6 Ways You Can Maintain Organizational Systems
So, you’ve finished the job: your space is organized. Whether you did it yourself or had it professionally done, you may be left with one lingering question...how can I actually maintain this?
If you did it right (i.e. created systems tailored to your things and your lifestyle), the upkeep should be pretty painless. The most difficult part is leaving room for evolving, as your daily routine is likely ever changing. Maintenance is something that is super important to the longevity of your organization, and make no mistake: being organized is a commitment. It’s a commitment to keep yourself sane, stress-free, and joyful in your space, and it’s so worth it!
So, what are some actionable steps you can take to proactively maintain your organizational systems? My preferred method is scheduled maintenance—daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly or seasonally. This proactive strategy entails scheduling set times to organize and maintain your organizing systems. Maintaining spaces on a set schedule, whether they need it or not. (i.e. cleaning out the refrigerator once a week versus when you begin to notice drips, crumbs or crowding that makes it difficult to put items away.) The more frequently you schedule these maintenance sessions, the more proactive you’ll be. For example, you could carve out time in your daily routine for tidying up, or you could set aside a certain day of the week for maintaining order. You could even schedule monthly, quarterly or seasonal organizing sessions. The longer time between scheduled sessions, the more reactive, and the more you’ll begin to see visual evidence that you need to tidy up. In other words, the less often you maintain order, the more clutter will begin to build up.
I also asked our Life in Jeneral Partners for different perspectives their best advice on maintenance. Get their insights below!
Photo by Space in the City
Maintaining as you go is one of the most proactive methods you can take. The famous 'one in one out' rule is my go-to, as it forces you to consider if something will fit in its assigned space, and what items you’re willing to part with in order to make it fit without messing up your system. So as you add your new favourite item, remove your least favourite and give it to a more loving home!
- Nicola Masterson, Space in the City (Toronto, Canada)
Photo by Simply Spaces
Take the time to ensure everyone in your household understands how the system works. Take 5-10 minutes every day to ensure the system is upheld, and everything goes back into its place! Also, be sure to stay on top of labels and update where necessary!
- Laura Kaye, Simply Spaces (Toronto, Canada)
Photo by Systems by Susie
In the beginning, it’s good to set a reminder on your phone or calendar. Hold yourself accountable. When you see the reminder, do it right away. Be sure to set it for a time that you know you won’t be busy with something else. Try a weekly reset each Sunday where you put away all the piles around your home, deal with the mail, refresh your pantry, and put away laundry so that you’ll have a fresh start for the week ahead.
- Susie Salinas, Systems by Susie (Annapolis, Maryland)
Photo by Simply Dare
The first step in maintaining systems after organizing is understanding why your systems were set up for you in the first place. Once everyone understands the intention behind the systems, they become much easier to maintain!
- Kenzie Harkey, Simply Dare (Charlotte, North Carolina)
Photo by Hannah Goetz Organizing
As soon as you get home from the grocery store, get in the habit of taking a few extra minutes to put things away in an orderly fashion. Incorporating this time into your grocery routine will help you maintain your system without adding future stress, help prolong food freshness and shelf life and lastly encourage you to recycle and reduce your clutter as you go!
- Hannah Goetz, Hannah Goetz Organizing (Austin, Texas)
Photo by Life in Jeneral
If you need more guidance on maintenance, be sure to check out each of our partners websites for even more tips & tricks! To see if one of our amazing partners services your city, click here. They are truly the best of the best! If you want to apply to be a member of our partnership program, click here to join our waitlist.