Producer and broadcaster Ursula Chikane, 47, shares her tips for organising your life
- Keep your old shoe boxes. They’re perfect for filing away letters and receipts, and photographs you haven’t gotten round to putting in an album.
- Clear counter tops. A rule of thumb is that if anything on a counter or other surface isn’t there for a decorative or useful purpose, it belongs inside and not on top.
- The rule of five. I’ll never wear more than five pieces of jewellery at a time, otherwise I’ll look “cluttered”. The same rule applies to decorating – dresser or coffee table looks so much better when uncluttered. You’ll be amazed at the difference a strict edit like that makes to a room.
- Have a basket in the car. Throw in bits and bobs, and empty it when it’s full. It works wonders for shopping trips as well – pile your grocery bags into the basket to prevent smaller items from rolling around, and carry the whole basket inside when you get home, rather than clumsily trying to manage umpteen packets.
- Group small things together. Items like nail polishes can often cause the most clutter. I colour-code mine and pack them in old gift boxes.
- Hide your devices. Charging cellphones, laptops, and other devices can be an eyesore, and really add to clutter. I hide them away in the bedside drawer and connect them to the plug through a hole in the back.
Catch Ursula’s radio show, Soul Power, on Power FM 98.7, Sundays from 6 to 9pm.
