Ask ACI: Clutter Control

Q. I just reorganized. How can I keep the clutter from re-accumulating?

Cleaning out your home is a time consuming but rewarding task. Keeping it organized, on the other hand, is an ongoing process with a lot of little steps. Here’s how to make the transition from organizing to maintaining your space:

• Follow Through. When decluttering, you may have been ruthless putting things into piles to get rid of or donate. The longer that pile sits, the less urgent it becomes and the more likely things will find their way back in. The project isn’t complete until those piles have been dealt with.
• Give everything a home. Make sure the whole family knows where things belong so you can all get in the habit of putting them away. It can be helpful to label what goes where to get everyone on the same page.
• Practice! Organizing isn’t a one and done activity. Set aside a few minutes each day to put things away. This could be during a commercial break while watching television or maybe while waiting for something to cook.

Having spaces with less clutter can be helpful in keeping allergy and asthma triggers down and improving your mental health, so keep it up!

If you space has gotten out of hand, follow our de-cluttering strategies and restart.