The Three D’s for Organizing with Bear Method Organize

Fun fact that nobody asked for :: in college I pledged Tri-Delt. Because I grew up in such a small town in Kansas, I had never dreamed of being in a sorority in college. It was one of the best decisions I made that contributed to my joyful college experience. I ended up with some friends and some rush songs that will last a LIFETIME. One of those songs was a catchy rendition of The Jackson 5’s “ABC”. We cleverly changed the lyrics to reflect our house name “DDD”.

 

And now we all have it stuck in our heads. Oops - sorry!

 

It couldn’t be more apropos that I now own a business with a proprietary, KonMari-inspired, three-step method of decluttering and organizing. Each step starts with a D-word, making it’s acronym the same as my house of chosen sisters :: DDD. It continues to amaze me how full circle life can be! We use this to help you transform your way of living into one that eases stress and sparks joy.

 

We follow the baseline of our Three D’s to declutter, tidy and organize any space in your home or office. This simplified, three-step process makes any organizing project digestible and achievable. So often we can feel overwhelmed with starting to make any change. It can be hard to take the first step.

 

By picking one category at a time, whether it be by category of items you own [clothing, kitchen utensils, electronics, etc.] or by category of place in your space [drawers, closets, bedside tables, etc.], and then following the three D’s, repeating until you’ve completed all categories in existence, you will be amazed at how easy it can be to get your whole life organized and ready for you to ENJOY.

 

 

Presenting… DDD, easy as 1, 2, 3!

 

1. DECLUTTER :: Assess every single item you own by category. The traditional KonMari Method promotes tidying by category in the following order - clothing, books, papers, komono [miscellaneous], and sentimental. This particular order was created with ease of accomplishment in mind. Marie Kondo has found that, generally speaking, clothing is the gentlest category with which to begin your tidying journey because it’s something we use every day, so we see a positive change right away, and it helps us hone our decision-making skills, leading us into the potentially more challenging categories with experience and confidence.

 

Beginning with clothing is fantastic. HOWEVER, there are exceptions. For some, clothing can be sentimental, it may be emotional. In this case, start wherever makes the most sense for you. If you spend a lot of time in the kitchen, consider starting there, as you’ll get that same instant proof of the benefits of your efforts. If an entire category is still too daunting to you, start with one shelf or one drawer.

 

If you’re organizing an office space, skip clothing [unless applicable] and begin with books when following the traditional KonMari Method. Otherwise, pick a small area, drawer or shelf and build from there.

 

 

2. DESIGNATE :: Find the perfect “home” for each item you choose to keep. “A place for everything and everything in its place.” This is my all-time favorite quote! When we know where everything is and make a habit of returning it, we save ourselves SO. MUCH. TIME. This is such an effective way to empower everyone in the house to be able to find what they’re looking for and take responsibility for cleaning up after themselves.

 

Once you’ve decluttered, you’re left with all the items that spark joy for you. It’s important to organize them in a way that makes sense to you and other household members, and also in a place that keeps your items happy and cozy.

 

Here is where you can source upcycled boxes, bins, jars, etc. or head to The Container Store or Amazon to carefully craft an aesthetic that hosts your belongings with uniformity. Only do this if necessary. It is possible to organize without all the containers! We share lots of ideas for this on our social channels and other blogs.

 

Involve your spouse, your roommate[s], your children [or colleagues] and anyone else who contributes to household [or office] living in the process of designating. Let each member of the household take charge of designating his or her belongings, and consider suggestions by all for shared, community items. Inclusion by all users increases the likelihood of maintenance.

 

No more asking one parent where everything is. No more finding the house torn apart at the end of the day.

 

 

3. DESIGN :: Come up with a storage and maintenance system that works for you and your household [or office] members. Labels can make it super clear where everything resides. Airtight bins or jars might be necessary for certain items. You can even look into moisture absorbing tools for long-term storage items. Mold prevention is a must!

 

Depending on the size of space available for your belongings, you might need to get clever when everything doesn’t all fit in its designated space. For instance, you might organize your closet seasonally and place out-of-season items under the bed. Or, if you have a lot of toys and games, try the rotation method, where you keep a fraction of the play things out, and store the rest, rotating them in and out every two weeks or whatever works best.

 

While tidying can become an every-day habit, helping to maintain your newly-organized home or office, decluttering is a practice for which we must plan. This might mean scheduling a decluttering session with everyone once or twice a year to keep your system in check. This could also look like implementing a one-in//one-out rule, where you discard a shirt when you buy a new one, or donate in exchange for a new one.

 

 

It can take time to build new habits. Stay patient and disciplined. Set yourself up for success by organizing in a manner that works for everyone and provides clearly designated homes for all your belongings.

 

Know that we evolve and change and we must adapt our environment to accommodate that. Some organized systems last a lifetime and some age out or change with us. Prioritize your peace by staying committed and planning for decluttering check-ins.

 

DDD is easy as 1, 2, 3. Simple as do-re-mi, ABC, 1,2,3, baby DDD!!!

 

 

 

 

 

Bear Method Organize provides in-person decluttering + organizing sessions for Los Angeles, California; Orange County, California; Malibu, California; Denver Metro, Colorado and all of the United States. We are available to travel to you nationwide. We also offer virtual declutter + tidy sessions worldwide.

 

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