Welcome to the 30-Day Organize-athon!
In our final 5 minutes we’re going to make our second organizing mindset shift.
Inhale clarity, freedom and order…
Day 30: Get Organized Mindset Shift #2: Make It A Habit To Avoid Clutter
Step 1: Decide to adopt this new habit: Include cleaning up as part of every single task.
Whatever you use, take out, or work on, you put away as part of that activity. Completing a task includes whatever is needed to restore order to the space. As a result, you leave everything at least as tidy as you found it.
Here are some examples:
- Having dinner? That includes stacking the dishwasher when you’re done.
- Working on a craft? Returning your craft supplies to their home is part of the project.
- Watching a DVD? Put all remotes, DVDs and cases back where they belong before you move on.
- Getting home from work? Include as ‘getting home’ the acts of hanging up your coat, placing keys on the hall table and putting your purse or briefcase in the study (or wherever they live).
- Wrapping a gift? Replace the sticky tape and gift wrap, and put the gift in a spot that will prompt you to take it to the party.
- Getting ready to go out? Return discarded outfits to the closet and put away make-up, hair products and the hairdryer.
- Waking up? Open blinds and windows, make the bed, and leave the bedroom looking tranquil.
You get the idea.
Step 2: Read over the examples again to check that your mindset has shifted!
And you’re done!
Got an Extra 5 Minutes?
This works for the kids, too. Explain to them the idea that they need to include cleaning up as part of every single task.
- Playing with toys? Playing includes returning every toy to the toy box, bin or drawer where it belongs.
- Changing out of school clothes? That means putting new clothes on and placing old clothes in the hamper or wherever they need to go.
- Doing homework? Return books, pencil cases and school stuff to the backpack as part of the homework. (Bonus: This also avoids the homework-left-at-home drama.)
They’ll likely need several gentle and encouraging reminders, but with your patience and help they’ll soon incorporate this habit into their behavior.
Note: This post is adapted from my article: Home Organization: My Very Best Life-Changing Tip For A Clutter-Free Home.
Wow – 30 days of decluttering, organizing and mindset shifting. How awesome are you!
Organize-athon FAQs
I’ve put together a special 30-Day Organize-athon | Getting And Staying Organized Q & A post.
Leave Your Comment Below
Please leave your comment below to say you’ve completed today’s task.
And guess what? I’ll see you tomorrow for a surprise bonus task! Don’t worry – it’s not hard and it will make you feel so good. 
[Image by aussiegall]
Great project – learned lots of great stuff – now to incorporate on a daily basis!! The future begins!!
Thank you, Michelle, for putting me to work 30 days in a row! I enjoyed doing the tasks and have gotten rid of some stuff, learned some new tricks, and obtained a better picture of the state of my home.
Avoiding clutter is a very big habit already – I sell on eBay and keeping things organized and putting away supplies after each use is automatic: I need to know where those boxes, tape guns, and scissors are at all times so they always get placed in their proper ‘home’ right after use.
Now I just have to get rid of all the stuff that has accumulated ~ lots of it I cannot sell anymore because postage has gone up too much or the prices have fallen due to market saturation. Throwing stuff away has always been very hard for me to do but I”m getting better at it.
We took one batch to the garbage last night, two boxes to Goodwill and one box to Half Price Books!
It was lots of fun to do this every day ~ from one through 30~ and will be back tomorrow for the bonus task!
tasks 1 – 30 complete
comments 1 – 30 left
thanks so much for taking this ride with us
i already feel like a winner for making it this far
After doing all 30 days, I think my mindset has already shifted but this is a great reminder. Thank you so much for this month! It’s been a great challenge. I think I’ll start at the beginning again!
This is a huge part of keeping everything under control. Too often we put things down instead of putting them away. Or put something here “just for now,” and then later never comes.
I think I might have missed a day of posting 🙁 but one can’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good, and these short little tasks have made a big difference, even if I don’t win a prize.
There are several areas that I do this but I’m not consistent all around. It’s something I need to work on.
Honestly, I can’t believe that I stayed with this to the end! I’m a great starter but rarely finish. And it wasn’t so overwhelming that I wanted to quit. One little step at a time & I’ll eventually get there! 30/30!
Thanks for hosting this organize-athon!
Wooohooo
Day 30 another easy one to do in hospital with Jalan
Was worried i would fail the final days but they have all been ones that i can do away from home
Still cant believe i made 30 days
So not only have i made the 30 days of the challenge i have also changed a habit of not completing challenges
My house is so much different and people are noticing but with the prize i won when i get home i can start it as well
Looking forward to it
I have a new challenge for May and it is 30 days of Cystic Fibrosis awareness so feel confident in being able to do it as well
One advantage with it is i can do it from anywhere whether i am home or not
Thank you so much Michelle and all the other lovely people i have met throughout April
Just have to catch up on my blog and uploading pics now lol
Luv Deb
Thank you so much for taking the time to offer this “Clean out”. I have enjoyed cleaning out and organizing my home. I can’t believe how much clutter I got out of the house in such a short time. I will have to do this again in a few months. I have completed and commented on days 1-30.
Commented day 1-30.
I’m really going to miss
my daily todo list. I have gained so much and space. Thank you so much.
done, completed and commented on day 1-30
Today’s tip is one i REALLY need to work on incorporating into my daily tasks! I have a bad habit of leaving my craft/hobby materials laying around when I finish working on them. I’m ready to change that!
Thanks so much for offering this, Michele! It’s been a BIG help & my home not only looks better, but I feel so much more organized.
I have completed & commented on Days #1 to #30
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I have done all 30 challenges and love number 30.. its true that all of us try generally to include this in every day life but generally fall short. number 30 is probably going to be our biggest challenge 🙂
So happy I did this all 30 days. Got so much more out of it than I ever would have expected from cleaning .Thank you thank you thank you.
I’ve really enjoying completing all 30 tasks. Some were easier than others. The books were the hardest part for me as I love to hoard them but really why? I’m never going to read them again they’re just collecting dust and now I’ve donated them so someone else can enjoy reading them (or hoarding them). I’m going to print out all the tasks so I can revisit them every couple of months or so. Sometimes you just need that kick up the bum and someone else telling you what to do to get the motivation to actually do it.
Thank you so much 🙂
Thank you so much for this 30 day organizational “blitz”! I really believe that the biggest parts of getting and staying organized have to do with developing and maintaining routines….and developing and maintaining those positive habits that lead to a better lifestyle overall. I have let things- in my life and environment -“go”… for far too long now..and trying to discover and actually take care of the “mess” and “chaos” that I have allowed to develop in the many areas and facets of my life can be extremely daunting and seem insurmountable. Your help, advice, and products have…at the very LEAST- given me a ray of “hope”- that I can and WILL overcome all of the chaos I’ve allowed into my life and home…not only overcome, but go BEYOND all of that,improving and growing in every area of life! The fact that I was able to stick with this 30 day program is hope, in and of itself! Thanks again!
I have completed all 30 tasks and am feeling so much better! Thank you so much for doing this!!! I would so like to become an organizer to help other people! Thank you for your website and all of your tips!!!! 😉
Well, this one is a big challenge, but I’ll try my best!
I’ve completed all the tasks – Yay!
I have done day 1-30 now! I love love loved it and I want more!!!
Thank you so much for this Michelle! I have completed and commented days 1-30.