The Start to Home Organization
Home organization starts in the mind. However, the mind can be indecisive and stubborn, making it challenging to pick a starting point. An organized home can provide more benefits than just a tidy space.
Home organization can provide benefits such as less waste and clutter, more spare cash, less stress, and better physical and mental health. Home organization is essential for a happy and healthy life. But where do you start?
Here are a few tips to help break through the block of where to start to get you organizing your home today, beginning with changing your mindset about your home being a home.
The Home as a Business: The Number One Home Organization Idea for Instant Results
Having the idea that the home is a business, and then following the techniques a business utilizes in order to operate successfully, is the number one home organization idea that will provide instant results.
To have an organized home you need to operate your home the way a successful company or organization operates. Many successful companies operate by keeping track of everything, especially their finances, supplies, equipment, and production because that is what they thrive on.
At home we use some sort of supplies and equipment all the time in order to live, which requires money to acquire. By keeping track of such things it will help organize the operations of the home.
Essential Tools and Tips To Organize the Home and Maintain Organization
Getting the home organized can feel daunting especially if it’s been done before only to go back to being chaotic a short time after. With a few simple, zero to low cost must-have organizational tools to make it easier to maintain organization, organizing the home doesn’t have to be so daunting.
Some of these zero to low cost must-have home organizational tools would be inventory lists, planners, and purchasing lists. These are tools that successful companies are utilizing on a daily basis to keep track of things and the home should as well.
Dry erase versions that can easily be placed and accessed in areas where supplies are constantly used are my favorites. They make it easy for me to keep track of supplies needed to keep the home running smoothly.
Home Organizational Ideas Take Energy
Energy is fundamental to all aspects of our lives, and not just powering our homes. It serves as the currency used to acquire necessary supplies and equipment. It is the food that fuels our bodies, providing the vitality required for daily activities, including organizing our homes.
Being the main sources of energy needed for one to be alive and successful, money and food should be the top priorities to get organized in the home. Once money and food are organized and allocated, the rest of the chaos can be addressed pieces at a time.
Food Inventory Listing, Meal Plans, and Financial Plans Energize Home Organization
Keeping a food inventory is a great way to help prevent overspending and food waste. Writing down a list of the food, its expiration date, and amount will provide the benefits below.
You will learn what foods are wasted and what foods could use better storage to prevent waste, as well as what foods are used often and may save you money to buy in bulk.
You will easily know what is available without having to open the fridge or freezer, making it easier to plan meals and make shopping lists.
Speaking of planning meals, a weekly dinner menu or weekly meal planner is one type of planner I highly suggest utilizing to make sure food doesn’t go to waste.
When a meal plan is followed it activates the brain to release dopamine providing us with a happy feeling for the achievement of having followed through on a goal, which promotes better mental health.
Meal plans can also help prevent impulse buying as well as make grocery shopping lists quicker to make.
The financial plan is usually what businesses get a financial planner to help with and happens to be the most important plan to help with home organization. Just as it is the most important in company operations, utilizing a financial plan is a key to organizing the home, providing the ability to plan for the future and the unforeseen.
Creating a budget is part of financial planning and can help with procuring funds for specific needs and emergencies. It can also help with managing debt when payments towards debt are added as part of the budget.
There are several other aspects to a financial plan, such as retirement planning, investment planning, estate planning, tax planning, risk management, and more that a financial planner helps with, which is why I highly suggest looking into getting a financial planner to help you.
If a financial planner is not available to you, try to incorporate those aspects into the financial plan as well to help plan for the future and unforeseen.
DIY Inventory Lists, Meal Planners, and Shopping Lists to Start Home Organization Today
I made my own dry erase inventory lists, meal planners, and shopping lists that I stuck on my fridge and freezers the second they were laminated. I used a sharpie and rubbing alcohol to clean it off until I could buy a few dry erase markers.
DIY Dry Erase Inventory Lists, Meal Planners, and Shopping Lists Supplies
I already had many of the supplies needed such as a few sheets of printer paper, magnets, and a sharpie marker. I found that laminating sheets were cheaper to buy than buying a magnetic meal planner on Amazon, and got to crafting.
I found some laminate made by Duck that doesn’t require a laminating machine and was really simple to use for a good price at Wal-Mart. The dry erase planners were pretty inexpensive to make, but for those who don’t feel like getting crafty, the dry erase meal planners available to purchase are not much more than what I spent for the 12”x10’ Roll of Duck laminating sheets. I had other laminating projects waiting in line.
DIY Dry Erase Inventory Lists, Meal Planners, and Shopping Lists Steps
I admit, I used a printer to print out the inventory list, a meal planner, and shopping list, which I created with google docs and am sharing here for quick access to. I set the printer margins to zero to ensure a larger print out.
A printer is not necessary, but does speed up the process when making these dry erase lists, and meal planners.
When using the laminate sheet roll made by Duck, have a clean flat surface to work on, and a ruler to weigh down the sheet and keep it from rolling.
Cut 2 laminate sheets for each side of the paper being laminated. Make sure to add ¼” extra laminate from all sides of the paper to be laminated.
Start removing the baking from the laminate sheet at the top, from one corner to the other, so that the baking folds down, exposing 1” of the laminate top.
Position and center the paper to be laminated face down at least ¼” down from the top of the laminate. Press it onto the laminate from the center top out towards the edges.
Pull the backing of the laminate down sections at a time, pressing the paper onto the laminate from the center out on each section until the backing is fully removed from the laminate sheet.
Repeat the same steps to start the removal of the laminate backing for the back side of the laminate.
Align the back laminate sheet with the front and press together the same way as the paper was pressed onto the front laminate sheet.
Remove the backing from the back laminate sheet, sections at a time, repeating the process used on the front laminate sheet. .
Put these home organizational tools to use instantly. Download the free Home Organization Starter Kit and kickstart your organized living journey! It includes a printable inventory list, shopping list, and weekly meal planner.
Post these lists and planners in easily accessible, frequented areas of the home. I suggest not to label any planners as to-do lists, chores, or tasks, as those terms automatically suggest to the psyche that these are things that you will not enjoy doing.
Change the Mindset to Operate Your Home Like a business and Achievement will Come
Operating your home like a successful business is a simple but effective way to improve your home organization. With these home organizational tools you can streamline your operations and make your home more efficient and organized. They will help break through the mental block that prevents the formulation of ideas to organize the home, putting the mind into a productive and achievement-oriented mindset.
Have you tried treating your home like a business? Feel free to share your experiences, as your journey might inspire others! Comment below and let's learn from each other. Thanks for sharing and much love!