How to Get Organized: The Steps to Creating Order That Actually Lasts
I got a call the other day that perfectly sums up where most people get stuck.
“I dumped everything out of five drawers and sorted it into piles… now what?”
That moment is where organizing usually breaks down.
You’ve started. You’ve made progress. But you don’t know the full process, so everything just sits there in piles longer than it should.
So let’s walk through the full picture. Not just sorting. Not just decluttering. The actual steps to getting organized in a way that holds up.
Start with the Why
Before you touch anything, you need to know why you’re getting organized.
Not just “because it’s messy.”
What do you want this space to do for you?
How do you want to use it?
What’s not working right now?
If you skip this step, you’ll end up rearranging instead of organizing. Things might look better temporarily, but they won’t function better.
The why gives you direction. It makes every decision easier as you move through the process.
Plan Just Enough to Begin
This is where people either overdo it or skip it entirely.
You don’t need a perfect plan. You do need:
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Time blocked out (and repeated, not just once)
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A starting point
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Basic supplies (trash bags, donation plan, maybe gloves if it’s messy)
That’s it.
This is not the stage for buying containers. It’s the stage for making sure you can actually follow through once you start.
If you’re unsure where to begin, pick one of these:
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The space you use the most (like your kitchen)
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The space you want to feel calm in (like your bedroom)
Both work. Just pick one and commit.
Start the Work (and Make Space First)
When it’s time to start, don’t jump straight into organizing.
First, create space to work.
Clear enough floor space so you’re not stepping over things or constantly shifting piles around. That alone makes the process smoother.
Then work through the space in a consistent direction. I usually go clockwise from the doorway so nothing gets missed.
Sort Before You Decide Anything
This is the step your brain wants to skip, but it’s critical.
Put like things together.
That’s it.
Batteries with batteries. Office supplies with office supplies. Cords with cords.
Once everything is grouped, you can actually see what you have. And that’s when better decisions start happening naturally.
Purge After You Can See Everything
Now that everything is sorted, you can evaluate it properly.
This is where you decide what’s staying and what’s not.
You’ll notice duplicates, things that don’t work anymore, items tied to things you no longer own. This is where those get removed.
You’re not guessing anymore. You’re comparing like with like.
That’s a much easier decision to make.
Keep (Without Overthinking Containers Yet)
This is where people tend to jump ahead.
Once you know what you’re keeping, your job is to give it a place. Not a perfect container. Just a place.
If you already have a container that works, use it. If not, keep it simple. A box, a drawer, even a temporary bag works for now.
You may move things around a few times before landing on the best spot. That’s normal.
You’re still in process.
Build the System (This Is the Step Most People Skip)
This is the difference between “organized” and “it looked good for a week.”
Ask yourself:
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Where will I use this?
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How often will I need it?
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How will I know when to replace it?
This is where things start working with your life instead of against it.
If you skip this, you’ll end up redoing the same space over and over again.
Make It Functional (Then Make It Look Good)
Now you can think about containers.
Not before.
At this point, you know:
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What you’re keeping
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Where it belongs
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How you’ll use it
So now you can choose containers that actually fit the space and the items.
And sometimes, the right answer is no container at all.
The goal here is not to make it look Pinterest-perfect. It’s to make it easy to use and easy to maintain.
What This Process Actually Solves
If organizing has felt frustrating before, it’s usually because one of these steps got skipped.
Most commonly:
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No clear “why”
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Jumping to containers too early
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Skipping the system part
When you follow the full process, things don’t just look better. They stay better.
And that’s when organizing starts to feel like it’s actually working instead of something you have to keep redoing.
