What It Means to Be Organized (It Might Not Be What You Think)
- Susan McCarthy
- Sep 30
- 6 min read
Updated: Oct 10
Being organized is often seen as being an uptight, controlling, and perfectionist. But, really, it's a practical skill.
Being an organized person is often given a bad rap. It’s seen as being controlling, like Sally Fields’ character in the movie Mrs. Doubtfire who labeled where the forks and mugs belong in the kitchen.
And let’s not forget the fussy-to-the-extreme Felix Unger character in The Odd Couple. Oh, and those beautifully staged photos on Instagram … why can’t my house look like that?
Being organized isn’t about being an obsessive neatnik. It also isn’t about a moment in time where everything looks perfect … because in the next moment, life happens, and things are used and get moved around.
Being organized has nothing to do with decluttering or storage bins, hand-lettered labels, and closet systems.
Being organized is about …
Finding what you want when you need it.
Cleaning up with ease after an activity (be it watching television or cooking a meal).
Maintaining order on an everyday basis with minimal effort.
Engaging in activities with ease because you know where things are, and they are convenient to access?
That’s being organized. While it does take effort up front, ultimately being organized saves you time, physical energy, and mental effort and focus. You get the opportunity to give your attention to the relationships that improve your life.
Understanding What Being Organized Means to YOU
Here's the truth: the version of "organized" you're holding in your mind might not even be yours.
Many of us grew up watching our mothers or grandmothers maintain homes that seemed effortlessly in order. Beds made by 8 a.m. Dishes washed immediately after every meal.
Everything put away before bedtime.
And somewhere along the way, we absorbed the belief that this is what we "should" be doing too.
But your mother or grandmother likely had different circumstances than you do now. Maybe she didn't work outside the home. Maybe she had more energy at your age. Maybe she had help you didn't see. Or maybe... she was just as overwhelmed as you sometimes feel but never let it show.
The point isn't to diminish what she accomplished. It's to recognize that her standards were shaped by her life... and yours need to be shaped by your life now.
You don't have to maintain the same routines you had when your children were young. You don't need to keep up with the Instagram photos of someone in an entirely different season of life. And you certainly don't need to achieve some fantasy of "perfect" that leaves you exhausted before you even begin.
Being organized isn't about maintaining someone else's ideal. It's about creating a home that works for who you are and how you live right now.
Reflection Questions
Take a few minutes with these questions. You might want to journal your answers, or simply sit with them quietly:
What does "organized" look like in your imagination?
Where did that image come from? A magazine? Your childhood home? A friend's house?
What would change in your daily life if your home felt more organized?
Be specific. Would mornings feel calmer? Would you invite people over more often? Would you have more time for hobbies?
What do you actually need to be able to do easily in your home?
Not what you think you "should" do—what do you need? Finding your keys? Cooking without hunting for utensils? Having a clear spot to sit and read?
What activities matter most to you right now?
How could your spaces better support those activities?
Some people need clear surfaces to think. Others feel at home with books and projects visible. There's no right answer.
Your version of organized doesn't need to look like anyone else's. It just needs to make your life easier and support what matters to you now.
Small, Reasonable Steps to Get (and Stay) Organized
Once you've defined what organized means to you, the next step is addressing what's actually in your way.
Most people assume disorganization is about not having enough time or not being "good at" organizing. But usually, something more concrete is creating the problem—and once you identify it, you can do something about it.
What's Really Holding You Back?
Think about one area in your home that frustrates you. Maybe it's the kitchen counter that's always cluttered, the coat closet that won't stay organized, or the bathroom where you can never find what you need.
Now ask yourself: what's actually making this space hard to keep organized?
Is it too much stuff?
When you have more items than the space can comfortably hold, everything becomes difficult. You can't put things away easily. You can't find what you need. And every time you try to "organize," you're just shuffling the same overwhelming amount of stuff around.
Are things living here that don't belong?
Sometimes items end up in a space because it was convenient in the moment—but they don't have a real home. Mail piles up on the counter because there's no system for it. Coats end up on chairs because the closet is full of things you rarely wear.
Is it inconvenient to put things away?
Maybe the spot where something "should" go requires moving other things first. Or you need a step stool to reach the shelf. Or bending down to a low drawer hurts your back or knees, so you leave things out until you feel better... and that turns into days or weeks.
Are you keeping things "just in case"?
When you hold onto items for someday—extra kitchen gadgets you never use, clothes that don't fit, supplies for hobbies you've moved on from—they create congestion. The things you don't need get in the way of the things you do.
These aren't character flaws. They're practical problems with practical solutions.
Choose One Spot and Resolve the Problem
Pick one small area that bothers you—a single drawer, one shelf, the corner of a counter.
Look at what's there and ask:
Do I use this regularly? If not, why is it taking up prime real estate?
Does this item support my life right now? Not the life you had five years ago, or the life you imagine having someday—your life now.
Is this the right spot for this? If not, where would make more sense?
Am I keeping this out of obligation or guilt? What would happen if you let it go?
Then take one action:
Remove items that don't belong in this space
Let go of things you're keeping "just in case" but realistically won't use
Rearrange so the items you use most are easiest to access
Create a more convenient home for something you use daily
This isn't about perfection. It's about making one space work better for you.
When you resolve what's holding you back in one small spot, you build confidence. You see that you can make decisions that improve your daily life. And you learn what your real obstacles are—which often leads naturally to decluttering.
The Foundation of Staying Organized
Here's what I've learned after years of helping women create homes they love: you can't organize your way out of having too much stuff.
If you're constantly reorganizing the same spaces, constantly feeling like your home is working against you, or constantly wishing you had more time and energy... the real issue might not be organization at all. It might be that you're trying to manage more possessions than your life actually needs right now.
That's why in my Confident Declutterer program, we start with something most organizing advice skips entirely: decision-making. Not just "how to sort" or "how to store," but how to make clear, confident decisions about what truly belongs in your life at this stage.
When you learn to identify what's important to you now—not what was important ten years ago, not what might be important someday—getting and staying organized becomes so much easier. Because you're no longer fighting against a tide of unnecessary things. You're simply maintaining a home that fits.
If you're ready to stop reorganizing the same spaces over and over, and start creating a home that actually supports you, I'd love to help you get there.
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