Although I would like to be able to tell you that you only have to tackle an organizing project once, unfortunately that is not really the case. Maintaining organization systems in your home does take some up keep. However there is good news, if you keep to a regular maintenance schedule, the time and labor to do so will be very minimal.

Now you may be thinking this is terrible news, why would this be the case? Well the fact of life is that our homes aren’t stagnant. We go to the grocery store regularly, buy new clothes, and get bombarded with mail everyday. With this in mind though, we can recognize the areas that have to be more often assessed and those that just need periodical attention.

High Attention Areas:

The spaces that need the most attention are the ones we use the most and have the most frequent additions such as pantries, refrigerators, mail stations and paper filing systems (for home offices). Generally taking a quick sweep of these areas once a week (I like to do this when I do weekly home cleaning) will prevent build up of clutter. This is also a great habit to get into to stay on top of spoiled food and know what you really need when grocery shopping.

Medium Attention Areas:

Rooms that get frequented, but tend not to get new items added to them as often should be audited every couple months. This spaces include bathrooms, laundry rooms, kid’s areas and living spaces. The key here is to make sure there isn’t anything that doesn’t belong and that can lead to clutter accumulation. Trying to make sure all of your items have purpose or meaning to you will help to keep these areas neat.

Low Attention Areas:

These areas are ones that need to get audited about once a year, such as garages, closets, and storage areas. If you’re a bit of a shop-a-holic, your closet may fall into the medium attention area to be able to keep it under control. However for most of us, looking at our clothes once a year to decide what we still love, what no longer tickles our fancy, and what needs to be trashed is often enough.

Overall you should be looking at all areas of your home at least once a year. Even if it is not necessarily going down deep and nit-picking through every bin, you should have a knowledge of where things are and if they are still necessary to keep in your home. This process of assessing and being aware of what is in your house will help you keep on top of your clutter and make maintaining your organized home a breeze.

If you need help getting your home organized, contact Taylor today!