The Little-Known Organization Method That Guarantees A Neater Home

If you're looking for a simple way to get your home organized in just three steps, consider following The Organizational Triangle. As professional organizer Andrew Mellen outlines, the method's tenets are that you should have "one home for everything, [put] like with like, [and] something in, something out" (per YouTube). It's so practical that just about anyone can follow it. However, the trick is in actually putting this practice into place. Really, the rules are stringent enough to allow for no exceptions if you want lasting results. 

Luckily, the first two steps work together. By choosing one home for everything and organizing similar items together, you'll reach a point that Mellen calls "stuff equilibrium," a state where you are no longer accumulating new things. The third step of something in, something out is a concept that many of us have tried to embrace: don't buy or acquire anything new without saying goodbye to something else. This is arguably one of the best strategies for decluttering.

There may be some overlap in the steps as you introduce this system to each room — they don't have to be done in order. Furthermore, chances are that you'll find some items to get rid of to declutter your home while you group like objects together and find homes for them. Once you've followed the three steps of The Organizational Triangle and committed to continue using them, you're bound to end up with a less cluttered and more peaceful space.

Start with the "one home for everything" step by establishing places to always keep items at all times unless you're using them. This is a smart organization habit that not only keeps things tidy but also eliminates time wasted looking for misplaced things. As you're locating permanent spots for your pieces, you'll likely be clustering stuff with similar purposes together before housing them. A few of them will also probably make it into the donation box. Andrew Mellen asserts that if your belongings are always either in their home or in your hand, you'll be able to find what you're looking for in 30 seconds or less (per YouTube).

For the "like with like" step, Mellen is unwavering that everything used for one purpose should always be grouped together in the home you've designated for it. All your clothes should be in the closet, your books on one bookshelf, your office supplies in your desk drawers, etc. Clearing out enough space to store your items together will be time-consuming, but there's lots of potential for time savings later. 

Once you've reached the coveted "stuff equilibrium" state, you're in the maintenance zone. At this point, the only new things you're meant to bring into your space are replacements for things that are broken or no longer useful. Mellen's rule doesn't really allow you to get more stuff just because you want it. If that's not realistic for you, the "something in, something out" step is still valuable. Those who like decorating with items that don't have a functional purpose can still follow the one in, one out rule to avoid cluttered spaces.