You've made the effort to get your home or office in great shape organizationally. Now comes the challenging part: making sure the changes you've made stick over the long term.

Maintaining organization does take some effort, but by developing a few simple habits and following some basic tips, you can take the sting out of maintenance. Read on to learn more.

Be aware of what comes in and what goes out
A big part of getting organized is deciding what you want or need to keep and getting rid of the things you don't use or love. When it comes time to think about maintenance, developing an awareness of how much stuff comes into your space and how much goes out is key.

For example, before buying new clothes, decorative items, supplies, books, or other items that could potentially contribute to clutter, take a moment to think Do I really need this? Do I love it? Do I have a specific home for it? If you can't answer Yes to at least two of those questions, chances are good the thing you're considering would cause an unwanted pile-up once you brought it home.

If you find something you truly love and don't want to go without, make a deal with yourself to swap it for something you already have. Get yourself into the habit of maintaining a balance between how many things come into your life and how many go out.

Make "Do it now" your mantra
A good percentage of maintenance involves repeatedly doing the small tasks that organization requires, such as returning things to where they belong after you've used them and getting rid of stuff like junk mail and read newspapers as quickly as possible.

As with any task, these can build up into a seemingly insurmountable challenge if left long enough; the larger the task, the less likely it is you'll do it. So make it a habit to nip these organizational tasks in the bud by getting in the habit of doing them as soon as you think of them.

For example, when you're done reading the day's paper, don't leave it on the kitchen table or the couch; think "Do it now" and immediately bring it to the recycling bin. When you've finished using the tape and scissors you took out of your desk, think "Do it now" and put them back where they belong. When the dishwasher's cycle is finished, think "Do it now" and take a few minutes to put the dishes away.

Keep up this habit and you'll likely find that you're saving time by fitting small tasks into small pockets of time throughout your day rather than having to tackle the one very large task they become at the end of the day or the end of the week.

Aim for regular sessions of upkeep
Not all organizing tasks can be done in a few seconds or a few minutes, so it's important to plan on and stick to slightly longer sessions of upkeep throughout the week.

I recommend setting aside a small chunk of time each day (or several times a week) to do things that take a bit longer or require some decision making, such as sorting through mail, keeping up on files, or putting away clothes. Ten to fifteen minutes at a stretch is generally reasonable: just long enough to let you finish the task at hand, but not so long that you get burned out or overwhelmed and give up.

Think of organizing maintenance like a savings account or a regular exercise habit: you need only put in a small, regular amount of effort to realize positive dividends. By developing an awareness of the stuff in your space and by devoting a few minutes a day to upkeep, you'll be able to enjoy the fruits of your efforts over the long term.