Backwards (or Intentional) Organizing

Whether you seem to find yourself in an endless cycle of organizing clutter or you’re just feeling you have a space that needs a refresh, we love the idea of getting a little upside down with your organization game plan! With “backwards organization”, it’s almost like you’re going to start from scratch…

To get “backwards organized”, instead of tackling a space by organizing what’s already there, take some time to create a vision and set your intention for what you actually want and need in your space. Once you’ve decided what you desire your space to be, to hold and to feel like, then you can edit based on that. You might decide you want your bedroom to feel like a tranquil boutique hotel with your nightstand holding only a lamp, some books, and some aromatherapy hand cream for a relaxing bedtime routine. In this scenario, maybe a phone charger stays too for function, but then this means everything else on that nightstand goes! Some of us might feel like if we could just start fresh and perhaps move into a new, fully furnished and stocked home, things would be easier. But you can mimic this liberating idea just by thinking about your ideal space, and then setting up your home as an oasis that you love (and is also functional)! The idea of getting “backwards organized” is bringing organization back to basics and focusing more on what you do want rather than what you don’t. 

We also love the idea of actually writing out or drawing out your intentions when planing the space. You can also grab inspiration images from Pinterest or Instagram and play around with how you want things to look and function. By putting pen to paper, not only are you more likely to not miss anything, but you’re more likely to actually do it too! Just like a written to-do list works better than a mental list, writing down your plan helps you remember what you’re striving for and why you started when you’re in the messy middle of a project!

If you find yourself in an endless cycle of too much stuff in your spaces, this approach can make a big difference! And remember, it’s a process and organization is a skill that can be learned but it requires a little practice.  And if organization just isn’t your thing or if you’re just trying to balance your valuable time, we’re always here to help!