How to Always Keep Your Room Clean & Organized (Simple & Easy)

Is your room always messy no matter how much you clean? Clothes everywhere. Can't find what you need. My room kinda smells. Why? I know how you feel. I used to be exactly like that. But you know what? Keeping your room clean and organized is actually super simple. In this video, I'll show you 10 easy and simple organizing habits that can totally change your life. I can guarantee that after watching this video, you won't feel stressed out the mess anymore or tired of cleaning. You'll actually wake up, look at your clean room, and feel so happy every single morning. If that sounds like something you want, this video is for you. All right, let's get started. First, 整理整頓. All right, before thinking about organizing, there's one thing you absolutely gotta do first. Get rid of stuff. I know, you've probably heard this a thousand times, but this is everything. Because no matter how neatly you try to organize, if you've got too much stuff, it's just gonna overflow again. In Japan, we have a concept called 整理整頓. 整理 means decluttering. 整頓 means putting things in order. So basically, letting go comes first, and you organize later. They're a team. I think trying to organize without decluttering first is like tying up food in your fridge that you'll never eat. It's just taking up space, and it's kinda stinky anyway. So step one, let go of what you don't need. Okay, but how do I actually do that? All right, here's a simple trick I always use. Just sort your stuff into four types. One, stuff you use this week. Two, stuff you plan to use. Three, stuff you totally forgot you even had. Four, stuff that's broken or you know you won't use anymore. Now here's what I do. Number four, this stuff, say goodbye, unless you're gonna fix it. Number three, if you forgot about it, it's probably not important for you. So let it go. If you can't decide, make a temporary box and check back in a month. If no use, then say goodbye. Number one, they're your MVPs. You gotta keep it. And number two, these are seasonal or backup stuff. Be honest, if you think you're not gonna use it, throw it away. Mostly you won't regret it. So yeah, just start with three and four. They're usually the easiest to let go. This little system can make your organizing way more easier later. So keep it in mind. Oh, and hey, if you're interested in big decluttering, check out this video. Now that your stuff is lighter, you have more space. Let's move on to life-changing organizing habits. Stick around, you're gonna love it. Second, five minutes morning cleaning. Cleaning in the morning? Sounds like a pain, right? I used to feel the same way. But here's the thing. Just by cleaning a few minutes in the morning, you can keep your room tidy 10 times more easily throughout the day. Really? Why? Because the state of your room in the morning becomes your standard for the day. Yeah, it's the state school bias. I learned a new word. Yeah, we tend to want to keep things the way they are. If your room is clean in the morning, you want to keep it that way throughout the day. But if it's messy, you don't really care if your room gets messy. That's why starting your day with a clean room really matters. So I recommend five minutes of cleaning in the morning. Why five minutes, Aki? It's not enough, you might think. But starting small is the secret. Because no matter how busy you are, you can do that. Five minutes. I think a lot of people who struggle with organizing actually start with high motivation. Yeah, out of nowhere, they feel like cleaning and do it one hour and two hours session. That's good. At least you clean it. But the problem is that's hard to keep up every day. That's why sooner or later your room gets messy again and again. So just start with five minutes in the morning. And if five minutes feels too short, you can always extend it to 10 or 15 minutes. The key is once it becomes a habit, it gets easier to extend. Because it's already your habit. You might be surprised how powerful it is. Third, give everything a home. Just like people need a home, things need a home too. Otherwise, they'll get lost. So it's kind of giving each item a permanent address. You might say, yeah, I've heard of it. I know that. But where's the best place to put stuff? Okay, the answer is hidden in the method I shared earlier. Okay, let's go back. Let's say you have items from category 1, 2, and 3. Here's what I do. It's important to place things where you can easily put them back in order 1, 2, 3. Okay, let's start with number one. For example, in my closet, I place my everyday clothes, like my go-to outfit or kimono, right at the front here. It's super easy to put them back. Then for number two, things I plan to use. I put them in the second easiest spots. In my case, this upper shelf. And number three, they go into the drawers. Like this. If you give everything a home based on how often you use it, it becomes very efficient. But Aki, why you say easy to put back is important? Why? Because most people don't mess up their rooms when taking things out. Rooms get messy because putting things back is a hassle. Imagine if your everyday clothes were in the back of a drawer. Every time you'd have to fold the clothes, open the drawer, place them neatly, and close it. Just thinking about that feels exhausting. At least for me. So what happens next? You start putting your clothes everywhere in your room. And just like that, it's messy again. So to avoid that, make it super easy to return things to their home. Especially your daily items. Fourth, create a home for your things. Okay Aki, I get it. We need to give everything a home. But how to create it? I don't even have that kind of space. No problem. You can do it. With just a few simple tips. I'll share three key ideas. First, divide the space. For example, I like using these small boxes to separate my things. One for camera gear, one for books, one for small stuff. What's great about boxes is that you can categorize things easily. And about dividers, I recently found a great way to divide things. Using these Awaya boards from a 100 yen shop. Look at this. Stack them together, and suddenly, boom! A two-story house appears. It's great, isn't it? Second, use the space underneath. The space underneath can actually be great for storage. For example, under my tatami platform, I built a huge storage space. This one, it fits two full-size mattresses. And this drawer, I can put many things. And here's a secret storage. There are some DIY materials. And some camera gears. And check this out. Under the table, I have a small spot for gadgets. And under this table, tada! Tissue! Surprise! So if you're thinking, I don't have a room. Start looking under things. You might be surprised how big and useful it is. Third, hang it or stick it. This is one of my favorite storage hacks. Because it's easy to access. Totally stress-free. For example, my cleaning tools are always hanging on the wall. So I wake up, quick grab, and I can start cleaning right away. In the kitchen, I hang most utensils to make cooking smoother. My knife, it's attached with magnets. Easy to take off and use. These cups, also magnetized. Even in a bathroom, everything is attached with magnets. This makes your layout super flexible. And it keeps your flow smooth. So try creating homes for your stuff with these small tips. Fifth, let everything go home at night. I actually learned this habit from the tea ceremony. In the tea ceremony, every tool has a set position at the beginning. During the process of making matcha, the tools move. Yeah, of course. But by the end, they always return to their original place. And because they return, you can make matcha again and again with the same beautiful routine. So I apply this to my daily routine. In the morning, everything is in its proper place. That's the ideal. Throughout the day, of course, things move. But at the end of the day, you simply return them home. That way, when you wake up, you can start your routine smoothly. No searching, no stress. If your things aren't where they're supposed to be, your rhythm breaks. Your mind gets cluttered, too. So let everything go home at night. Sixth, the 70% rule. Okay, the problem is, if the surface is flat, it tends to collect clutter. Trust me, I've learned this from years of being messy. Once you start putting things down, they multiply like magic. So I started following this rule. Leave 70% of flat surface empty. And fun fact, this method can be applied to your room, too. Okay, look at your room from above. Is more than 30% of floor covered with furniture? Look around. If so, just removing a bit of furniture. Try to keep 70% of your floor space clear. If you can do that, your room will suddenly feel so much more simple. Like a tea room. Seventh, the 30% rule. Okay, that was 70%, and this is 30%. Okay, there are places where it's better to leave 30% empty. That's your storage space. Let's say you have a dresser. Try leaving 30% of it empty. If you use boxes for storage, leave about 30% of the space open. Why? It's not just because it looks simple. It gives you room to create a new home when you bring something into your life. Think about it. What happens if you get something new, but there's no place for it? No home. You'll start putting it everywhere. And that's how clutter starts. So when you store things, don't pack it all to the max. Leave that 30% of empty space. Eighth, keep it light. If you want to keep your room organized at a higher level, try to choose lighter items whenever possible. It's simple. Heavy, hard to move, don't want to clean, mess builds up. Take furniture, for example. If it's heavy, it's hard to move. Which means it's harder to clean under or behind it. And this doesn't apply to just furniture. It's the same with clothes, dishes, everything. For instance, lighter clothes are easier to wash and hang. Mentally, it just feels easier than dealing with heavy sweaters or thick materials. Same with dishes. Lightweight plates and bowls are easier to handle and wash. And because it feels easy, you're more likely to wash them right away. So now, all my dishes are super light. Yeah, it was a game changer for me. Ninth, use your hands. When it comes to cleaning, you feel like you have to use tools. If so, you're missing out something. Yes, your hands. Yeah, they're the ultimate cleaning tool. So how I use my hands? For example, before I wash my hands, I wipe the sink quickly with my hands. Also, I sometimes clean the table, wash dishes using just my hands, cleaning the dish sink. So why do I do this? Because I can clean instantly and effortlessly. You might think, Eww, that's gross. I don't want to touch that. Yeah, I know how you feel. But if that's the case, maybe try keeping things so clean that it never feels gross. Like my girlfriend's bathroom floor. When I first saw it, I really think, Well, I could lick it. There's another benefit of using your hands. You can feel how dirty something really is. If you feel gross, it motivates you to clean. So why not try using your hands every once in a while? It seems small, but it changes your mindset and changes your mood. Tenth, open search. And now, the last tip. Open search. Remember how we decide where each item's home should be? The key is how easy it is to put things back. And from that perspective, open search is the best. Because there's nothing in the way. Take this closet for example. I used to put my clothes in drawers inside a dresser. Yeah, that meant open the dresser, open the drawer, fold and store. Too many steps. But now, I can return clothes with just one move. There's no chance for clutter. And look at this. These paper bags. These are for my underwear and under t-shirts. They are open search too. My kitchen cabinets? Open. So after drying dish, it goes right back. Effortless. Now, you might be thinking, But won't that look messy? Because you can see, Yes, it can look messy if you have too much stuff. But if you keep your items to a minimum, even open storage looks clean and beautifully organized. Once you build a habit of organizing, your room stays clean. And when your space is clean, you feel lighter. You feel more positive. And when you feel good, your work and personal life start going better too. That's the real power of organizing. Let's change our lives one small habit at a time. Have a good day. Bye-bye.