Create an Entryway

Create the perfect mud space/entryway with no built-ins! Having an entryway set up helps keep clutter out of other areas and it also helps you get out of the door faster. Have you ever wasted 10 precious morning minutes looking for your keys? Having an entryway will solve that. What you'll need: hooks, a mirror, a bench, a basket, and a rug!

When looking for hooks think of what you'll be hanging on them: jackets, coats, backpacks, purses, hats, keys, etc. Make sure you select hooks made in a shape that accommodates what you'll be hanging up. Hooks with an end too wide to get keys over usually also don't hold jackets well-they just slip off. You can pick individual hooks that you can screw in yourself or you can pick a piece of wood with hooks already attached. These can usually be put up with command strips if you don't want to put holes in the wall; just keep the weight limit in mind.

Next you'll need a mirror for your last minute check before you walk out of the door. Make sure it's big enough and make sure it's something that represents you.

When searching for a bench consider that you may put dirty shoes on it so make sure it's something you can clean easily. Some benches open up and you can hide the shoes inside. Think about what you would prefer and choose something that will suit your needs.

A basket can be for umbrellas, backpacks, bags, etc. Think about what you'll want to put in your basket before selecting one. An umbrella won't stay upright in a short basket, so you'll need to pick something tall. If you'd rather put your backpack in a basket than hanging it up (or if your backpack is too heavy to hang), measure the backpack before you pick your basket to ensure it will fit comfortably.

Now you'll pick your rug. Pick something durable and fun; it's the last and the first thing you'll see when coming in and out of your residence. Try to find something that will keep a grip on the floor when you wipe your shoes on it. As always, make sure to pick something that reflects you!

The fun part is hanging everything up and getting everything just as you like it. You'll be able to make tweaks to get everything just right-enjoy your entryway!

Moving In Checklist

Congratulations on finding your new residence! Now comes the fun part; making it your home. Before unloading all of your boxes make a quick trip to the store and get: cleaning supplies, dish soap, laundry supplies, a broom, a mop/Swiffer, a vacuum, hand soap, toilet paper, paper towels, some flowers, and a treat for yourself. Take this opportunity to clean the floors, doors, windows, drawers, and shelves/closets before you put all your stuff away.

You can tackle the next step one of two ways: distributing the boxes to their rooms or filling one room with all the boxes. If you've labeled all of your boxes take them straight from the vehicle to the room they will go in. If you havent labeled all of your boxes, drop them all off in the living room.

After all of your boxes are unloaded open them all! Every single one. This will prevent not being able to find something and therefore buying things we don't need. Moving is expensive enough! After you open a box, take everything out of it and pick one place to put your boxes. Go ahead and break them down so you don't accumulate a pile of cardboard. You can take a picture and post them on Facebook marketplace or craigslist and guaranteed someone will come pick them up shortly.

Now that the boxes are out of the way, start putting like items away. Start a list of small items you notice need like a paper towel holder, a utensil organizer, hangers, a shoe rack, a basket for towels, etc. If you don't know where something goes yet, try to group it with similar items and after grouping all the items consider if you would like a piece of furniture to house them, a basket or a shelf and add this to your list. When you start putting things away, really consider where you will need them. You may reshuffle things a few times but that's okay!

Don't know where to start? First, put your flowers on full display-nothing says welcome home like a fresh bouque Put your kitchen items away so you can eat-youll be hungry soon(thank goodness you got yourself a treat)! Then put your bathroom/shower items away because you're going to feel like you need a shower. Next, make your bed because you'll be tired tonight!

The first day is a big day so you probably won't get everything done in one day unless you have help. If you use anything that hasn't been put away yet, put it in its new place immediately after using it. You'll have all your things in their new place in no time.

Enjoy your home!

Clear Cluttered Drawers

We've all been there; cramming an item back in a drawer and slamming it shut before everything falls out. Typically, we only use the things on the top of our clutter because that's what we can see and that's what we have access to. We've all bought an item knowing we have one at home, we just can't find it. It's at the bottom of that cluttered drawer. We frustratingly paw through saying “I know I have one here”. Luckily for you, there is another way! It won't take nearly as long as you think it will and everyone can do it.

Dump the drawer on the floor. Yes, that's right. Dump the drawer upside down and get everything out on the floor. Now, remain calm. Spread everything out. Refrain from grabbing the item you've been looking for and throwing everything back in. Take everything that you know if trash and go put it in the trash. Next, check expiration dates and toss expired items. Now, take everything you want to keep in that drawer and place it on the counter. This is your opportunity to give it a good cleaning! Of your remaining items, decide if they should go somewhere else or if you'd like to sell, donate, or toss them. If you have a product you know doesn't work for you, don't hang on to it out of guilt for how much you paid, pass it along to a friend!

If the items you've decided to keep are scattered across categories, see if you can group them or maybe remove a category and put it in a different place. For example, if you have hair products, hair tools like blow-dryers and straighteners, skincare products, and makeup all together this can be too jumbled. See if you can relocate one or two of these categories so your drawer is more clearly defined. If youre able to further separate items into bins or boxes, great, and if not, that's fine too! Now when you get ready you'll be able to notice how much more relaxed you are and maybe even more punctual. Digging through drawers takes more time and energy than you think it does. Enjoy your clean and organized drawer!

How to Organize Your Closet

To organize any closet, the first step is to understand what is in the closet. Make sure everything in the closet belongs in the closet. Take anything out that you do not want to stay in the closet. This includes any clothes you come across that you no longer want to keep. Set them aside for now and focus on the space of your closet.

Begin to consider how you want to group your clothing. When you get dressed, do you think of the color you want to wear? Do you think of the type of shirt you want to wear whether it's a sweater or a short sleeves shirt? Do you decide what shoes you want to wear before you choose the clothes? That is how you should organize your closet. Organize by the way you get dressed.

If you get dressed by color, begin to group all the colors in your closet. Organize them in whatever way makes you happiest, with your favorite colors first. If you get dressed by the type of clothing, begin to group all types of clothing that you have; crop top, short sleeve, long sleeve, sweater, jacket, coat, etc. Place the groups in whatever order makes sense to you. If you get dressed by choosing your shoes, begin to find an appropriate place to display them as the important step that they are. You can display them by color or type or whatever makes sense to you. If you need to go get shelving, do it. This is an important part of your process and it needs to be allowed space.

Now that you have everything grouped and in it's place take a few days and ensure that your morning flow has become easier or more enjoyable. Since you have taken the first step, you will be able to make tweaks to further streamline your morning process.

Make Space Intentional

All your things are in the room you want them in but now where do they go? The best way to get organized and stay organized is to make your space intentional. Start to think about what you will be doing in the room you are in and how things need to function for your benefit. For example, if you are putting your home office together to suit your needs, make sure your furniture pieces can store everything you need. Before you start putting things in drawers think about what you interact with most frequently and store those items in the easiest to reach places. If you notice that you leave the same thing out on our desk, like a pen, get a fun pen holder or cup to put it in so you can keep it on your desk where you prefer.

If you notice an area is cluttered, consider removing all related items and getting a new shelf or furniture piece specifically for those items. For example, if the area around your printer is cluttered or you find your printer is buried, find a small two drawer shelf that is the right size to put your printer on top. You can designate the top drawer to loose papers you aren't ready to toss and the bottom drawer to the copy paper and ink. In doing this, you've made your printing process more simple and made the space for it intentional.

Maintain

Everything is the way you want it… for now. But what falls apart when life starts happening? No need to worry, it’s just a part of the process-the maintenance process. If you put everything in place and that area only stays the way you want it for a few days or even a few hours, then that system is not working for you. It is common to feel frustrated or discouraged for not being able to keep your space neat but this is not a reflection of you, just of the system you are using.

For example, if you can never keep on top of your clothes, look at your habits. If your dirty clothes end up in a predictable pile on the floor, put your hamper in that area. If you finish drying your clothes but don’t feel like folding them and putting them away, get a designated basket for your clean clothes rather than creating a clean clothes pile. It is important to contain everything so you don’t feel like your clothes are dirty by the time you are ready to fold them because they’ve been sitting out in the open somewhere. If you avoid putting your clothes away because you don’t know where to put them, don’t just throw them in a drawer. Take the time to look in your drawers and organize them according to what works for you. Every type of clothing should have a place. Find a home for everything and ensure it’s home makes sense for you and your habits. If you simply cannot get started on the laundry, time yourself. If you spend more time feeling frustrated by not having clean clothes, looking for clothes, or thinking “I need to do the laundry”, compare the time it takes to actually do the laundry to the amount of time spent on thinking about doing the laundry. Another trick is to add laundry to another habit. After you brush your teeth put clothes in the washer, before you leave for school/work put clothes in the dryer, before your bedtime routine, fold the clothes and put them away. Find what habits work for you to tie together.

Be gentle with yourself in finding what maintenance systems work for you. Notice how you feel after completing daily routines and take a moment to reflect on that feeling compared to the feeling of being overwhelmed by systems that don’t work. With the right maintenance you won’t feel overwhelmed because you know what to do and how to do it. Starting the process takes less time and doing the process becomes second-nature. It is totally okay to have an off-day and having the right systems in place help you pick right back up where you left off.