Before the holiday season begins, here are some organizing invitations to include in your housekeeping routine. Using the word “rules” feels too prescriptive and rigid, so please know that these really are invitations, suggestions, and guidelines for keeping your home organized–take what applies to your lifestyle, living space, and neatness preferences, and discard the rest. 

• If you take it out, put it back when you’re done with it, no later than the end of the day before getting ready for bed. 
• If you open it, close it. Consider closets, cabinets, and drawers.
•  If you throw it down, pick it up. Consider clothes and towels, especially dirty laundry that belongs in a hamper or laundry basket and clean laundry that belongs in closets or dressers.
•  If you take it off, hang it up. Consider coats, backpacks, purses, and scarves. 
• If you ordered it online or bought it in person, open it and appropriately compost, recycle, or throw away the packaging and find a home in your home for your purchase.
• One in, one out. If you buy a new item, donate or appropriately discard the one it replaced.
• The hanger trick. To evaluate how much of your wardrobe you’re wearing and how often, turn the hanger backwards after wearing a shirt. At the end of a set time period such as a month, three months, or even a year, notice which clothing items have been worn and which haven’t, and consider donating those that are no longer serving your current lifestyle. 
• Shop your house. Practice pausing before reacting to a want or perceived need for something new. See if you can’t make do with what you’ve already got at home.
• Turn down the house each evening. Load the dishwasher and start it if it’s full. Hand wash any dishes that can’t go in the dishwasher. Wipe down counters in the kitchen and vacuum or sweep kitchen floors. If you do a lot of cooking with fresh food, your floors could likely use a quick mop too. 
• Set up an ongoing donations bag, textile recycling bag, hazardous waste box, electronics recycling box, plastic film recycling bag, and any other speciality discards categories you need. When your bag or box is full, schedule time to do the drop-off errands.
• Before buying anything or bringing anything new into your home, practice pausing and asking yourself a few questions: 1) Can I afford it? 2) Do I really need it, like it, think it’ll be useful, or think it’s beautiful? 2) Where, by who, and how was this item manufactured and do you want to put your purchasing power behind the values it represents? 3) How easy will it be to maintain and clean? 4) Can I find a secondhand alternative if I’m considering buying new? 5) What is the impact of this object’s life cycle on humans and nature?

Best wishes for your pre-holiday organizing plans, and remember that it’s okay not to give material gifts during the holiday season; simply being present with our peace, joy, and groundedness in the lives of our loved ones is truly a gift.