Tiny Organizing Habits That Actually Stick (Not Just Pinterest Wins)
We are breaking down what are organizing habits, how to use them to keep you more organized, and ways you can change your current organizing habits to support your organizing journey!
Raise your hand if you’ve ever cleaned a room just so you feel like your life is under control… only for the mess to sneak back in a week later. Me too. What I’ve found is: the real difference isn’t a big overhaul—it’s the everyday habits. Organizing is less about grand gestures and more about what you do daily, even in tiny ways.
What organizing habits are, really
Organizing habits are the little routines and behaviors that help you keep your space kind of together without constant effort.
They aren’t about perfection.
They aren’t about making every shelf look magazine-ready.
They’re about consistency.
Organizing habits fall into two categories: helpful ones we already have, and ones we can build or tweak to make life feel more under control.
You might think of habits like: putting laundry away as soon as it’s dry, putting your keys in the same spot, or wiping kitchen counters each evening.
Some are tiny, almost invisible. But these small acts add up. And they prevent overwhelm, because when your spaces are somewhat organized already, the mess doesn’t have to get big before you notice it.
Moving forward: how to shape habits that support organizing
If you want to create better organizing habits (or tweak ones that aren’t helping), here are some practical ideas:
Try tracking what you do in the evening: maybe over dinner or a little after. Reflect on the habits that day—were they helping you stay tidy, or did something trip you up? What small change could make the next evening different?
Shake up how things are arranged in your home. If something is hard to reach or inconvenient, you’re less likely to put it back. Move essentials to easier spots. The simpler the path, the more likely you’ll stick with using it.
Turn habit-building into something fun: make it into a game. Maybe reward yourself for 5 days of making your bed, or challenge yourself to see how few items you can leave out on your desk by night. Little wins can build momentum.
Why you should watch the video
Reading helps—you get the theory. But seeing habits in action, watching how someone actually adjusts things in their home, messes up, and brings it back together… that’s where the real shift happens.
In my video, I walk you through how I built organizing habits in my own routines, what worked, what flopped, and how to choose habits that suit you.
A small habit to try today
Tonight, pick one micro habit that annoys you (maybe it’s clutter piling up, shoes everywhere, or dishes left out). Ask yourself:
What’s one tiny change I could make right after dinner to it?
Can I make that change super easy—so easy that I can’t resist doing it (like putting a bowl by the door for shoes, or a basket in the kitchen for stray mail)?
Commit to doing it for 3 evenings in a row, then notice how it feels.
Often, just making that adjustment gives your brain a little breathing space—less thinking about mess, more feeling of calm.