As an organizer, I find that often people make things more complicated than they need to be. There are so many things we can do to save time at home.

Here are 5 things you can stop doing right now to get your time (and money!) back, starting today.

1. Stop overcomplicating household chores

There are so many things at home that this can apply to, but I’m going to give you folding as my main example for this point.

For hot minute I’ll admit; I got deeply obsessed with the KonMari folding system. I even had a beautifully folded sock drawer… for about a month.

Then I realized I couldn’t be bothered, and I took my time back. I still match my socks, but I don’t fold them - I just plop them in the sock section of my drawer.

The same goes for washcloths, rags, and underwear - all of which go in small bins at my home, so I’ve stopped worrying about folding them.

I’ve thought about this a lot after one of my clients told me she stopped folding her towels years ago, and instead just place them in a bin. As a busy Mom, it saves her so much time.

If you hate folding, think about the things you keep in a bin (that don’t really need to be wrinkle-free) and just let it go! Then sit and think about all the other ways you can save time by doing less.

2. Stop giving things a 20th chance

We’ve all had those pieces of clothing that seemed like a good idea when we bought it, but every time we go to put it on, it’s just not quite right.

I’m here to give you permission to let it go. If it doesn’t fit the first 15 times you tried to wear it, it’s not going to work now. By letting it go, you’re also letting go of the guilt you feel every time you’re flipping through your closet.

You can apply this to so many other things in your home as well. It’s like they said in Mean Girls; “stop trying to make fetch happen!”. In this case - fetch is that shirt you wish you loved. It’s time to say goodbye.

3. Stop saying yes when you really mean no

Whenever it’s agreeing to a meeting you don’t want to take, offering to do a favor (that you immediately regret… and you weren’t even asked!) - conserve your energy for things that really light your soul on fire. It doesn’t make you a bad person to say no - it makes you someone who is selective about their time and energy.

4. Stop organizing clutter

The reason that I am so adamant about using decluttering as a foundation organization is because clutter is so easy to let into our lives. It can be tempting to organize without decluttering first, but by doing that, you’re still having to sift through things constantly to find what you actually use/want/need and love.

By getting in the habit of decluttering, we’re able to make everything at home much more simple; including our organizational systems.

5. Stop buying things on impulse

Our modern world makes it so easy (and FAST) to really get cute clothing, home decor and knickknacks inexpensively. But it’s so easy to let your home fill with items that we don’t actually use or care about. When you say no impulse purchases, you’re giving yourself a chance to think critically about what you’re letting into your home, and stopping clutter at the door. You also don’t have to circle back to declutter these items in six months - you’re giving yourself more time in the future by making at decision at the store. Say it with me; just because it’s cute, doesn’t mean it needs to live at my home.

Making these changes in my own life has had a huge affect on my daily life. Things are more simplified, freeing up my time and energy for things that I actually care about. Do I still need to remind myself of these things from time to time? Absolutely - nobody is perfect (certainly not me!). But by practicing these habits, it gets easier over time, and it makes it easier to course-correct when you feel yourself getting off track.

What do you think - does this list sound doable? Did it help you make a shift? I would love to hear from you - DM me on Instagram to let me know what you think!