How I Finally Got More Organized

It’s no secret I LOVE to de-clutter and get rid of things. I honestly used to hate it and I felt like the more stuff the better but more often than not I’d just find myself surrounded by piles of stuff. I would constantly be trying to organize these piles and once I was done with one there would just be another one waiting to be stuffed in draws or put up on high shelves in closets not to be seen for months.

I think my big turning point came when I got married and two weeks later had to move across the country with my new husband, just knowing I’d be living in my first house as a wife put me in a different mind state. I had this vision in my head of the wife I wanted to be and the perfectly clean, organized, well-kept home I wanted to maintain. It was easier going through my closet knowing I wasn’t going to be needing all those mini dresses I bought for nights in Miami or those six inches Steve Madden heels that had seen better days. I was now a wife, and it was time to start dressing like one.

I love to cook, to organize, and to clean (as funny as that sounds) but, its only because I love the end result, that feeling that goes along with it. I wanted so badly for my laundry room and kitchen to look like the ones on Pinterest, and for its many supplies, to have a sense of order. So I bought cute inexpensive matching basket organizers in different sizes for the laundry room and draw organizers for the kitchen and while organizing with my new buys I decluttered at the same time. I didn’t need four measuring cups or random dishes from pointless Homegoods shopping sprees in my cupboard, so off to Goodwill they went (as a tax write off of course!).

I’ve learned a lot about de-cluttering and here are the five rules I feel have helped me the most-

• Adopting A Different Mindset- Thinking of myself as a married woman and not a single girl in clubs every weekend helped me so much in clearing out my wardrobe. From old clutches to little dresses it was time to pass those items on.
• Is This Item Something I Would Buy Today? – Asking yourself that question can easily help you realize what should go and what should stay. If that sweater is something you are holding onto because it was a gift but you know you are never going to wear it there are plenty of people out there who can benefit from it, plus giving to the needy always feels good!
• Getting Things Out Of Sight- This is something I am so guilty of! After I make a donation bag if it’s not dropped off right away there is a big chance I’ll end up going through it and pulling things out of it. So as soon as the bag is filled up or my declutter project of the day is done in the car and off to the donation box it goes.
• Mindless Shopping- Gone are the days of useless TJ Maxx trips and hours browsing Pier1 for corny holiday decorations. Now I only buy “forever pieces,” things that are more classic, that I know will hold up for years to come, that I’ll want to take with me the next time I move, and proudly display it no matter where I am living.
• Using Inspiration- It’s so easy to get into a slump, your responsibilities get most of your time, things start to pile up, I get it, life happens. But, when you say to yourself “I want to organize this pantry” a quarter of the work is already done. If you don’t know where to start or how to organize it Pinterest will be your best friend. Looking at those pictures helps in so many ways, from giving you a clearer vision of what you want your project to look like, to giving you tips on how to get there. Nothing gives me more of a push than some good old “Pinspiration.”

What’s your biggest de-cluttering tips? Be sure to comment down below! And follow our Pinterest page for more de-cluttering tips and tricks!

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