Tidy Up Your Life

1. Tidiness Transcends Aesthetics: It's a Holistic Life Process

Tidying is the deeply personal, emotional, and joyful process of bringing order to things.

Beyond Surface Level. Tidying isn't just about a clean house; it's a comprehensive approach to life. It encompasses habits, relationships, hobbies, and careers. It's about creating space for what truly matters, not just achieving a visually appealing environment.

Emotional and Personal. The process is deeply personal, requiring introspection and emotional awareness. It's about understanding your values and aligning your life with them. It's not about adhering to someone else's standard of perfection, but about creating a space that supports your well-being.

Joyful Transformation. Tidying can be a joyful process, bringing a sense of accomplishment and peace. It's about creating a life that feels manageable and fulfilling, not just a home that looks perfect. It's a journey, not a destination.

2. Decluttering Unveils Mental Clarity: Address the Root Causes

Physical clutter is often a manifestation of mental clutter.

Mirror to the Mind. Physical clutter often reflects underlying mental and emotional clutter. Addressing the root causes of the mess is crucial for lasting change. It's not enough to simply move things around; you must understand why they accumulated in the first place.

The Decluttering Cycle. The decluttering process involves:

• Clearing the space
• Sorting items
• Assessing what you see
• Making a plan for the items you want to keep

Scheduled Decluttering. Decluttering should be a continual process, not a one-time event. Establishing a schedule for regular decluttering helps maintain order and prevents clutter from accumulating. It's about proactively managing your space, rather than reacting to a chaotic situation.

3. "Just Enough" is Personal: Define Your Priorities

“Just enough” is the concept of choosing the amount in an individual category that is just right for you based on your current needs and season of life.

Beyond Minimalism. "Just enough" isn't about reducing possessions to the bare minimum. It's about having what's necessary to meet your needs without excess. It's about making space for what's truly important to you, even if that means having more of certain things than others.

Personal Definition. Defining "just enough" is a deeply personal process. It involves considering your values, priorities, and current stage of life. It's about making conscious choices about what you want to bring into your life and what you're willing to let go of.

Beyond Possessions. The concept of "just enough" extends beyond physical possessions. It can be applied to habits, careers, finances, relationships, and how you spend your time. It's about creating a balanced and fulfilling life, not just a tidy home.

4. Rhythms Dictate Routines: Orchestrate Your Life's Symphony

You are the conductor of the symphony of your life.

Life's Symphony. Life is like a symphony, with different sections representing various aspects of your life. Each section has its own tempo and dynamics, and it's important to adjust your routines to the demands of each section.

Routines as Anchors. Routines provide structure and predictability, making life feel more manageable. They're like anchors that help you stay grounded amidst the chaos. The best routines are those that bring joy and support your well-being.

The Routines Framework. The Routines Framework helps you plan, experiment with, and reflect on routines. It involves:

• Identifying the purpose of the routine
• Breaking down the steps
• Creating an organized plan
• Reflecting on the results

5. Embrace "Surthrival": Find Joy Amidst the Chaos

Managing our homes, our careers, and our relationships looks different during these transitional and stressful seasons.

Seasons of Intensity. "Surthrival" refers to intense periods of life when you have to do whatever it takes to survive while also trying to thrive. These transitional and stressful seasons require a different approach to managing your home, career, and relationships.

Mindset Shift. During surthrival seasons, it's important to intentionally adjust your mindset to notice the small moments of joy within the struggle. This perspective shift can make all the difference in helping you not just survive, but thrive.

Strategies for Surthrival:

• Break down tasks into manageable steps
• Embrace joy plotting
• Reduce decision fatigue
• Carve out time for yourself

6. Work is Work: Share, Outsource, or Eliminate

Work is work, whether that work happens inside or outside the home.

Value All Labor. It's crucial to recognize that work is work, regardless of where it takes place. Caring for children, managing a home, and pursuing a career all require time, energy, and effort.

Define the Work. Having open and honest conversations about the workload carried by all members of the household is essential. This involves identifying tasks, preferences, and areas where help is needed.

Strategies for Managing Work:

• Share responsibilities with those you live with
• Outsource responsibilities to others
• Eliminate responsibilities altogether

7. Order Matters: Organize, Tidy, Then Clean

It’s difficult to organize a space that hasn’t been decluttered. It’s difficult to tidy a space that isn’t organized. And it’s difficult to clean a space that isn’t tidy.

Sequential Process. Organizing, tidying, and cleaning are distinct but interconnected activities. They build upon one another, and it's most effective to tackle them in a specific order.

Organizing First. Organizing involves deciding where items go and how they will be contained. It's about creating a system that makes sense for your space and your lifestyle.

Tidying Next. Tidying is the practice of putting things back in their designated location. It helps maintain order and ensures that you can easily find what you need.

Cleaning Last. Cleaning is the process of removing dust, dirt, and germs from surfaces. It's about maintaining a healthy and hygienic environment.

8. Zone Your Space: Design for Function and Flow

You have more control than you might think!

Intentional Allocation. Zoning involves allocating the organizational real estate in your home by considering how the space is used. It's about creating distinct areas for different activities, such as lounging, dining, playing, and working.

Family Rhythms. When designing zones, it's important to consider the rhythms and routines of your family. The goal is to create a space that supports your lifestyle and makes it easier to perform daily tasks.

Flexibility is Key. Zones don't have to be permanent. As your needs change, you can adjust the zones to better suit your current lifestyle. It's about creating a space that evolves with you.

9. Bedrooms: Sanctuaries, Not Storage Units

At a bare minimum, we all need to have a place to sleep.

Prioritize Rest. Bedrooms should be sanctuaries for rest and relaxation, not storage units. It's important to create a calming and clutter-free environment that promotes sleep.

Declutter Ruthlessly. Bedrooms are prone to clutter traps, such as nightstands, under-bed storage, and dresser drawers. Regularly decluttering these areas is essential for maintaining a peaceful space.

Personalize with Care. While it's important to keep bedrooms tidy, it's also important to personalize them with items that bring you joy. This could include sentimental items, books, or artwork.

10. Bathrooms: Sparkle Starts with Strategy

I want to help you declutter and create space in your life for the things that are important to you!

Strategic Organization. Bathrooms are often small and shared, making strategic organization essential. It's important to maximize the available space and create systems that work for everyone who uses the bathroom.

The Bathroom Dirty Dozen. There are certain areas in the bathroom that are prone to dirt and grime. Regularly cleaning these areas is crucial for maintaining a healthy and hygienic space.

Personalize and Simplify. Create a bathroom that reflects your personal style and simplifies your daily routines. It's about creating a space that makes you feel good and supports your well-being.

Last updated: February 23, 2025