Top 10 Ways to Stay Organized
Sometimes, keeping our homes clean and well organized seems like a dream that will never come true. There is simply too much to think about, the kids need to be driven to school, the floor needs vacuuming, the kitchen cabinets are all over the place, and the house is still dirty from the birthday party your little ones had over the weekend. The good news is that while you can’t do it all in one fell swoop, being organized can make a difference between a neat home and one that is riddled with confusion and malfunction. In this piece, we explore how you can stay organized so as to get things done around the home.
- Have a list
Organized homeowners keep a neat list of the things that need doing every day. Since you are always running up and down, you will find yourself forgetting rather too easy, and a list helps you keep engaged. Your written list should rank the most important chores at the very top so that you don’t waste time on something that can be done later. Check off the things you have done before moving on to the next task.
- Never allow for tasks to pile up
Procrastination is the bane of our existence. There is always a little voice telling you to shelf this or that. When you have too much to do, you will find yourself lacking in motivation to get started. Learn to clear each task as soon as it comes up. Seeing things getting done gives you the impetus to keep moving. It also creates a sense of neatness in your physical world as well as in your mind.
- Split big tasks into phases
One of the reasons we find it hard to do things around the home is that they are too intimidating to take on in the first place. Let’s say you had a birthday party over the weekend, and the place is so littered you don’t know where to start. Here, you can simply put in place a plan that targets the key areas first. Start by cleaning your utensils first, then move to the floors, cleaning them one by one. Finally, tackle the compound. This way, the task becomes less intimidating.
- Keep everything in its own place
Clutter is never good, and failing to keep items in their place gives you a disorganized look. Before you even get to cleaning, you need to have everything stay at its rightful place. If you have dishes in the bedroom and toys in the kitchen, that is going to make for a rough look. You can achieve organization by making sure that every piece of cutlery, every fabric and every appliance is at its right place at all times.
- Get rid of what you don’t need
A lot of times, what bogs you down is what you don’t need in the first place. There is too much stuff lining the halls and sitting in the closet or in the kitchen cabinets that you do not need, and it will prevent you from staying organized. Each month, plan for a day, probably in the weekend, when you turn the house upside down and get rid of what you don’t need. Throw away what cannot be reused and give away what can help someone in need.
- Do not become a weekend warrior
Weekend warriors are people who leave it too late. They basically get home one evening and decide to clear out the clutter that has been sitting in their house for a month. The thing is, you will never get things done that way. You will only end up being frustrated and even less motivated than you were when you started.
- Grab some home organization kits
Some of the items that clutter your home are the smallest in the house. They are also the ones we need the most. Find a way to group these items into clusters and store them separately. Get shoe organizers, dish racks and boxes where you keep the things you need most. You don’t need to spend money on organizers, you can repurpose old boxes or make your own.
- Never deviate from your schedule
If the first thing you do when you wake up is go on a 20-minute jog, stick to that. When you establish a pattern of doing things, your system becomes used to it, and once you get into the rhythm of things, you actually find yourself starting to enjoy the chores that once sounded too arduous.
- Buy only what you need in the short term
A lot of homes out there are cluttered with things the owners do not need, at least not in the short term. You will find stocked fridges, shopping wrappers, and clothes that have no business being at the home. Buy less and use what you buy. If it’s winter, stick to your winter clothes and only buy your summer things when the summer comes around.
- Learn to reward yourself
A lot of times, you are going to be consumed by the feeling that what you are doing is not nearly enough. While being honest with yourself is a good thing, self-flagellation is not really going to be the answer to your woes. From time to time, take a look at what you have achieved and gauge whether your efforts have been good enough. If they haven’t, take your lessons and move right along. If you feel that you have done a great job, reward yourself with a dinner, a new pair of shoes or that bottle of wine you have been pining for. This way, you get to stay motivated!
Keeping your life organized, whether it is at home, school or work comes with a whole lot of rewards. You get to live in a neat space, and that keeps you motivated to do better in every task you take on. A clean house is a great motivator, and so is a neat schedule. Sometimes, you won’t be able to pull it off alone, so always engage those around you and have them help out.
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