Once you and your Professional Organiser have done the fabulous job of clearing the clutter and getting your house organised you will feel much calmer and more relaxed in your home or more productive and energised in your work space.
The next step (and this can be the hardest part) is to stay on top of it.
Here are Systematic Homes’ top ten tips to help keep the clutter under control:
Tidy daily, just for ten to fifteen minutes, put things back where there belong. This will be easy once everything has a place;
Get bags ready the night before, it takes the stress out of the morning rush and there is less chance you will forget something;
Never leave a room empty handed, take that mug to the kitchen. Shoes to the shoe rack and remember if you leave things on the stairs don’t walk passed them on the way up;
Have a “to buy” list, this can be in your phone or up in the kitchen, add to as and when and take it shopping with you. It will stop you buying things you don’t need and keep your cupboards organised;
Plan what you are going to eat; doing a weekly menu means you don’t have to think about what to cook each day. It can be a flexible menu but really helps to keep your mind clear and your kitchen cupboards clutter free;
Open post daily, if it can be filed or shredded, don’t delay and do it daily;
Tidy the sink area daily and make sure it is clear before you go to bed;
Write a to do list and leave it with your diary by the kettle before you go to bed. This will clear your mind, so you can sleep better, and you will see at a glance what you have on in the morning;
Have an ironing basket and put the other stuff away as soon as it is dried and aired; and
If you have the space in a utility room or garage have two boxes one labelled “trip to the dump” and “for charity”. When you no longer want, need or love something, add it to one of these boxes. Once full, deliver to charity shop or the local recycling centre.
Don’t fret – we know this feels like a lot. But it will make your life easier!
It may seem like a lot to fit into your daily routine, but the secret is to make all these good habits that don’t feel like a chore.
It is so important to get everyone in the house involved too. Give children responsibilities, ensure these are age and ability appropriate, but let them help. A recent study showed that children who are given jobs to do go further in life because they have life skills, they know how to be part of team and know that it takes hard work to achieve.
For some of these once you have made the initial change, you will not need to think about it much again and it will become second nature. For example, planning a menu, you could do one that rotates over three weeks, get all the family involved, pick some quick and healthy options as well as family favourites, think about your week and what you have on each day and remember to be flexible, if Tuesday’s dinner is one that takes a long time and you are late home change it for something quick.
And if you feel that our top 10 is too daunting, pick your top five to help that you stay organised and calm. The rest can follow.