Learning to get organized!
Before the pandemic hit in March, I was almost never home. Because of a demanding job in New York City, 80 minutes of commuting time each day, regular workouts at the gym and a seemingly continuous stream of concerts, dinners and other social engagements, I spent most of my waking hours practically everywhere else but my apartment. That all changed in March.
Like many of us, I have spent sooo much time at home over the past seven months… as evidenced by my lengthy Netflix watch history, countless stream of Instacart & delivery orders and hefty utility bills. With so many hours confined to my tiny apartment, I’ve had more time to focus in on areas in my 800 square foot apartment that could be better organized and less cluttered.
I guess you can say that I’ve begun to “nest” in a sense and have developed a strong desire to organize pretty much everything in my space. And I’ve seemed to have acquired even more stuff during the pandemic. Because it was so difficult to buy even basic staples at times during the pandemic, I’ve stocked up on a lot of items and made bulk purchases through Amazon, Staples, and any website that had items available. So, there is also constant flow of items coming into my home – also needing to be organized. While my apartment is far from messy, I always feel like I am at my most at ease and productive when everything is organized. So, I’ve decided to make this a focus for the next few months.
Where I’ve Started
Last year, I read Marie Kondo’s bestselling book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluterring and Organizing. It was definitely an eye-opening read. I’m currently re-reading certain sections that are aligned with my organizing style – as not everything in the book works for me. Kondo is a proponent of simplifying our spaces and organizing by category. I am starting the slow process of purging items that are no longer needed or meaningful – which is key to the Kondo organization approach. This is definitely a good book to get the organization process started.
I’ve also paused my regular binge watching of The Office (which I’ve watched for the gizillionth time), to start watching Get Organized with The Home Edit, a new top-watched Netflix show. I’ve gotten some great tips from the show, and it doesn’t hurt that it gives you a front row to viewing celebrity homes and closets. It’s also inspired me to order a few items already for my organization projects, including:
A two-tier organizer for off-season clothing for my closet
Yes, I’m starting with my closet. I can’t wait to share before and after photos when the project is complete. Happy Organizing!