Episode #147 - Wrapping Up February: Making Room for What’s Next

Welcome to Organizing with Ease, where we simplify and organize our lives for the better. I'm Diana Moll, your host, ready to lead you on a journey towards a more organized and enriching life. Together, let's explore practical strategies, inspiring stories, and expert advice to simplify every aspect of our lives. Let's declutter our spaces, free our minds, and cultivate genuine happiness. Are you ready to embark on this journey with ease?

Let's get started. Hello, friends, and welcome back to Organizing with Ease. I'm your host, Deanna Mull. And today, we're wrapping up our February series. If this is your first time tuning in, I welcome you.

And for my returning listeners, listeners, I'm so glad you're with me. But more importantly, we are shifting gears and asking now that we've cleared the clutter, what are we making space for? In February is a it is a pivotal month. It's when the New Year motivation starts to fade and real life challenges start to creep back in. Maybe you've stayed on track, or maybe you're feeling like clutter is creeping back into your home and your routines.

Either way, this episode is for you. We've spent the month, this past month tackling physical, mental, and emotional clutter, making space for what truly matters. But here's the thing, decluttering is not the final goal. And why is that? It's because it's the beginning.

The true transformation happens when we decide how to use the space and time we just freed up. And speaking of transformation, my kitchen renovation is, drum roll, please, finally done. If you've been following along, you know that the past months, several more than several months, I've had to navigate life with a makeshift setup. I had a small coffee and breakfast station in my in my I guess you would say call it the living room slash kitchen area, but it's not the kitchen area. My pantry was a series of label bins that I placed out in the hallway.

Cooking a meal felt like it was, you know, I don't know, Tetris of all of my countertops, but it really wasn't on my countertops. I had to borrow all of these tables and chairs. But even though I kept things as organized as possible, it was still a challenge. I had my moments of frustration, so did my family, of searching things when I knew I had it, but I couldn't find it because, oh, yeah, that's right. It wasn't in its usual place.

But now, now, I can walk into my kitchen, and everything just flows. It's just as simple as turning on the faucet and having running water in your sink in the kitchen. That's the basic. That feeling, that effortless ease, it's exactly what I want for you. And not just in your kitchen, but throughout your entire home and your life.

So today, we're focusing on what happens after the declutter. How do you fill the space you've created? Do you fill it up at all? How do you avoid slipping back into old habits? And most importantly, how do you make sure that your home and your routines actually support your goals instead of constantly working against them?

Let's get into it. You ready? The shift from clearing clutter to building your future. Think about the last time you cleaned out your closet or decluttered a room. How did it feel?

Probably refreshing. Right? Like a weight has been lifted. But now think about this. Did that that feeling last?

Are you still feeling it? For some of you, maybe it did. For others, the clutter crept back in slowly, but surely. And that's normal. If we don't change our approach, the clutter will always return.

So studies have shown that 80% of items people keep, quote, unquote, just in case, are never actually used. Are you one of those? Are you one of those that keeps things just in case and actually has a closet designated for that? So what's the solution? We don't just need to remove the clutter.

We need to replace it with something better. If you decluttered your closet, what will you fill it with? Only clothes that fit flatter and make you feel good? Schedule. What about making time for?

What are you making time for? More family dinners, self care, or learning something new? Mental space. What are you inviting in? Less stress?

More gratitude? More intentionality? You can't reach for something new if your hands are still full of yesterday's clutter. Louise Smith. The clutter free space that you've created is a blank canvas.

It's up to you to paint the picture you want for your life. So let's talk about real life transformation. So I'm gonna share with you a story of one of my clients. She was a busy mom of three who felt like she was constantly drowning in stuff. Every time she tried to declutter, she made progress, a little progress, but then in within the same weeks, within weeks, even the same week, the mess would just come right back.

Does that sound familiar? Kinda, sorta. The problem was that she didn't know how to declutter. That wasn't the problem. It was that she never changed how she used the space.

So together, we reimagined her home. We turned the dining room from the, quote, unquote, drop zone into real space for family dinners. We created small, cozy, reading nooks so she could definitely finally enjoy a quiet cup of coffee in the morning because that's what she wanted. She wanted an area to be able to read, catch up, do what she wanted to do in the morning because that was part of her morning routine, and she wanted a little nook for that. We set up realistic systems for those toys, the paperwork, and the laundry because, no, an overflowing basket in the hallway is not an organizing system.

It's just not. And guess what? Her home finally stayed organized because once you start filling up your space with purpose, the clutter doesn't stand a chance. That is what you need to think about. The clutter doesn't stand a chance.

Think about your own home. What purpose do you want each space to serve? So the fresh start method is more than just the baskets and the bins. So let's be honest. Organizing isn't about color coded bins and fancy labels.

Those things that they can help you, but they're not what truly makes a difference. What makes what what it what does, actually, is the systems and the habits. So the fresh start method is the four step approach to decluttering with purpose and keeping spaces functional for the long haul. So the first step is know what you have and be honest about what you actually use. Most clutter is just, we've heard it, and I've said it before.

I'm gonna say it again because it's postponed decisions. The average person wastes two point five days per year searching for misplaced items. You need to ask yourself, is this helping me or is it holding me back? Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful, by William Morris. Once you've cleared the clutter, read simple functional systems that make it easy to stay organized.

Step four, sustain and tidy. You wanna build small daily habits to keep that momentum going. A five minute evening reset, the one in and one out rule. As some of my clients sometimes like to do is one in and possibly four to five out. Now that's pretty an intense rule, but at least if you could take in that one in one out rule, you are all good.

You are golden. A weekly check-in to see what's working and what's not. I actually am going to do a book recommendation, and it's called The Disciplined Pursuit of Less. If you've ever felt stretched, too thin, constantly saying yes to things that don't really matter, or just overwhelmed by the sheer amount of stuff, whether physical or mental, then this book is for you. Greg McKeown breaks down the idea that doing less but better is the key to living a life of purpose and focus.

If you don't prioritize your life, remember, someone else will. If you are ready to simplify your home and your time, this book is a must read. What's next? March Madness. That's the next step.

We are so not slowing down. Next month, we're kicking off March Madness, the next step. How to create weekly and monthly resets that keep your home in check. How to automate routines so life feels easier, how to create an organizational flow that works for your entire family. If you've been feeling like organizing is a constant struggle, next month is for you.

Until then, step by step, little by little, let's keep making progress. If you enjoyed today's episode, don't forget to subscribe to Organizer with Ease podcast on your favorite podcast platform and leave us a review. Your feedback helps us grow and reach more listeners like you who are passionate about living their best lives. And remember, a new episode comes out every Thursday at 8AM. So mark your calendar and join us.

Until next week, take care and keep shining bright.