This ‘Ski Slope’ organization method might just be the decluttering tip that finally helps me create a minimalist home

Organizing a room requires patience, perseverance, and determination. When it comes to household tasks, not only is it the most challenging job to muster up the courage to start, but it's also the hardest to stick at. If you're anything like me, you easily become bored, distracted, or just downright fed up during the process. If any of those situations sound familiar, then the ski slope organization method might just be for you. 

We're always on the lookout for effective ways to organize your home, and this latest technique pioneered by therapist turned interior designer, Anita Yokota, is one of the most useful we've come across to date. Her simple skiing analogy makes it easy to organize a space without it becoming tedious by focusing on an area of your room, rather than categories of stuff. For someone like me with a short attention span, the results have been nothing short of miraculous. 

Here, I speak with experts to learn more about the hottest new organizing method on the block and when to use it. Here's what they had to say. 

What is the Ski Slope organization method? 

(Image credit: deVOL)

The Ski Slope Method was introduced by Anita in her new book, Home Therapy, available from Amazon. As a metaphor for organizing your space, it captures the idea of working your way across a room like you would traverse a mountain while skiing, rather than focusing on the entire space at once or categorizing by item.

Instead of remaining in one area until it is organized, Yokota suggests starting in one corner of the room before crossing over to the opposite side, following this ping-pong movement until the job's finished. The idea, she writes, is to avoid diving head-first down the mountain and crashing before you reach your end goal, making it perfect for organizing a room with too much stuff.

'Looking at your clutter straight on can be overwhelming, just like if you were to try and go straight down a ski slope,' explains Julie Peak, professional organizer at The Precise Place. 'But, if you traverse the slope going from side to side, you minimize the risks and make it down the mountain safely. Don’t let not knowing where to begin paralyze you, use this method and make it down the mountain!'

When does the Ski Slope method work best?

(Image credit: Matti Gresham. Design: Urbanology Designs)

Unlike Marie Kondo's KonMari decluttering tip that encourages organizing by category, the Ski Slope technique focuses on location, urging you to zip around the room to get the job done. 

If you're anything like me, you'll often find yourself easily distracted when using the former method. Sorting through decorative items might cause you to reminisce over sentimental photographs, or worse, your clothes organization could lead to an impromptu fashion show. The Ski Slope idea lessens the chances of this by keeping you moving so that distraction - or boredom - doesn't occur. 

'Many people are easily distracted, have ADD or simply hate doing chores,' explains Ben Soreff, professional organizer at H2H Organizing. 'By breaking up the scenery you are resetting while still focusing on the goal. Using a specific technique can provide a useful comfort, especially when tackling a task you simply do not want to do.' 

Julie agrees that this method is particularly useful for neurodivergent. 'By breaking down the room into separate zones it allows one to focus their attention and energy on one section at a time and not the room as a whole, which can be comforting and less overwhelming,' she says. It's also perfect for anyone guilty of stalling on organizing more generally (and let's face it, 'organize the living room' has probably been on your to-do list for far too long). 

All that said, Ben warns against letting this method dictate your actions entirely, instead encouraging us to remain flexible. 'If you hit an organizing high gear and you're making progress, you shouldn't feel you have to move (or 'ski') across the room in order to finish,' he says. 'In other words, I'd avoid this method if you find moving around to be interrupting your flow instead of helping.' 

Use the Ski Slope method to help make quick decisions

One of the most paralyzing parts of organizing is the fear of regret. It makes us keep hold of things we actually wouldn't miss due to the slight chance that they might be useful someday. If you struggle with this common symptom of decision fatigue, use the Ski Slope method to move quickly through your stuff. 

'When you combine the stress of not having time to organize properly and the emotions of making decisions and then keep making them, organizing can feel overwhelming,' says Ben. 'By focusing on one specific area and then moving across the room completely, the Ski Slope method allows you to reset while staying in the organizing grove and moving quickly.' 

For the most effective results, pair this technique with the three-second decluttering rule to really clamp down on clutter while organizing at the same time. The best part? Your speedy approach will leave you with more time to kick back, relax, and enjoy your newly organized space - win win!

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