). When I follow it my home is always in top shape but when I let that slide is when my home ends up looking like a freaking disaster zone!

10. Have a dedicated place in the house where you will keep miscellaneous items such as the return items, library books, borrowed items, etc. Use a basket or shelf as needed to hold them until you are able to tend to them.

11. Organize first and only then buy organizing bins, containers, etc as needed. Use clear containers as much as possible. Think vertical organization with stackable bins and containers to create more space. Use square and rectangle containers as round ones occupy more space.

12. Label everything clearly so everyone in the house knows where things belong, keeping your home organized isn’t just your responsibility and job alone.

13. Assign chores including decluttering, cleaning and organizing to everyone in the house. At the end of the day make sure everyone has done their bit (until it becomes a habit to everyone else too).

14. Do NOT re-clutter. Be extra cautious of the paper clutter and junk drawers that can quickly get out of control.

15. Keep in mind that decluttering, cleaning and organizing is not a one and done process or project. It is an iterative process, once you implement a system/process you might quickly realize that it does not work for you/your family or is not the most optimal solution. In that case, quickly switch up that process/system to see what else might work?

16. If you want to begin with a clean slate then start by spring cleaning your home. Refer to this post for all the tips, how to’s and a free printable.

17. Create a cleaning routine or system in your calendar and follow through as you would any other important aspects of your life!

18. Remember, a clutter-free and organized home not only saves you a lot of time and agony (because you can’t find that belt and you just spent half an hour looking for it right before you leave for work) but also leads to a clutter-free mind and provides an environment for you to think clearly!

On that note, here’s to an organized home, and an organized lifestyle!