3 Keys Thursday: 3 Keys to Keeping it Under Control

Dodgerton Skillhause via Morguefile

There's something about writing these posts that keeps me honest. After writing yesterday's post, I took action in three clutter catcher areas, restoring open space in less than fifteen minutes.

That felt good.

Sometimes, the keys to keeping a space neat lie in not letting it get messy (again) in the first place.

Know your trouble spots & prioritize. Which is easiest to keep under control? Which bugs  you the most when it's out of control? If several have gotten out of control at once, where do you start? I did this yesterday. Fully aware that I could easily restore order to several places if I let just one go a little longer, I started with the spots that were easiest to get under control, and was rewarded with beautiful, clear, open space.

Once it's neat, make it pretty. Maybe even take a picture. When a newly organized space looks nice, we're more motivated to keep it looking that way. That's also one of the reasons that form and function aren't the only considerations when we're choosing organizers. If we like the container we use for reasons besides form and function, we're more likely to use it. And that picture? A reminder of how things can be when we use the systems we've put in place.

Finally, consider the "one thing in/one thing out" rule. I don't remember where I learned this, but I do remember latching onto it very quickly. When you get something new, get rid of something old. That keeps the basic quantity of "stuff" in your house relatively stable, and helps to eliminate that feeling of being overrun by possessions.

I dream of a day when my house will always be company ready. Today is not that day, but I'm okay with that because I know I'm moving in the right direction.