Monday Must: AMA: Perfectly Put

Danielle & Amalia started their company, Perfectly Put  to help others experience the freedom and joy they discovered through living an organized lifestyle.  This week they answered questions from our community relating to living a clutter free life and the idea around “enjoying more with less”.

I find organizing so overwhelming. Luckily, I am pretty good at the decluttering part, but figuring out where things go so that everything is easily searchable, but most importantly, easily put back and cleaned up, is hard. Do you have advice for this?

Feeling overwhelmed is a common notion most, if not all of our clients experience - so you’re not alone! Decluttering is a fundamental part of keeping things organized and by the sounds of it, you have that down pat! Remember to declutter on-the-go to avoid feeling overwhelmed. 

As for organizing; the first step is to categorize your items and give them a proper home. Consider functionality when making these decisions. This process should not be rushed, take your time. Remember, it needs to make sense to you in order for it to work. To help with this process, try asking questions like: “How often will I need to access these items?” “Are they seasonal?” “Do they belong in this particular space?" etc. 

The next step is to develop consistent habits. Placing things back in their original home after every use can save you time. Centralizing items will train your brain to automatically remember where they go and avoid the “guessing game.” Try simple tips like labeling baskets, drawers and containers so you’ll have a clear visual at all times. Forming good habits goes a long way. 

Do you suggest daily or weekly tasks to keep a clutter free home? I often feel overwhelmed with keeping everything neat and tidy!

Believe it or not, decluttering can be done on-the-go and it's what we recommend. If you see something throughout your daily routine that no longer serves a purpose or brings you happiness, part with it! Donating is also a great way to deal with the uncertainty! Knowing another household will find joy in the item might make the process easier for you. You may benefit from an initial deep declutter which is always the biggest and sometimes the hardest, but once you see the positive impact, it will make those daily declutter habits fun and exciting. 

I was always a neat freak but then I had kids... How do I balance both without losing my mind!

Our priorities change once the little ones join our lives, however our inner neat freak doesn’t have to! It’s all about creating systems that even the children can follow. We know how overwhelming it can feel at times to juggle life, we’ve all been there! Oftentimes we encourage our clients to run their home like a kindergarten class; labels, baskets and boundaries! Once everyone knows where things belong, everyone is doing it together! It’s important that your family understands that “it's not a you task, it's a family task” By creating easy systems you’re setting everyone up for success!