Basic Steps for Getting Organized

Set Clear, Realistic Goals Before You Start

Many people imagine that a good organization plan looks like a long, detailed blueprint filled with charts and timelines. In truth, the most effective plans are the simplest. If you try to tackle every drawer, shelf, and folder at once, you’ll feel overwhelmed and probably abandon the effort before it even begins. Start by deciding what success looks like for the space you’re working on. Is it a clutter‑free desk where you can find everything in seconds? Or perhaps a closet that lets you pull out the right outfit without a search party? Write that outcome down. The clearer you are, the easier it is to keep on track.

Once you’ve defined the end state, set realistic expectations about how long the process will take and what resources you have. Do you have a spare hour each Saturday to devote to sorting? Or are you hoping to fit a deep clean into a busy weekday evening? Pinpointing the amount of time you can realistically commit will help you avoid disappointment later. If you expect a full week of 8‑hour sessions and only have 1‑hour blocks, the mismatch will feel like a failure even if you’re making solid progress.

A common mistake is to try to change your entire living space in a single day. Instead, choose a single area or even a single drawer. That narrow focus keeps the task manageable and gives you an early win. Winning early is powerful – it builds confidence and makes the next area feel like a natural extension of the same workflow. When you see that the top drawer is now neat, you’ll be more inclined to pick up the next drawer.

Another useful technique is to create a small, concrete timeline for each area. For example, decide that you will finish sorting your mail pile in 30 minutes and that you will declutter your desk’s junk file in 45 minutes. Having a countdown in mind keeps you from drifting into endless rummaging. If you find that you’re running behind, you can pause, stretch, or move to the next task without feeling like you’ve lost momentum.

Throughout the process, pause to check your progress. If a drawer still feels cluttered, it’s a sign you need to dig deeper or maybe adjust your sorting criteria. If an area looks organized, celebrate that success. These moments of reflection help you fine‑tune your approach and maintain a sense of direction. They also remind you that organization isn’t a one‑time event; it’s a series of deliberate actions.

Keeping motivation high often comes from visualizing the end result. Imagine stepping into your home after you’re done, finding the keys you need instantly, or being able to fold laundry without searching for the right shirt. When the picture is vivid, the work that leads to it becomes less abstract and more tangible. Write that image somewhere visible – on a sticky note, in a phone photo, or even in a journal entry – so you can glance at it whenever you need a boost.

Remember that organization is a skill that improves with practice. Even if the first area you tackle feels a bit messy, each step you take builds a foundation for the next. The key is consistency: a few minutes a day or a solid hour a week can accumulate to a remarkable transformation. Stay focused on the goal, keep the tasks small, and let the momentum carry you forward.

The Five‑Phase Decluttering Process That Works for Any Space

Once you’ve set your goals and decided to tackle a single area, you’re ready for a proven five‑phase workflow that turns chaos into clarity. These steps are intentionally simple, yet they capture every detail needed to move from cluttered to calm.

Phase One – Remove Everything. Start by taking every item out of the space you’re working on. Whether it’s a drawer, a cabinet, or an entire room, you need to see all the stuff you have to make any decisions. As you gather the items, place them on a clean surface or a large table where you can easily move them around. The act of clearing the area gives you a fresh perspective and prevents you from assuming that something belongs in a particular spot.

Phase Two – Sort by Category. With everything laid out, begin grouping similar items together. Keep a “keep,” “donate,” “sell,” and “trash” area. This is the moment to ask yourself if each item has a purpose and if it’s something you use or need. If an item doesn’t have a clear function, it’s probably a candidate for removal. When you see the pile of things you never touch, the decision becomes clearer.

Phase Three – Decide What to Toss or Give Away. The hardest part is often letting go. Ask yourself how often you’ve used the item in the past year and whether it serves a purpose now. If the answer is “no,” consider discarding it. If it might still be useful to someone else, place it in the donate or sell area. A useful trick is to imagine the worst that could happen if you let go of an item. If you can live with that outcome, move on. Remember, the goal is to create a space where everything has a reason to exist.

Phase Four – Containerize and Organize. Once you’ve cleared the clutter, it’s time to put the remaining items back in an organized manner. Use drawer dividers, file folders, and labeled boxes to keep similar items together. If you’re working in a closet, consider shelf dividers or hanging organizers that separate shirts, pants, and accessories. The key is that each item has a designated place and that place is easily accessible. The method you choose should feel intuitive; you’ll use it every day, so simplicity is essential.

Phase Five – Return Items to Their Places. With the containers in place, carefully return each item to its designated spot. As you do this, double‑check that everything fits comfortably and that the system still feels logical. Don’t rush; a slow, deliberate placement helps cement the new organization in your memory. If something feels awkward or out of place, adjust it immediately. The goal is a system that feels natural, not a forced arrangement that you’ll later abandon.

After you’ve finished the five phases, maintenance becomes the next critical step. Schedule a short weekly check‑in to return items, reorganize if needed, and keep the space tidy. A simple rule is the “one‑in, one‑out” policy: for every new item you bring in, remove an old one. This keeps the volume of items manageable and prevents clutter from building up again.

For those who want expert guidance or a deeper dive into professional organizing techniques, Barry Izsak can help. Barry is the President of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) and runs Arranging It All in Austin, Texas. He can be reached by calling (512) 419‑7526 or visiting