Apply this simple acronym to the places in your home that are likely to get out of control to enjoy a clutter free home.
It’s not a product: DIP is a simple three step practice that will eliminate clutter and keep it from coming back. Work with a professional organizer from In Order To Succeed® to put this practice in motion.
Mind Over Materials
There are many systems to “get people organized”. From space age sweater bags you can vacuum the air out of to space saving hangers. From books and checklists to apps on your iPhone and tablet. But, and we’ve said this before, no system will do the work for you. Organization, whether it’s your social life or your closet, requires good habits that work with your personality and an aesthetic you love. If you have something that looks appealing, it is enough of an incentive to reinforce good organizational habits. Incorporate beauty and design into your systems and you will keep your hotspots clutter free.
Three Steps to End Clutter
Rather than have elaborate systems for each place in your home, we suggest using the same strategy for all of them.
Divide
Divide items into categories for easy storage.
Install
Depending on your space, needs and design, install items to control your most trafficked spaces.
Purge
Make a habit of donating or selling items you no longer use or need.
Hotspot #1 – The Pantry
Pantries, no matter their size, always seem to grow out of control quickly. Rather than create more clutter by digging through to find things, here’s how to apply the DIP strategy to eliminate clutter and keep it organized.
Divide
Set aside a time and pull every item out of your pantry. If you don’t have dogs or children in the house the best surface for this project is your clean kitchen floor. Otherwise, a large table like a dining room table, is a good option. Pull everything out and then start placing items together – your cataloguing system should not follow anyone’s idea but what works for you. Don’t create huge rules — it can be as simple as dry goods (pasta, beans, cereal, crackers), spices, soup, or any other categories — you’ll adhere to a system that happens organically. We believe it’s best to also divide between opened and unopened/extras.
Install
Open items like cereal and pasta will stay fresher longer if they are placed in airtight containers. You can use heavy plastic storage (we love these OXO steel top options at Williams Sonoma), glass jars, or, depending on the look you love, even ziplock style bags placed in antique metal containers. Just keep in mind that if you’re trying to stay green these food storage bags are not recyclable. We can work with you to source interesting containers of all sorts, both airtight and not, for your pantry organization.
Some other great ideas for pantries?
- Baskets – rather than have multiple unopened bags of salty snacks, canned goods, or fruit out on the shelf use wicker, canvas, fabric or any other type of basket to organize items and keep them from looking sloppy and taking over too much space.
- Label As Needed – Fight the urge to label everything. Pretzels are distinct, so is pasta. You will be able to reuse your containers and will find yourself cutting down on how much excess you keep in the pantry.
- Hang Items – Attaching one large dowel as a rack or several dowels or hooks will give you spaces for items that can hang: aprons, utensils, even using chip clips and hanging open bags will save you tons of room and keep everything accessible.
- Start a List – Whether you use the back of envelopes or a structured grocery pad, keep your grocery list materials in your pantry and add items as you run out. Then when it’s grocery time the list is up to date and ready to go.
Purge
Set up a regular time, about once a month, to go through your pantry. Try to schedule this at a time when you’ll be near a place where you can drop off good items that you just know you’ll never use.
- Check dried goods for staleness. If you’re someone who cooks, remember that stale breads can be used for croutons and breadcrumbs.
- Check canned goods for expiration dates. Make note of what to use in the coming month and toss expired items.
- Make note of items that are running low. Add items to your grocery list if they are things you use often and need more of.
- Assess the space. Do you keep putting something back in the wrong place? Make subtle changes that will make your life easier.
Hotspot #2 – Your Jewelry
Besides items that you wear every day, like your go to diamond studs and your wedding bands, jewelry can get cluttered.
Divide
Separate jewelry by type and place in separate parts of a divided drawer in your vanity or bureau to start.
Install
Keep necklaces, anklets and bracelets neat by using a two pronged antique hook to hang them. We recommend putting bracelets on the top and necklaces on the bottom to avoid tangles. Don’t want something attached to the wall?
A unique objet d’art can make a beautiful jewelry tree.
For kids’ rooms, especially teen girls, upcycling an old screen door or window can make a beautiful way to turn that mess of earrings into a beautiful collection.
Purge
After you wear a piece, store it however you’ve decided. If at the end of a season an item is still in the drawer, it’s time to give it away, sell it, or throw it out.
Hotspot #3 – Your Walk In Closet
A room unto itself, a walk-in can become cluttered easily. Working with a professional organizer can reinvent this space and make it the attractive selling point it was on your home in the first place.
Divide
With an empty walk-in, you can visualize what you want where based on your storage needs, the sizes of components, and access. There’s no sense having formal wear in the front since it’s worn less. Separate every item in your walk in by category and then write each category on a super sticky post it note (these will hold better than traditional post its meant for paper) and get a sense of what should be where.
Install
Would a second, lower rack help you save space? How are your shoes organized? By instituting a few changes you can create a beautifully organized and neat space that is friendly to your clothing and accessories and saves room meaning you can add a vanity, your jewelry collection, full length mirror or other dressing item to the space.
- We recommend:
Clear containers for each pair of shoes so that you can see and access them easily without crushing out of season pairs - Baskets for items like socks, hosiery, workout clothes – neatly folding these and using smaller shelves will open up lots of space
- Hooks or hangers for scarves that are divided by color scheme, solid vs. pattern, or in another way that gives you access to them.
Purge
When dividing, donate or dispose of those items you never wear, that no longer fit, or that need the TLC a tailor simply cannot provide. Also, when placing items into your newly revitalized walk in, put the hangers in backwards. When items come out of the laundry or back from the cleaner put their hanger in the traditional way – this is a sign to you when you do a walk in refresh that you haven’t worn a particular item. If it stays that way for the season it’s time to let it go.
In Order To Succeed® is here to help you kick clutter to the curb and develop habits of mind to creating a more systematic way to organizing. Go ahead, try to Divide. Install. Purge. That is a good way to start. We work with clients to execute the vision that works best for them. In March we will explore the joy of tidying up and share even more strategies we that will give you the luxury of time.