m e t h o d 3 1

When you’re first starting out on a decluttering journey, or if you’re just beginning to organize your home, the first thing I will suggest (aka: my number one rule) is to make your bed every single day.  There are a few reasons why I find this to be an important and helpful step in getting organized not only physically but mentally.

First, if I can’t convince you that making your bed everyday is a worthwhile use of your time and energy, it’s probably a clear indicator of your overall readiness to get organized in general. That kind of makes this step a barometer in terms of your commitment… meaning that if you really can’t be bothered with this, even for a little while, you may not be prepared for the effort it will take to get organized and stay that way.

P.S. That’s totally fine.

I know a few people who would ask why bother making your bed everyday if you’re just going to get back in it? The same can be said of almost anything that has an impact on the organized look of a space. Why bother putting the dishes back in the drawer after you wash them if you’re just going to get them dirty again? Why bother hanging your clothes up if you’re going to wear them again before you wash them? Why bother putting the lid back on the toothpaste if you’re just going to brush your teeth later the same day? But it’s not so much about the fact that we’re going to use these items again… Rather, the importance of making your bed, hanging your clothes, or putting away dishes and replacing toothpaste caps is in the simple act of completing a routine.

More specifically, doing each of these tasks to completion includes putting things back where they belong. What I’m trying to get across here is that putting things back goes a long way toward making a space look and feel organized.

Second, if we get in the habit of completing these routines regularly then they will become automatic and ultimately take less time. This is true whether we’re talking about putting away the dishes, making the bed, or resetting a room entirely as needed. Moreover, it follows that once we get in the habit of making the bed everyday, then we can build in other parts of a more organized morning. It’s kind of like a baby step where once you know you can do this one thing on a regular basis you can add in a couple of extra steps that will help you work towards an organized home and life.

Third, making your bed on a daily basis will reinforce your decision to get organized as it will likely be the first action you perform each day (after turning off your alarm of course).

Fourth, making your bed on a daily basis will ultimately keep your room looking more organized than a disheveled bed with blankets tossed on the floor.  This helps create a relaxing environment which is both pleasing to look at during the day and inviting to dive into when it’s time to sleep.

As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts on making the bed.  If you just can’t stand to do it, where could you envision yourself starting to build a small habit to reinforce your goal of getting organized? Let me know in the comments below. 🖤