The key ingredient to get organized

Monday, January 11, 2021

My pantry was disorderly for 13 months. I basically would shove items in there without looking back. I wished it was organized. I didn't do anything about it. 

I came to a breaking point when we had guests for Christmas. The guest couldn't find anything they needed and neither could I. Still, I kept the pantry the same way: messy. 

We went on vacation and when we can back, I found a free hour so I started organizing. 

I started by taking everything out of the pantry. I organized the spices alphabetically. I placed them in such a way that we all can see what we have with little effort. 

I threw away a lot of expired items. I downsized the huge amount of cinnamon I found. My coffee is happily stacked with coffee filters. I was surprised by the joy I felt when I closed the kitchen cabinets after admiring the work I did one last time.

Organizing is the best. Why didn't I do it before? Basically, I didn't have time. When I don't have time, I just go with the flow.

Lack of time is the number one reason why some spaces in my home are not organized. Time really is a key ingredient when it comes to organization.

Another key ingredient is the resources you use while organizing. I believe in using what I have. In this case, I used a trash can, my own counter and a sponge to clean the cabinets once they were empty. 

I don't think that buying more clutter can make you more organized. Sometimes we do need to purchase a few things but if going to the store is going to steal from organization time, I choose to stay home and do the work. 

Find the time and use what you have. You will see immediate results that way.

I must warn you that I know my kitchen cabinet will need to be organized again. I'm okay with that. My main goal is to get to a place where organizing my home is a habit, not an event.

Sure, some areas of my home might be a bit neglected now. Never fear: as soon as I have one hour at my disposal, I will dedicate all my attention to decluttering the space so I can use it to my advantage. 

Question: what is the top area of your home that needs to be decluttered? When can you dedicate 1 hour to do that?