How many times have you lost your keys, purse, telephone, or shoes in your own home? The average home in the United States contains 300,000 items. That means you are not alone when it comes to battling clutter.
Learning how to organize your life may seem burdensome, but it is easy if you take it one step at a time. Here are five great tips to get you started.
1. Where Is the Clutter Coming From?
One of the most difficult things in getting a home organized is figuring out how stuff miraculously appears all over the place. Here are a few sources:
- Hats, mittens, and coats
- Boots and shoes
- Children’s schoolwork and artwork
- Unopened mail
- Bills and other paperwork
- Piles of laundry
- Newspapers, magazines, and books
- Electronics and their charging components
- Toys
- Bathroom appliances and cosmetics
Once you identify the source of your clutter you can work on a solution.
2. A Place for Essentials
The things you need every day will be easier to find if they have a designated spot. This can be something as simple as a small rack with hooks to hold keys near the door. For children, a great way to keep them organized is a coat cubby for storing their coat, hat, mittens, shoes, boots, and backpack.
Clear plastic bins in varying sizes are great for keeping items organized. Get a small container to hold all the batteries of various sizes. Another can store lightbulbs, and yet another for all the extra charging cords you don’t need daily but want handy.
3. Get Rid of Items Rarely or Never Used
Every home has them stashed somewhere, the latest and greatest appliance that everyone had to have but you detest using. Old suitcases from 15 years ago that are in good shape but you have newer ones you prefer.
This is especially important for children who are constantly outgrowing their toys. Let’s face it, your 10-year old will never again play with the pull-along toy you have stashed on a shelf.
4. Don’t Clean it Up, Keep it Up
It is easier to maintain a house than it is to clean a house. If you wait until it looks dirty and cluttered it will take longer to clean. Spend 15 minutes every evening organizing your house for the next day.
Gather children’s toys and put them in their rooms. Open the mail and discard or file immediately. Wipe down the kitchen countertop and start the dishwasher.
5. Get Help
This is not a solo project unless you live alone. Everyone in the family should be contributing to the nightly cleanup. Kids can handle their toys and your spouse can assist in household chores.
If your schedule is busy and you feel overwhelmed you may want to hire a cleaning service. Having someone handle tasks like vacuuming and cleaning bathrooms can free up your schedule.
Organize Your life
Learning how to organize your life is a slow process. Old habits die hard, but with practice, the process becomes a habit.
If you need cleaning for a birthday, graduation, holiday celebration, or weekly maintenance contact the professional staff at Lemon Blossom Cleaning Services. We’re here to help with all your cleaning needs. Give us a call at (469) 617-7676.
