• About
  • Contact
  • Courses
  • Binder Kits
  • Collaborate
  • Nav Social Icons

  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
  • Organize
  • Projects
  • Lifestyle
  • Crafting
  • Seasonal
  • Courses
  • Binder Kits
  • Media and Press
  • Mobile Menu Widgets

    Connect

    Search

Organized-ish

Organized-ish

Progress > Perfection

  • Organize
  • Projects
  • Lifestyle
  • Crafting
  • Seasonal

The Quickest Way To Gain Organizing Momentum

April 23, 2021 · In: Organize

Learn the simple but effective method for gaining traction and boosting your motivation when it comes to organizing your house and your life.

Sometimes the hardest part about getting organized is just getting started. I totally get it! But what if I told you that I had a quick little hack to turn procrastination into motivation and get the organizing momentum you need to get that snowball rollin’? Now this isn’t a get-organized-quick-scheme (see what I did there?) but this secret will at least get you excited about moving towards your organization goals. Ready?

How To Start Organizing

It’s actually pretty simple. Start small.

End of blog post. Mic drop. Later Toots!

Kidding!

But for real, you do need to start small. If you try to start your journey to a more organized lifestyle by pulling everything out of your kitchen cabinets, you’re going to be overwhelmed, cussing profusely, ordering home-delivery wine, and never speaking to me again.

You wouldn’t waltz right into a gym for the first time, booty-bump the biggest guy in the room out of the way, and squat 500 pounds, would you? That kitchen of yours is the 500 pound bar full of weights.

So how about organizing something small and working your way up to that big bad kitchen? Maybe it’s a junk drawer, or your dresser, or even your purse. Just seeing a small change will make you pumped to see what else you can do.

Drawer Organization Tutorial -Before

How To Choose Your Starting Point

So I know I just told you to start small. But there are so many small spaces in your home! How will you ever choose? Let me save you from the overwhelm and share my biggest secret.

When I am working with a new client, I always ask them this question: “What’s something that’s been bugging you lately?”

Have you had a Tupperware avalanche three times in two weeks? Did you have a minor freak-out sesh yesterday because your junk drawer looked like a landfill? Couldn’t find your craft scissors so you drove to the store and just bought another pair?

The biggest way to gain momentum and confidence in your decluttering and organizing goals is by making a change in one of these small but annoying spaces.

Think back over the last few days and try to remember something that really bugged you. And if you can’t think of anything, ask your spouse or kids. They’ll likely recall some kind of complaint you had recently.

Hold Up!

Before you move on to the next step, take a photo of the space you chose. Don’t clean it up, don’t move anything at all. Just take a photo with your phone of the mess in all it’s glory. Just trust me on this.

Lela Burris organized desk drawer with labels
Psst: Love these drawer labels? Here’s the tutorial!

Now Empty That Space

Whatever the small little area it is, empty it out completely. Every single thing. Even drawer liners or dividers or shelves. Clear out the whole damn thing.

Give the space a good cleaning using disinfectant and a shop vac if needed.

Once it’s all cleaned up, sort through the items you removed and see if anything doesn’t belong. You’ll likely find things that shouldn’t even be there, things that don’t work, or even some trash along the way. Weed out anything that shouldn’t go back into the space (and put them where they do go so they don’t clutter up a new space) so you can see what you’re workin’ with. *Cue the Missy Elliot lyrics now!*

Fill And Organize The Space Now

Now you can finally start reorganizing! As you’re filling back up the drawer or cabinet or closet or whatever area you chose, be extra considerate of how you actually use it.

Not how Pinterest says it should look, not how magazine photos are styled. How you, specifically you use the space. This may mean it won’t look Insta-worthy. It may mean you’ve got a pair of socks in your purse. And it may mean there’s a paint brush in your bathroom drawer. (Hey, I dunno how you use your bathroom!)

Add containers and boxes and organizers as you need them, but don’t stress over aesthetics. If all you have is a cut-up shoebox to use as a Tupperware lid holder, use it Girl! You can always switch it out later for something pretty, but I guarantee it will work exactly the same as an acrylic bin from The Container Store.

Take Another Photo

Ready to REALLY see the fruits of your labor? Take a new photo of the space from the exact same angle you took the first photo. This is known as a Before And After, and it’s the most motivating thing you’ll ever do. Seeing that side-by-side comparison of the real impact your mini project has made will leave you so stinkin’ excited to do this again.

Wanna really hold yourself accountable? Send me your before and after pics in an Instagram DM, Facebook Message, or Email. I’d love to see how you did, and offer you some personalized encouragement to keep going.

And check out this post for more info on Where To Start When You Don’t Know Where To Start

By: Lela Burris · In: Organize · Tagged: declutter, organizing hack, quick win, small space, where to start

more posts you'll love

How To Declutter When You’re A Sentimental Person
10 Things To Organize While Watching TV
20 Things I Don’t Buy Anymore To Save Time, Money, & Waste

Get Blog Posts In Your Inbox

Every Saturday morning I send out a weekly recap of all the new blog posts. Want in?

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. BocaExecuSpace says

    May 12, 2023 at 5:29 am

    Every space matters when you have a small space to make as a workspace, and I wouldn’t say I like clutter around me. On the contrary, it irritates me, and I have a bad mood. So to be productive, a neat and organized workspace helps me. Thanks for this article. It helps me!

    Reply
    • Brad Gandy says

      May 22, 2023 at 9:50 am

      We’re glad we could help. We spin in circles in a cluttered room and don’t get as much done as we would like, so we can relate.

      Reply
  2. Eric White says

    June 19, 2020 at 2:16 pm

    yep i really needed that guide, things are all around my place :/

    Reply
    • Brad - Admin says

      June 19, 2020 at 3:27 pm

      I’m glad we could help, Eric.

      Reply

Leave A Comment Cancel reply

Next Post >

My Most-Used Organizing Products From Target

Primary Sidebar

Meet Lela Burris

Meet Lela Burris
hey-o!

My name is Lela, (say it like LEE-luh) and I'm so glad you stopped by my blog! Whether you're into organizing, home improvement, crafts, or you just think my pets are cute, you'll find all kinds of inspo here.

Tell Me More!

Connect

Get VIP Emails

Search

Shop My Planners

printable planners for home organization

Organize Your Craft Room

lela burris organiziedish

Hang With Me

  • Email
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube

Follow Along

@lelaburris

Wait for the last one… 🤩 Sherry @younghousel Wait for the last one… 🤩
Sherry @younghouselove downsized quite a bit a few years ago and it proving that you CAN be organized in a small home with kids and pets. Didn’t she do an amazing job with all these spaces?
Pretty sure she was being modest with her grade prediction because I’d give her a definite A!
Which organized space of hers is your favorite? I’m in LOVE with her laundry closet! 🥰
She buys most of her organizers from Amazon and Ikea and you can tour her whole house on her blog, YouTube, and IG Story highlights. Sherry is one of my BFFs so if you aren’t already following her, do it now! Her Story content is the most entertaining part of my day. 🙌🏼
Do you pack minimally or overpack when you travel? Do you pack minimally or overpack when you travel?
I used to be that person that packed WAY more than I needed and was always overwhelmed with a messy suitcase halfway through my trip. When I started downsizing the clothes I packed to just what I needed, I spent less time picking out what to wear and cleaning up messy piles, and more time enjoying my trips.
But I’ll admit, if I could bring my whole sneaker collection with me so I’d have all the options, I totally would. 😂😂
#packwithme #packingtips #vacationplanning #monostravelcompanion #minimalistpacking
Have you tried this yet? I did not expect it to wo Have you tried this yet? I did not expect it to work this well the first time I did it but now I’ll never dust baseboards any other way.
It also works well on door panels, picture frame moulding, chair rails, and even gets those hairs off back of the toilet that tend to stick and slide around when cleaning. 🙌🏼
#cleaningmotivation #cleaninghacks #cleaningtips
Do you have a command center in your house? If you Do you have a command center in your house? If you’ve been planning on adding one, here are three tips for customizing it so it works for you:
1. Add a calendar so the whole family is on the same page about what’s going on that month.
2. Decide what needs to be stored in your command center and add storage based on those needs. Don’t worry about what other people use or keep in their own command center because we all live different lives and need different things.
3. Don’t try to make your family change their habits. If they’re used to dropping keys on the counter, a hook may not work for them. Instead, give them a bowl or tray to drop keys in. And if they’re used to sticking reminders on the fridge, add a bulletin or magnet board so they can put them there. Work *with* your family’s habits, not against them.
See the full project and get more command center setup tips in my newest YouTube video. All the product sources I used here are saved in the description of that video too. 🙌🏼
#commandcenter #organizationideas #homeorganization

Footer

Browse By Category

  • Organize
  • Projects
  • Lifestyle
  • Crafting
  • Seasonal

Get Organized-ish

  • Courses
  • Printable Planners
  • Shop My House
  • Amazon Faves

Blog Info

  • Contact
  • Media and Press
  • Disclosures
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions

Organized-ish LLC © 2023 · Theme by 17th Avenue