Hey friends! How are your organizing and decluttering efforts going? Many of us start the year with gusto—walking through the house with trash bags, tossing out things that don’t belong. But by February 1st, that initial energy often fades as life and other priorities take over.
This year I decided to hold myself accountable to you. On the first Tuesday of every month I’ll share my progress using the KonMari Method. Marie Kondo’s book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, has been a huge help as I work through the overstuffed home I live in.
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I meant to post this project earlier and be further along in my decluttering journey, but life happens—kids get sick, schedules change—so I’m just keeping at it. I plan to tackle keepsakes and mementos once I get my massive paper problem under control.
Confession time: I’ve been known to grab entire stacks of papers from the counter, shove them in a box, and tuck that box in a closet. Then I never go through it. When I need one document later, I waste ages rummaging through boxes looking for a single sheet. It drives me nuts.
This recurring madness taught me two things:
- There must be a better system for sorting and processing papers as they come into the house.
- I don’t need most of the paper I shove into boxes. When I finally sort them months later, I throw most away—so why didn’t I do that in the first place?
To address the first point, I created a simple, realistic system for incoming paper. I thought about the categories that would make sense and settled on three that actually work for our daily life:
- Inbox
- Needs Attention
- To Be Filed
That’s it. A few simple categories keep mail and papers from piling up and becoming overwhelming.
Before I painted my cabinets, I used the side of a tall kitchen cabinet as a small command center. It worked for a while—calendar, schedules, invitations taped up for quick reference—but it was too small to be functional long-term.
Just around the corner from the kitchen is a hallway that connects to the mudroom and our main entry. I walk past it dozens of times a day, so it made an ideal spot for a command center—visible and practical.
I ordered a wall file organizer with an industrial farmhouse look and it’s been great. In the top pocket I keep three folders and my Home Base Binder (I’m a little obsessed with Emily Ley). One folder is for gift cards and coupons so those don’t get scattered. I also use the front pocket for unsorted mail.
The bottom slot holds two folders labeled To-Do and To-File. As I open mail, I make a quick decision and drop it into the appropriate slot. It’s a small habit that prevents counters from filling up again.
I’m still sorting through years of accumulated paper, so I’ll share updates as that process continues.
I also made a magnetic message board out of materials I already had—tutorial available on the blog if you want to DIY it. On the board we keep invitations, school schedules, and the school lunch plan. I removed some of the practical papers for photos because they aren’t very pretty, but the board is indispensable for daily life.
I like having our yearly goals visible every day. Seeing them regularly keeps them front-of-mind and helps me make small, consistent choices that actually move those goals forward. If you want the printable yearly goals sheet I use, you can tap here to get it free.
The framed calendar in the middle is a free printable I found online. I removed the glass so I can write directly on the page with a dry-erase marker—simple and changeable. I also added a small sign I made with my Silhouette machine and a sample paint pot that reminds me to “Do what matters.” That quote helps me stop trying to do all the things and focus on what really moves the needle.
I also keep small art prints that speak to me and swap them out occasionally. That little touch makes the space feel personal and intentional.
The new location and system have been wonderfully freeing—especially not seeing paper scattered all over kitchen counters. Of course, toy clutter is a different battle entirely. #momlife
Do you have a command center? What features do you find most useful in a central family station?
Ready to find peace in your home again?
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