Getting your life organized can seem like a daunting task, something far out of the reach for those who are in constant chaos. Easy ways to get started on gaining back control of your life is to get rid of things you don’t need, write down important things, and not to buy unnecessary things.

Marie Kondo is a professional organizer. Her methods have been adopted by many people trying to get their life in order. “The first step in KonMari instructs you to physically hold or touch the items in your house as you attempt to clean up clutter and get more organized. Then ask yourself the following question: does it spark joy?”  

This method of cleaning ensures that you are only holding on to what you truly need. Holding on to things that take up space and hold no purpose only adds to the clutter. This method can be especially helpful when dealing with an excess amount of clothing. Go through your closet and ask, does this make me happy?

When interviewing two seniors, LeeAnn Cleckner and Michelle Frolio, Froilo said “I am very organized with my calendar and agenda but I am very bad at organization of stuff” Cleckner also said she remembers important dates by “…write them down in a calendar…”

“You will only further complicate your life by trying to contain important dates and reminders in your head. Write down everything: shopping lists for groceries, holiday gifts, home decor, and important dates like meetings and birthdays.”  said journalist Zachary Domes in an article on Lifehack.org.

The best way to do this is to write things down in a planner or agenda. Important things like due dates, meetings, and work schedules are important things to remember. It becomes more beneficial to write things down, rather than keeping them stored away in your head.

Domes also stated, “Keeping your life organized means keeping your things in their proper places. Organized people keep order by storing things properly and by labeling storage spaces.”

When it comes to the physical organization of things, make sure things stay where you intended them to be. If there are a lot of small things that go together, putting them in labeled bins or baskets ensures you will always know where they are. 

Something else to also keep in mind is to not buy things you have no room or purpose for. Shopping does not mean buying unneeded things, even if that super cute cat doing yoga statue is calling your name, you also need to have self control.