Cleaning can often feel like a chore. But Spring cleaning feels like a privilege, a joy, like “Oh wow, the weather is lovely and I get to do this!” And I admit that when I get excited about a new project, I want to dive right in. Like the Complete Pantry Transformation of 2018, which was epic.
I’m even more happy to re-do my home office, beause unlike the pantry, where Other People who live in my house mess up my wonderful system every single week, my office is not a shared space. It’s mine.
M-i-n-e.
One way to do your own spring cleaning project is to think – research – plan – execute. Which could take a while. Maybe take all of May, stretch it out, savor it. That’s cool.
What’s also cool is to bang it out in one day, like a boss. The makeover dopamine is a real motivator.
Either way, your efforts will be rewarded with boosts in:
Productivity – An organized work space will help you be more efficient and productive, for obvious reasons. If you know where everything is, you won’t have to waste any time fumbling around. More than that, a clean space is inspiring and that helps you to be at your best. If you want to be able to accomplish more in less time, this process is for you.
Mood – When you love where you work, it helps you love your job. Having a clean and well-organized office can be a real mood booster. Sure, the process takes a little time and effort, but so do all good things.
Expectations – When you are in an office setting, keeping a clean space sends the right message to coworkers. I find that, with so many of us now working from home, and dealing with near-constant interruptions and distractions, that having a professional workspace sends the message that you are indeed working.
Declutter Your Work Space
I love the decluttering tips in this post by Simply + Fiercely because this lifestyle blogger addresses why sorting through your stuff is so hard and why we often give up on the whole process soon after we start.
For me, understanding the why behind something is powerful, motivating information. Once I understand something, I can usually work with it, work around it or drive through it.
A brief summary of the post follows.
Work on your mindset first – Getting clear about what matters to you makes it easier to make decisions about what belongs in your life.
Begin with the end in mind – Take a few minutes to think about the end result. What will your space look like when you’re done and how will it make you feel?
Decide ahead of time what to do with your unwanted stuff – Reduce decision fatigue by having a plan before you begin.
Set reasonable expectations – Odds are it took you years to accumulate all your stuff. It’s probably going to take a while to declutter too.
Make “rules” to help you declutter – For example: If you never get around to dry-cleaning your clothes, make the rule not to keep things that are dry-clean-only.
Ask “How does this item add value to my life?” – Everything in your home should have a reason for being there.
Put those items you can’t decide about in a “maybe” pile. These items are likely tied to a deeper underlying issue that you need to tackle — identity issues, guilt, shame, fear. This can take time and that’s okay.
Put your “maybe” pile aside and give yourself permission to work through one item at a time. Not everyone can declutter their home in a weekend. Don’t feel bad if you need time to let go.
Set reasonable expectations – Odds are it took you years to accumulate all your stuff. It’s probably going to take a while to declutter too.
Make “rules” to help you declutter – For example: If you never get around to dry-cleaning your clothes, make the rule not to keep things that are dry-clean-only.
Ask “How does this item add value to my life?” – Everything in your home should have a reason for being there.
Put those items you can’t decide about in a “maybe” pile. These items are likely tied to a deeper underlying issue that you need to tackle — identity issues, guilt, shame, fear. This can take time and that’s okay.
Put your “maybe” pile aside and give yourself permission to work through one item at a time. Not everyone can declutter their home in a weekend. Don’t feel bad if you need time to let go.
For those who are local to the Atlanta area and need expert hands-on help with decluttering, organizing or making sense out of chaos, Meredith and her team at OCD Organizing will get the job done. And seriously, how can you not love that name?
Meredith’s advice: “The key to organization is maintenance. This is one of the main reasons when we organize clients’ homes or offices, we always implement systems to not only get things organized but make it easier to keep things organized! Having certain bins for items then adding labels makes the maintenance of keeping things organized so much easier.”
I am a big fan of before-and-after photos, and I like seeing the stacks and piles of postponed decisions give way to order, simplicity and beauty!
If you are one of those people (my people!) who love that accomplished feeling when you check something off the to-do list, I have a treat for you. I’ve gathered all my favorite tips & methods into one guide and will happily send them your way. In it, I cover prioritization, time management, ability to focus and avoiding burnout.
