Three Ways to Get Organised (That Actually Work)
So you have been looking around on this site or googled ‘ways to get organised’. You know you want to get more organised but how do you do this? There is sometimes a bit of confusion about what organising consists out of, where it starts and where it ends.
There are more than three ways to get organised, but these are the key ones.
1. Declutter
2. Clean
3. Organise
Let’s have a look at these three ways to get organised in more detail:
Clearly, one of the most well-known tasks if you want to become a more organised person. However, there is a misconception that decluttering is all that is needed to have a better organised home.
This is mainly created by sensationalised programs on TV (but I digress).
In reality decluttering is only a small area of organising. To be an organised person, it is not sufficient to only do some decluttering and throw a few items out from time to time .
2. Clean
There are many resources on how to clean etc. so I won't go into depth on this one but after you have removed items from your home. It is important to clean (remove any dirt). There is a pause between the period you have removed the items you no longer want and need and when you place the items you want to keep in a place where they will now live. In this pause make sure you clean, wipe away the cobwebs, and remove the little pieces of sand or the big clumps of dust. I find both decluttering and cleaning allow a space to breathe fresh air. And even at this early stage, before you have organised walking into the room feels like the space has lifted.
3. Organise
Now we get to the meaty bit of the ways to get organised. At this stage no matter which space you work in, you will place items in groupings and find homes for all items you own (with the use of pretty boxes if you like).
Step 3: Find a home for everything you keep
Another way of looking at organising is to find homes for all the items you own.
Although there is no one definition for what organising is, this one works for me:
“Definition of organising:
One could be considered organised, when you can find your belongings. When there is a system in the way you work in your house and your work spaces. A system, which supports you in daily living, as well as help you to achieve your larger overall goals in life. ”
Organising is a bigger topic than simply the three ways to get organised
As you can see on this site, organising, is a rather big concept, I have been working on it and writing about it for more than a decade.
Why most people struggle to get organised
Most people find organising hard because nobody ever taught them how. It's a skill, not something you're born with. Add in a busy life, kids, or a stressful job and it's easy to see why the house never quite gets there.
Most people haven’t been taught the mindset and skillset of organising.
Other things that impact organising is the household people grew up in. The time they currently have available to spend on organising. The live stage you find yourself in - I mean a house with kids is messier.
In line with life stage you need to ask yourself are you ready to declutter and organise your home.
Are you ready to get organised?
The reason you are on this site is probably because you believe it is important to get more organised.
You want to find out how you should organise and declutter, it is my absolute pleasure to help you with this.
Before you can really become more organised check in with yourself and see if you can answer the following questions:
What do I want to organise?
Why do I want to get organised?
How should I get organised?
How should I declutter?
When will I know I have succeeded in my decluttering and organising?
It is important to find answers to all these questions over time but on this page, I would like to hone in on Why you want to get organised before you even start.
Find your reason — it will keep you going
Besides knowing the three ways to get organised. You need to find out ,why is being organised important to you?
This is often in line with your values with the joys or challenges in your life and only you will know your why.
Sabine's story — how a roach infestation changed everything
Years ago, I had to get organised after a neighbour underneath my unit moved out with the biggest rodent infestation I have ever seen. The critters moved up to my unit which was clean, but also untidy and messy (meaning it was still a perfect home for roaches). My why learning to declutter and organise was living through summer without finding a roach in every corner of the house. That is how I learned to organise.
Over the years my why changed:
It was feeling comfortable in my house when I arrived back home after a long day at work.
It was to be an inspiration to my kids.
To help keep my sanity as a single parent with young kids
To be able to organise a household of four (I re-partnered and we had two adults, who had lived independently for years as well as two adorable kids with their stuff).
If you know your reason to become more organised it will drive you.
Ask yourself the question: Why is being organised important to you?
What does success actually look like for you?
Let's be real here, there is only a small percentage of the population whose house will be ready for a Vogue shot at a minute's notice and that is okay. It is, however, important to be clear when you have "made it" and have become this organised person in your own mind.
This is a work in progress, let’s check what level you are at in terms of wanting to and being ready to get organised.
Which stage are you at right now?
Let's turn to focus completely back onto you and find out your level of readiness to get organised.
If I were to divide ‘levels of readiness to organise’ I would break it down into three different stages. None is worse or better than the other but they do all have different suggested actions (to prevent organising burnout and the feeling of overwhelm).
Here are the three stages, I am ready to:
1. Read and learn
2. Start organising a few things
3. Organise my entire life - today
Stage 1: Read and learn
You are at the right place if you are happy to read and learn a bit about organising and decluttering. The danger is that it’s like the arm chair traveller it will brighten your life but not change it too much. Nonetheless any big change starts with learning a few things and being exposed to ideas, tips and tricks. At this stage it will get you thinking and give you a feeling of what is possible.
Stage 2: Start with a few spaces
If you are happy to start a number of changes, this is great. Any improvement will have a ripple effect in your life and starting small will get the ball rolling. When you have more experience, time and knowledge, you can gradually build up to more complex projects.
Potential actions:
Consider all the above actions, but also hone in on specific topics and areas. Tackle a drawer, a room or an overarching problem, like for example clothes or kitchen clutter.
Stage 3: Go all in — but pace yourself
Okay so you want to do it all and go for gold, this is great, I love the enthusiasm but I will also urge you to, please slow down.
If you want to get organised and live a life to your full potential, get rid of stuff, remove the shackles of clutter and be free! This is admirable, and I will be here for you, but be aware of organising burnout. Your drive will get you places and clear your spaces, but like a true marathon runner, you have to pace yourself to be able to fight another day.
You now know the three ways to get organised
So there you have it an attempt to answer the question: What are the ways to get organised? I explain the three ways to get organised, but you now know it is much more than that. Through this website, I hope you start to truly understand this process, you will go beyond the surface level of learning how to apply this knowledge and integrate decluttering and organising as the life skills they are.
“Decluttering and Organising are all teachable live skills, if you stick to it, you can and will learn how to to declutter and organise everything in your life”
You now know the three sequential stages: declutter, clean and organise. You have asked yourself why you want to do this in the first place. What success looks like for you, know why it is important to you, and to what level you are ready to commit to this. Not a bad result, I hope.
Whatever you do next — start a drawer, make a plan, or just sit with the ideas for a while, you've taken a step. That counts. You have started the ideas ticking through your mind, and before you know it, you will wake up one morning and know just the right way for you to start to become more or better organised.
I like to officially welcome you on your journey towards more organised living!
Ready to go from learning to doing?
Organising Unpacked is the starting point — the thinking, the principles, and the practical steps to get your home under control.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the three ways to get organised?
The three steps are: declutter (remove what you don't need), clean (wipe down the space), and organise (find a home for everything you keep). They work best in that order — skipping steps is why most organising efforts don't last.
Where do I start when I want to get organised?
Start with the smallest, most manageable space — one drawer, one shelf, or one corner. Finish it completely before moving on. Small wins build momentum and make the bigger spaces feel less overwhelming.
Why is it so hard to get organised and stay organised?
Most people were never taught how to organise — it's a skill, not a personality trait. The other common problem is doing too much at once. Working in small, finished sessions with clear goals is the most reliable way to make it stick.
