10 Things Organized People Do That You (Probably) Don't Do

For those of you who are finding it hard to stay on top of your clutter, the ten tidying strategies below might be just what you need. What counts as clutter? For these people, a cluttered house is anything that occupies more than one spot. That could mean miscellaneous files left to gather dust in various folders, books and knick-knacks stacked on shelves, or even clothes that aren't neatly folded in closets and drawers.

1. "I keep an open space."

A lot of people think that an organized home means a house with no clutter (or no visible clutter). But the key to staying organized is keeping the essentials in plain sight, and to do that, it's necessary to have an open-concept living space that's not cluttered with things you don't use or keep.

An open space will help you prioritize and choose what should be kept and what should be thrown away. The only thing that should go are things you never use unless there's only one of them in your house (like tchotchkes or family heirlooms).

2. "I display what I use."

There are items in your house that you don't use all the time, but you keep them out because they're pretty or someone gave them to you. They sit in drawers and on shelves and get lost behind other things in a closet.

There's one thing worse than having things that aren't used all the time—that's having things we don't use, but that are still beautiful or sentimental.

Go through your space and decide what should stay in drawers, closets and cabinets and what should be displayed on shelves or out on display tables. Keeping only what you use all the time will save a lot of room!

3. "I keep things I haven't used in a while out of sight."

Things you'll use someday are not clutter—they're simply things that need to be stored. If you keep clothes in your closet and they aren't something you'll wear, don't take them to the thrift store or recycling center yet.

Instead, store them somewhere you can put them away and get them out again when you find the right moment to wear them. Put off throwing any clothing away until you've worn it at least once.

In fact, the less frequently items are used and worn, the more important it is for them to be stored properly.

4. "I don't buy what I can borrow. I borrow what I can buy."

What if you're a person who has everything you need, but have no idea what to do with them all? Instead of buying more things, try borrowing them from friends and family.

There are also many organizations where you can borrow items for free or at affordable rates.

For example, you can rent tools through local libraries or through the tool rental sections in some home improvement stores. You can also borrow books or other materials from your local library.

If there's something that absolutely must be bought, consider whether it's really worth paying for it or whether it would be cheaper to find a used version (such as an old book) on Amazon or in second-hand shops.

5. "I sell what I don't need."

If you're not doing much with the things in your closet or drawers and then you see something in a clothing store or on eBay, it's easy to fall into that trap.

A lot of people think they need to buy it because they might be able to use it someday, even if they probably won't.

The easiest way to stop this is by selling unused items instead of throwing them out. If you're willing to part with something, chances are someone else is too—even if it's just an old clothes hanger.

6. "I don't keep anything I haven't used in a while. What I do need, I keep."

If you're not sure whether something is needed anymore, the safest way to avoid overbuying is by getting rid of things you don't use. The last thing you want is to keep something that's barely used because you keep forgetting that it was in your possession. Instead, select the stuff that's likely to be useful for the longest time and eliminate everything else.

7. "I have enough space on my shelves."

Really shallow spaces under your bookshelves mean shelves that are too short for all of your books and knick-knacks. As a result, you might be tempted to stack stuff up on top of your bookshelf.

If your shelves are already full, there's no more space to fill, so the unread books and magazines will topple over.

When you add new items to your shelves, always arrange them where there's enough space for them to stand upright instead of stacking them up.

8. "I tidy up if I'm planning to use the space within the next few days."

You're probably thinking that this doesn't apply to you because you don't have time for such chores between work and family life.

But if you think about it, it's really easy to clean and tidy up a room when you're just about to go into it.

You don't have to make room for the things you need now because they're already in front of you!

This isn't just short-term organization, but an efficient way to do tasks that need to be done in the future.

For example, if your study table is always cluttered with things that aren't being used right now, it's easier to pick up everything and put it away before picking up a new book or article.

This will save time down the road because there won't be any clutter on your desk anymore!

9. "I choose where to keep things."

You may have dozens of products in your kitchen cabinets, but some of them will never get used. Besides being a waste of space, it's also clutter that might make cleaning harder or create a health hazard if you leave it out all the time.

It's better to just keep one thing that you can use regularly in one place (like the chopping board), and if you don't need it anymore, pitch it: If you're not going to use something or find a better alternative at some point, put it away until the next time you need something like that.

10. "I use what I have to my full capacity."

When you have a lot of unused items, it might be tempting to do with them whatever you have time for. But when you get more stuff especially more things that aren't used all the time, you'll be less motivated to use them than before.

To keep your motivation up, constantly challenge yourself and make sure that you're using your items to their full capacity.

If there's no way you could use it right now, think about what you can use it for later on or how something else could be fixed so that it can work better in the future.

Conclusion

Organizing your life can be a hassle, but it's worth it in the end! With just a few small changes, you'll find that you don't have to worry about much when it comes to keeping things out of the way. If you're an over 50, you may even be surprised at how easy it is to keep everything organized!