Simplicity & the 7 Minute Sweep

By Renee Ory

Leonardo Da Vinci might have said it best when he said, "Simplicity is the ultimate form of sophistication." Da Vinci also might not have had three kids, all in different sports, a dog, a cat, a full-time career, and a spouse.

We have all these things, events, jobs, moving pieces of our lives that overlap, and over-booked calendars which make it hard for us to keep our homes and spaces tidy. We feel like clutter has grown overnight, especially after the holidays.

This is the perfect time to get organized. With the new year, we often appreciate the feeling of a clean slate. Take advantage of your revived motivation to get your home or office in order and running at full capacity. Researchers say your space and home are a reflection of your mind. If your home is full of clutter, your mind is full of clutter, and vice versa. How does one do this, though? Start small.

Investing in something like a label maker will go a long way in these types of spaces. Get the kids involved, too. This is where you can use the Christmas card. Have them clear space for their new toys and donate toys they don't play with to children that would love to play with now.

In a space like your bedroom closet, utilize the height you're given. Follow a good purge and donation with labeled bins that you can stow things in. Organizing items seasonally is great, especially if you're working with a smaller space. This is also a great time to impart the importance of having a tidy space with your kiddos, as they'll witness you parting with your own things as well.

Oftentimes, we are so busy that we feel overwhelmed by trying to organize whole rooms. Starting small and working your way up to the bigger, clutter-filled portions of your spaces help make organizing seem more manageable and less like a never-ending task.

A quick, 7 minute tidy-up can go a long way. Before you leave your home for the day, pick a room to organize. For example, clearing the kitchen counters or emptying the sink of breakfast dishes will free space for you to use later. It doesn't have to be a huge, overwhelming task every time you get to work organizing. Doing 7 minute sweeps of a room helps you to clear a space of unnecessary debris. Putting shoes where they belong or making a pile of things that you come across that belong in other parts of your home helps.

Use your weekends or days off when you have more time to tackle bigger projects like organizing your office or the kids' playroom.

Give yourself the month to get organized. Investing in a professional organizer is a great foundation as they can help to create functionality of your space. Then you're able to utilize things like organizing apps and countless tools to help keep you on track.

Start your new year off clutter-free!

AMAZING SPACES is an Acadiana-based Professional Organizing Company transforming homes and offices since 2003. Offering a full line of closet and storage systems. Call Renée Ory (337) 296-5506 for appointments and visit the website at AmazingSpaces.org