Coaching for Home Organization

Hi there and welcome back!

Today’s post is all about goals for organizing your space. If you're feeling the itch to reclaim your home and are curious about 1:1 coaching but want to try some things on your own first, then fear not - this simple guide should help you get started!

Step 1: Define your goal

Like with any goal-setting, you have to be specific. It’s not enough to say you want your space organized or that you want to reclaim your home. What does that really mean to you? Define exactly what you want to achieve. For example, “I want to clear out and repurpose the spare room into a functional office” is a lot more useful than “I want it to be less cluttered.”

Step 2: Define your space

Be just as specific about what your space needs to do. Let’s say you have a spare room full of clutter and random storage. You can barely walk in. Ask yourself: What is this room’s purpose? What need can it fulfill in your life? Consider how you move through your space — where you put things down, where you spend time, and how you want this room to support your daily routines.

Step 3: Determine your organizational style

I love being organized, and I love watching organization shows — but I don’t own a single clear acrylic bin, lol. As pretty as it is, transferring cereal from a box into a matching container just isn’t my style. It doesn’t fit how I function day to day.

For me, I like things to be put away. I don’t like a lot of stuff out on the counter unless I use it constantly. For example, my office doubles as a craft space. I used to keep all my paints in a drawer where they were hard to see or reach. It drove me nuts trying to find the right color or figure out what I still had. Now I’ve got a shelf where I stand the bottles up in rainbow order — it's functional and nice to look at.

You have to find the balance between what looks good and what works for you. We're not trying to recreate a Pinterest-perfect space that takes hours a week to maintain. We’re busy. We need systems that work with our natural flow.

One tool I highly recommend is ClutterBug — a great resource for learning about your personal organizing style and how your brain approaches clutter.Find your style here

Step 4: Baby Stepping to Glory

Once you’ve figured out your goal, the purpose of your space, and your style, it’s time to start taking action. I often find that once clients get past the first couple of decisions, the rest starts falling into place. The hardest part is getting started.

That’s why I call this “baby stepping to glory.” Don’t overhaul everything all at once. Start small. Give yourself one early win that will motivate your brain to keep going. Maybe it’s something you can complete in 30 minutes one evening. Or maybe it’s just moving one box every time you walk past the room.

You’ll likely begin with decluttering - grouping similar items and deciding what can leave the space. From there, you’ll begin to see where things can live more permanently.

Step 5: Motivation

Here’s the truth: it usually gets messier before it gets cleaner. That’s normal. Be prepared for that part of the process, and plan ways to stay motivated so you don’t give up halfway through.

Some ideas:

·       Gamify it: Set a timer and race yourself

·       Set micro-goals: Clear one wall or one shelf at a time

·       Invite support: Make it a party. Include your family, play music, have snacks, give out silly prizes

Whatever makes the task feel less like a chore and more like a moment you’re taking ownership of your space - go for it.

Step 6: Final Touches

A lot of organizing is about finding a home for things and grouping items for efficiency. It may not be thrilling, but the fun comes at the end - decorating and making your space yours.

Important: Hold off on buying any containers or furniture until you’ve sorted through your things. You want to know how many items you’re keeping and how your space flows before making those decisions. Sometimes all you need is a box for a shelf. Other times, you may realize you need new storage altogether.

And while I joke about clear acrylic bins, I’m not against them! I just think we’re all more unique than one-size-fits-all solutions. Use what fits your style, your space, and your life. Make it fun. Make it pretty. DIY it if you want. The sky really is the limit.

Still feeling stuck even after reading this? Reach out and let’s talk about how 1:1 coaching could help. Sometimes, a little accountability is all you need to make real, lasting change.

What ways have you found to push through a major organizing effort?

And seriously, go find out your ClutterBug style. I’m obsessed! Take the quiz here