Want to Feel More Organized? Do These 5 Things Every Day

Getting more organized can be a challenge. However, it doesn’t have to be. While having a completely checked-off to-do list or a beautifully decanted pantry might sound unrealistic, there are steps all of us can take to get on the road. Making a few small changes can transform your organization game completely. Here are five things you can do every day to become just a little more organized.

Wake Up Early

While waking up earlier might sound intimidating, according to Shantae Duckworth, professional organizer and founder of Shantaeize Your Space, it doesn’t mean you need to join the 5 AM Club. She says, “We know that sleep is very important in order to function every day, but even if you just wake up an extra 20 minutes earlier to really give yourself some time or a few minutes to get a couple of small things done around the home, you'll feel like you have control of your day and control of your house.” Try getting up earlier for a week and see how much more organized you become. 

Do Laundry Every Day

Are you constantly digging for that last pair of socks? Does laundry pile-up make you cringe? A daily laundry session can prevent overwhelm. “If you have a big family, doing laundry every day and making sure that the clothes are put away also makes your family feel more organized. We know that laundry can be a handful and it's very time-consuming if you do it all at one time,” says Duckworth.

One easy way to get into the routine of this is to throw in a load first thing in the morning and fold it at night. It will also give you a sense of accomplishment. 

Start Tomorrow Tonight

Lindsey Mahanna, professional organizer and founder of Clutter to Clarity, tells me to start prepping for the next day the night before. This approach can help you hit the ground running. “Each night, review your family's calendar for the next day—are there spirit day clothes to be laundered, lunches to be made, dinner meat to be thawed, backpacks to be packed up? Do you need to set any alarms or reminders on your phone for the next day for putting out the trash or taking kids to dance class,” she says.  

Even if you don’t have a family—doing something as simple as running the dishwasher every evening or getting your clothing out for the next day can be a major game changer. 

Declutter Daily

Briana and Erica Spruille of Just BE Organizing advise decluttering every day. This doesn’t mean constantly sorting through closets, pantries, and drawers. It’s more about taking care of the little things. “Commit to consistent decluttering—assessing your space and regular decluttering is a must. Every day you can notice one thing that no longer serves you,” they explain.

This means getting rid of obvious trash when you see it, like that empty can of sparkling water on your coffee table or tossing that dried-out mascara instead of putting the tube back in your makeup drawer.

Keep Your Eye On The Prize

If your goal is to have an organized home, Anna David, author of the EPIC Goal Workbook, suggests creating a vision board. She says, "The best way to stay organized if you want to meet certain goals is to keep an image of what you want, ideally a vision board-type of collection of images.”

Hang your board in your home office or even inside your closet, so you can see it every day. Then create a separate to-do list from your daily one to help get you to your goal. “If you glance at your images at least once a week, you'll remind yourself why you need to do those things on your list, which will make you more likely to do them,” explains David.