Household clutter affects all families. It is the silent assassin that creeps up on us in our homes, and before we know it, we are held hostage by it. We all battle to muster up the energy to even think about it, never mind actually getting started with sorting it all out. But, it doesn’t have to be this way. Below I am going to provide you with 9 tips on how to organise your home better.
“Make sure that you have something in every room that you can quickly put toys into so that they are not lying all over the floor.”
1. Observe where clutter accumulates
Observe carefully where all clutter tends to accumulate in the different parts of your house. More than likely there will be key hotspots that seem to attract clutter like a magnet. Take the old favourite of the children playing with play dough or crayons on the dining room table. Every day before supper you have to clean up the mess and get the table ready for supper. Try and get a small basket or box that you can place nearby that it can all be put into quickly and effectively.
2. Have a storage solution in every room
Make sure that you have something in every room that you can quickly put toys into so that they are not lying all over the floor. A quick solution would be a nice wicker basket which doubles up as a place for storage as well as an aesthetic addition to the room. This way, there will always be a place to chuck toys into when things are getting a bit overwhelming around the house.
3. Keep some Handy Andy and a cloth in your bathroom
Every day just quickly spray and wipe around the sink and bath. By doing this you will never have a really dirty bathroom. Your bathroom will always look and smell clean.
4. Throw out unused stuff
You will need to be brutal here, but you will have to be in order to de-clutter your home. Anything that you haven’t used in over a year, throw it out or give it away to somebody who will find it useful. If you are still unsure about something, put it away in storage and if in a year’s time you still haven’t used it, then it is definitely time to get rid of it. “If in doubt… throw it out!”
5. Keep it simple
Only once you have thrown out or sorted through all your belongings can you start to get organised. So don’t rush out and buy expensive storage solutions until you have de-cluttered, or else your new storage is also going to get full of stuff and then all of a sudden you have doubled the amount of clutter in your home
6. Get with the program kids
Get your children to be organised from an early age. At the end of a day when they hop into the bath or shower, make sure that they put their dirty laundry in the laundry bin. Make sure that they make their bed every morning and tidy their room. If they do this, there will rarely be much mess in their rooms and the bathroom and therefore saves you the time and stress of having to sort it all out. They are never too young to learn these traits.
7. House and car keys
Find a spot to put your car keys as well as your house keys. Make sure they are put in the same place every time so that you never have to waste time searching for them when you are in the inevitable rush. Do this and it will eventually become a habit.
8. Store things sensibly
Once you have de-cluttered, put the remaining things in a logical place based on what they are used for and how often you use them. For example: the children’s sports equipment. Make sure that they are always put in the same cupboard in the same room every time. This way they will know where to find them and so will you.
9. Flower Power
Never underestimate the power of flowers. Put a fresh bunch of flowers (or realistic looking fake ones) in the room you use the most, as the eye will naturally be drawn to the flowers rather than stains and scuff marks on your furniture.
Once you’re living in an organised home, you’ll start to see the benefits everywhere. No more dealing with toys everywhere, having to waste time searching for keys – and perhaps best of all – no more having to leave your home in order to feel calm and relaxed. After all, there’s no greater value than getting more enjoyment out of your home.