It's almost difficult to believe we're already three months into 2019 and soon heading into the spring season! With the release of the early January Maria Kondo Netflix special, many homeowners spent the earlier part of the new year sorting through their belongings, purging, and only keeping those very items that "instilled joy". While it's always nice and comforting to kick off a new year with all-things orderly, it's typically not too long before disorder starts to creep back in. Whether it's that pesky "catch all" drawer in the kitchen, your bedroom closet, or your kid's under-the-sink bathroom cabinet... disorganization slowly but surely finds a way in, every time.Our goal is to help you keep your home orderly in 2019, and as we head into a new season, we wanted to share a few of our favorite ways to create order in our own homes.

1) Create Specific Places for Every. Single. Thing.
We know. That catch-all drawer in the kitchen is great for hiding knick-knacks before guests arrive, but the reality is, without boundaries that little space is sure to become your home's biggest black hole. The same goes for essentially every other nook, cranny, and storage space throughout the home. Take time to create dedicated, specific places for every single item in your home. Believe us, a little extra time up front will go a long way. First time taking this approach? We suggest using a label maker to label everything. This will help other household members determine "what goes where" and eliminate the possibility of a quick fade back into chaos.

Photo Credit: The Homes I Have Made

2) Get Rid of Newspapers and Magazines ASAP
Unless your own photographs, articles, or special stories are in last October's edition of Southern Living, throw it out. It's incredible how quickly excess magazines and newspapers can add up to create all the clutter. If it's a magazine you truly enjoy returning to time and time again, make sure it lives in a special, dedicated place (see point #1). We've also found that unsubscribing from the magazines we read the least to be helpful in reducing unsightly clutter. 

Photo Credit: A Bowl Full of Lemons

3) Fight All the Piles
The staircase, the bedroom corner chair, the nightstand, the baby's changing table... we all have those clutter-accumulating spaces. And we all have to let them go. Be intentional about not allowing clutter to build up over time. We suggest taking 10 minutes each morning or evening to declutter this often-accumulating spaces. Once you implement this habit for a week or two, you'll be surprised to discover that clutter no longer finds a home in those spaces.

Photo Credit: Simple on Purpose

4) Ask Yourself: Do I TRULY Need This?
One of an organized home's worst enemy's is excessively stored items. Before you add that extra Christmas wreath to your arsenal of holiday decor or that extra silicone spoon to your kitchen utensil collection, ask yourself the simple question: do I truly need this? One way we've helped ourselves answer this questions with utmost honest is it wait at least one week before an impulse purchase... often, we realize that it's more of a perfect Home Goods placement or beautifully arranged Target display that sparks that "I need this" thought process.

5) Don't Buy More 'Til You Run Out
Stop purchasing extra spices, peanut butter jars, coconut oil, or whatever other food items may grab your attention. Unless it's a blowout savings option, keep what you have on hand until you run out. You'll be surprised how quickly this simple decision helps you cut back on too many things everywhere. 

Photo Credit: Home DIT

6) Dedicate A Day to Organization 
Although many of us already dedicate a day or day(s) of the month to clean our homes, it's also important to dedicate time each month to organization. This doesn't mean deep organization for every space in your home, but setting aside a specified amount of time to tackle your laundry room shelves, kitchen cabinets, or nightstand drawer is sure to make a significant difference in the overall orderliness of your entire home.

7) Keep Surfaces Clear
A clear line of sight is a miracle-worker when it comes to establishing order! Keep your horizontal spaces (we're talking tables, counter tops, dressers, and vanities) clear of too many "things". We would even go as far as to suggest hiding your kitchen appliances out of eyesight, just to create more streamlined, sophisticated looking home spaces. The more minimal you make each space, the better.

Photo Credit: Home Song Blog

8) Steer Clear of "Putting It Here... for Now"
Unless you're in a time crunch, take the extra few seconds or minute needed to put an item away in its proper space (again, point one). Don't just set something down with the intention to put it away "later", do it now and you'll end up saving time later. 

9) Purge, A Lot
Don't reserve purging for one time a year, take time to purge and take time often. We've found that a good purge at the start of every season not only clears the air (quite literally), but sets us up well for knowing what we may truly need in the next few months and helps us keep things clear, clean, and under control for longer periods of time. Using the Marie Kondo approach during this time is an excellent way to purge well.

10) Implement Nightly Clean Ups
Get the entire family involved with this tip! Every evening before bed, take a few minutes to tidy up and declutter. It may take some discipline to implement, but it will be worth it in the mornings when you wake up to pure order, everywhere!