How to Stay Organized! 7 Principles for a Lifestyle that Last

Xtreme Audacity
Jul 9
7 min read

Before we dive into this week’s blog, did you know this content is also available on YouTube?

If you’re more of a visual learner, or just prefer to watch or listen, I've got you covered.

🎥 Catch last week’s podcast where we talked about How to Get Organized! Simplify Your Life One Space at a Time

🎧 And check out this week’s episode on How to Stay Organized! 7 Principles for a Lifestyle that Last.

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Let’s be honest.

You’ve tried to get organized, probably more than once.

You’ve bought the bins, labeled everything in sight, cleared your calendar, and committed to “doing better this time.”

But no matter how many times you start, the clutter creeps back in.

You’re constantly resetting, reorganizing, and cleaning up messes that never seem to stay gone.

It’s frustrating. It’s exhausting. And it’s stealing your Space, Time, Energy, and Money.

Not to mention your peace of mind, straight out of the window!

🗣️🗣️🗣️Listen… You’re not lazy. You just don’t have a strategy and system that sticks.

Getting organized is one thing, but staying organized is a whole different conversation.

You can declutter your space, color-code your calendar, and label every bin in your house, but without a plan to maintain that order, you're stuck in the same cycle.

As a Life Organizing Strategist and the founder of Xtreme Audacity, I’ve worked with women across all walks of life who are ready to break the cycle.

The good news? Staying organized isn’t a mystery. It’s not magic.

It’s a lifestyle.

If you’re ready to break the cycle and finally create a home and life that supports your peace, productivity, and purpose—this blog is for you.

Staying Organized Is Not a One-Time Event

One of the biggest unspoken myths around organizing is the idea that it’s a one-time event. But real organization isn’t something you can “set and forget.” It’s something you live out daily.

It’s a mindset. A decision. A commitment. It’s a lifestyle.

When you treat organizing like a lifestyle instead of a one-time project, you create long-term clarity, not short-term control. Your systems become habits. Your habits become rhythms.

And those rhythms begin to support the life you actually want to live.

So let’s walk through the key principles that help you stay organized, not just for the week, but for life.

1. Anchor Everything in Your “Why”

Most of the time, when we finally decide to get organized, or step into any kind of life-changing transformation, it’s because something deep inside us has shifted. We’ve formed a “why”, even if we haven’t said it out loud yet.

That “why” is powerful. It’s the root of your motivation.

Once you’ve identified it, don’t rush past it. Sit with it. Reflect on it. Then, take it deeper by asking yourself “why” seven times. With each layer, you’ll uncover a more honest, more personal reason, one that will keep you grounded, focused, and committed when things get hard.

Many of my client’s “WHY” have been…

I’m tired of living in clutter!
I’m tired of looking at my home like this.
I want to spend more time with your kids.
I’m tired of running late, losing things, or living in visual chaos.
My family is growing.

Whatever your reason is, your why matters.

It gives your systems purpose. It helps you say yes and no with intention. It gives your actions meaning beyond aesthetics. When you’re rooted in your why, staying organized is no longer just about clean counters, it becomes about alignment. Alignment into who you are becoming.

When you're aligned, staying consistent becomes easier.

2. Mindset Is the Starting Point

After establishing your “why,” it’s equally important to create the right mental environment.

If your thoughts are cluttered, your life will be too.

Before you tackle your junk drawer, tackle the internal dialogue that tells you, “I’ll never get it together” or “This is too much for me.”

Organization begins in the mind. When you start believing that you can be organized, that you deserve peace, and that you are capable of change, your actions will follow.

Try speaking life into your space:

“I am creating a home that serves my peace, productivity and purpose.”
“I deserve to live in clarity and calm.”
“My space reflects my growth and who I’m becoming.”

You’re not just tidying, you’re transforming.

3. Strategy Is Your Bridge to Success

Before systems can sustain you, strategy has to guide you.

You can have the best intentions, the right tools, and all the motivation in the world—but without a clear strategy, it’s easy to get lost in the clutter, distracted by the details, or overwhelmed by where to start.

Strategy is what turns your why into a how. It’s the blueprint that helps you go from chaos to clarity with purpose.

Think of it like this: your goal might be to have a more peaceful, organized home—but your strategy is what tells you what room to start in, what to do first, and how to pace yourself.

Reading this blog—or listening to this podcast—is part of your strategy. It means you’re no longer guessing. You’re learning how to break things down, zone by zone, with intention and direction.

When you have a strategy, you're not just reacting to the mess. You're planning your next move—and that’s where real progress begins.

4. Systems Are What Sustain You

Getting organized without systems is like setting goals without a plan, it feels good in the moment, but nothing truly changes.

Systems help you reclaim or maintain your space, your time, your energy, and your money.

Let’s say your pantry always ends up a mess. Try adding Clear Plastic Storage Bins and labels, which make it easier to see what you have and where it belongs.

If laundry’s your pain point, create a routine:

For large families - one load a day, folded and put away the same evening.

For smaller families - wash 2 times a week and put away the same evening.

For single individuals - wash once a week or once every 2 weeks.

All of this varies and is contingent on your life, your schedule and your capacity. Whatever routine you create, work it, and if it's not working for you, tweak it. Make the needed adjustments. Living an organized life is all about self awareness and being realistic with yourself.

Use a rolling laundry sorter with labeled compartments like this one so everyone in the family knows where things go. It saves you from spending time sorting.

A system isn’t complicated, it’s smart. It’s a repeatable way of doing something that makes your life easier. Start small, and build as you go.

5. Routines Are the Backbone of Order

Organization isn’t about rigid rules, it’s about rhythm.

Routines are how we reinforce our systems. They help reduce decision fatigue, increase productivity, and create a sense of flow.

Here are three powerful routines that can transform your week:

Morning Clarity Routine – Take 10 minutes to review your planner, affirm your priorities, and tidy your space.
Evening Reset – Put the house back to “ground zero.” Load the dishwasher, wipe down surfaces, and reset the living room so you wake up to peace.
Weekly Review – Choose one day each week to plan for the upcoming week. E.g. Check your calendar, prep your meals, declutter your car or bag, and get a bird’s eye view of what’s ahead.

If you work from home, run a business out of your home or manage a busy household, having a desk organization system makes a huge difference. Try this Mesh Desk Organizer, it keeps documents visible, accessible and not messy.

When you treat your routines like anchors instead of obligations, they’ll hold you steady no matter what season you’re in.

6. Adaptability Matters More Than Perfection

You want to know the truth about staying organized? It changes.

Your kids grow up. Your work shifts. Your energy fluctuates. If your systems don’t evolve with your life, they’ll start to feel like stress instead of support.

This is why adaptability is so important. Every few months, take a moment to ask:

Is this routine still working for me?
Does this system still fit my lifestyle?
What can I simplify or automate?

And if you ever feel like your life is getting crazy or feel off, check your systems and routine.

Organization is a living process. Give yourself permission to edit, update, and adjust without guilt.

7. Boundaries Protect Your Progress

Staying organized often requires setting boundaries, with your S.Y.S.T.E.M.s… Your Space, Time, Energy, and Money… and even other people.

Remember. NO, is a complete sentence.

Say no to unnecessary purchases.
Protect your calendar from obligations that drain you.
Protect your time from things that aren’t a part of your purpose.
Ask for help or delegate tasks where needed.

You don’t have to do everything. You just have to be intentional about what you say yes to.

You Don’t Have to Be Perfect, Just Persistent

Here’s the truth I want you to carry with you:

You don’t have to do it all today. You just have to start.

Let your why lead every step.

Choose one system to build this week.

Pick one routine to strengthen.

Staying organized isn’t about doing more. It’s about working smarter. It’s about creating less stress and more space for what matters most.

You’re not just cleaning up—you’re clearing the way for what matters most.

And that, my friend, is what makes this a lifestyle.

Amazon Products Mentioned:

Clear Plastic Storage Bins – for pantry organization
Rolling Laundry Sorter Cart – for laundry system building
3-Tier Mesh Desk Organizer – for paper and workspace organization

(This post contains affiliate links to Amazon from which I make a small commission with no extra costs added to you.)

🎧 NEW PODCAST ALERT!

If you enjoyed this blog, you’ll love my brand-new podcast The Organized Life w/TakillaRene! Episodes 1, 2, and 3 are now live and available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, and all major podcast platforms. Don't forget to follow, like, comment, subscribe, and share with a friend who’s ready to stop surviving and start organizing.