If your home is in post-holiday disarray, creating a New Year's resolution that focuses on organizing your space can help you get your home back in order. Whether you want an organized home for your own enjoyment and peace of mind or are planning on listing it in 2023, our real estate agents suggest following these tips to get your home organized.

• Focus on Doing One Room at a Time
  It's easier to see progress when you focus on a single space, and you'll be able to better see everything the room contains. You can also implement organizational systems that will ultimately help you with organizing the rest of your home. For example, if you decide to use a filing cabinet to hold important papers, you'll have a place to store documents as you organize the other rooms in your home.

• Remove Everything from the Room or Space
  If space permits, remove everything from the area that you're organizing. This makes it easier to see how much stuff you have and to brainstorm storage options for the space. Should you need to do some cleaning, you can do a better job when you aren't working around stuff. It can be tricky to remove every item from a whole room, so focus on dividing the room into smaller areas. For example, for your kitchen, you could do one cabinet at a time or a section of cabinets, depending on your kitchen's configuration. When dividing the room, focus on separating it into areas where you house like items (like clothes, hobby supplies, cooking equipment, workout gear, or tools). 

• Be Strict with Your Decluttering Guidelines
  As you go through your belongings, be ruthless with what you decide to throw away. A good rule to follow is to get rid of anything you haven't used in the last six months or the past year for seasonal items. Don't hold onto items that are broken, stained, or worn out; they will add little utility to your life and will only take up space. If you're questioning whether to keep something, consider packing it up, putting it in your attic, garage, or another storage area, and seeing if you miss it. You can make a note on your phone about the location of the item if you do wind up needing it. If your 2023 plans involve shopping for a new Albany or Corvallis home, you'll have fewer items to move, helping you reduce your moving expenses. 

• Have a Box for Items That Need to be Relocated
  Put items that you want to keep but that don't belong in your current space in a box so that you can easily relocate them to another area of your home. Or, if there are items that you need to keep but your current space is full, you'll need to find another home for them. For example, when cleaning out your closet, you may have winter gear that you have no space for in your closet but that you need to keep. Options include storing these pieces in your coat closet or investing in under-the-bed bins. Again, make a note so you can easily remember these items' new home. 

Taking the time to declutter your home ensures you're ready to take on 2023 with clean, organized spaces. Is 2023 the year you plan on moving to a new home? Contact us to get started.