Feel Happiest At Home

By Hadley Watson

Are you one of the many people who have “Get Organized” as their New Year resolution? I am a Professional Home Organizer and I am here to tell you to go ahead and ditch that resolution. Why? Because organization is not something you “get”. It’s not something you achieve. And if that is how you are approaching it, then I guarantee that “get organized” will be the unicorn you are always chasing. 

Having an organized home or office, or organized life, is a practice. It consists of simple systems that work for you and your lifestyle, and utilizing those systems daily. It is attainable only when it becomes routine.

So how do you get started in your organizing practice? 

The first step is analyzing what is working for you and recognizing what is not. What are the areas of your home that you are happiest with, and why? For some, it may be the kitchen since the chaos is hidden behind cabinet doors, making it look tidy even when it’s not. For others, it may be your carefully curated and styled open shelves because it’s all the things you love looking at. The spaces you enjoy spending time in will inform your organization systems for other areas. 

Next, determine what needs to be organized. Your organizing approach will vary depending on the scope of the project. Think of your house as a whole, and how what you want to organize fits into the function of the home. For instance, don’t just note that you need to organize the primary bathroom. Instead list that you need to organize make-up, hair products, linens, and cleaning supplies. This will help you to see redundancies in your list and areas where you can combine tasks and improve efficiency.  

The next step is to take inventory and declutter. Excess and redundancy can quickly make a space feel overwhelming. If there is a room or an area that you do not feel settled in or don’t enjoy being in, this is likely the cause. Clutter affects your mental well-being and keeps you from fully relaxing in a space. Determine what no longer serves you or works for you. What will you not miss or replace if it breaks or disappears? These are items that have fulfilled their use to you and should be passed on to someone else or thrown away. 

Getting started tips and tricks:

  • Start small. Don’t set out to organize your whole closet, start with your pants. If you have a lot of pants, break it down further and start with work pants (AKA jeans, in my world!). Be able to start the project and complete it in one session. 
  • Try things on, assemble things, count parts. Put in the work to make sure the item you are deciding on is still functional and usable. Get the family involved in this; set up a game table and put out all the games for them to play with to determine if they are still functional. Count cards and puzzle pieces while watching TV or listening to music.
  • Be realistic. Remember that you are starting this practice in order to enhance your current day-to-day living and reclaim control of your home. Don’t hold on to the bread machine because you aspire to be a baker one day. Get rid of clothes that don’t fit. Donate empty photo albums and other unused craft materials. Meet yourself where you are today. 
  • Enjoy the process. Give yourself space to revel in the memories you uncover, laugh at the birthday cards you re-read, send your BFF a picture of those hideous shoes. Don’t become too bogged down with the task at hand. Listen to a podcast, have a dance party in the closet, celebrate the small victories as you go. As long as you are giving yourself time to finish the project in one session, you might as well have some fun. 

Feel Happiest At Home is a monthly column that will share insights into home organization best practices. We will touch on specific areas of the home, digital clutter, paperwork, objects, purchasing with intention, downsizing, and feeling happiest at home. There will be how-tos and tips to keep yourself on track, and what to do when none of it is working. Visit our website www.HomeGirlNC.com and Instagram @athomeinblowingrock to see us in action.

Hadley Watson is a Professional Home Organizer with NAPO. She is the founder of Home Girl, offering home organization, move management, and downsizing services, and At Home in Blowing Rock, a home interiors boutique. She strives for everyone to “Feel Happiest At Home”.