Photos by Laurel Creative.

Let me just start by saying how insane it is that I’M here giving organization tips and tricks when we’re only two weeks into 2020… HA. Happy Wednesday y’all! Today I’m kicking off with a post regarding my recent reorganization and sharing my tips for YOU to reorganize your space. For those who don’t know me very well, I’m not and have never been super organized when it comes to my humble abode. Going into 2020 there was no method to my madness and it wasn’t until November that I realized a big ‘ol change needed to come my way.

With my 2020 productivity I knew I wanted to revamp my space, but in order to do so I would need to free up room, purge old items, and come up with a better storage solution that suits me and my space. I always admire those people who fold their underwear super neatly in a drawer, but let’s just say I have a long ways to go until I’m doing that. One thing I really needed to solve was the fact that I kept losing items in my apartment because my storage solutions were never clear or concise! I’d have a storage cube filled with electronics, and then old decorative wall hooks I used to hang up purses and an Instax Polaroid. No sense! So after weeks of purging and reorganizing, here I am to offer my two cents to help make your lives a little easier if you’re venturing into this process yourself.

1. You have to make a mess in order to get organized. Probably the biggest thing to take into consideration is that in order to go “out with the old and in with the new,” you have to essentially self-induce a tornado in your home. Don’t be afraid to take everything out and put it in front of you so that you can see firsthand what you have. At the same time, also be prepared for the mess you’re about to make with trash bags, cleaning supplies, etc.

2. If you haven’t worn it in a year, it’s likely time to say goodbye. I’m the type of person that holds onto EVERYTHING. I mean shit, I found my SOPHMORE YEAR OF HIGHSCHOOL HOMECOMING DRESS IN MY CLOSET. I AM NEARLY 26 AND COULDN’T FIT INTO A SIZE TWO EVEN IF I TRIED. All theatrics aside, if you haven’t worn it in the last year there’s a good chance you won’t wear it within the next one. Why keep the clutter?

3. Make sure everything has a designated place (that you can see). I’ve had those felt pop up cubes for the last two years and they’re essentially black holes. I throw things in there and instantly forget about them because they turn into a catch all as opposed to storage utensils. I swapped out my cubes with these clear storage bins that fit perfectly above my closet and I can see what’s in each cube instantly! When rearranging I organized by category so that everything has a specific bin and designated place it lives in. No more guessing or throwing in random cubes!

4. Find your most cluttered spots and plan to tackle in a certain time frame. For me, I tried to do everything in about a week/weekend, but what really helped me get to it was thinking I’d clean a certain area within a specific time frame (i.e. I’d give myself 2 hours to conquer my closets then would call my friend to chat). Once we went back to work and things started to get busy again I’d map out which sections of my apartment I’d plan to tackle at night, usually one section a day. It sets a plan and holds you to the progress!

5. When it comes to getting rid of things, utilize third party selling sites to make an extra buck. When I went through to purge a ton of things I clearly separated items between Poshmark (designer items I could sell for a lesser price), Crossroads (a resale shop in NYC that buys gently used clothing), Donation, and Facebook Market Place (optimal and a less sketchy version of Craigslist for selling furniture). Just because you’re saying goodbye to things doesn’t mean you have to do so without earning some cash back!

What do y’all think? Any additional tips or tricks you’d suggest to reorganize in the new year? I’ll continue reorganizing until we’re in February, but a few goals I have for 2020 and keeping my place neat are:

-Keeping up with the trash and not letting it pile up
-Not bringing clutter back to spaces once I’ve finally gotten rid of it
-Getting into the habit of putting things away ASAP whether it’s laundry or unpacking
-Keeping up with laundry so I’m not washing sweaters in the middle of July from last year

Let’s get organized:

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