Are you finding yourself constantly fighting with all the stuff in your house? Research confirms that living in a messy environment blocks productivity and causes anxiety. This then impacts other areas of our life, leaving us feeling quite overwhelmed. So if you want to change your moods and feel a little lighter each day, it may be time to look at your home. Here are the secrets of how to organise.
Learn to prioritise
A daily action plan is key, says clinical psychologist Linda Blair. ‘Your list will be too long but prioritise the three things that are most important, and concentrate on getting those done.’ This is as important on a day to day basis as it is to setting up how to organise your home.
Be prepared
Compiling your to-do list the night before helps you de-stress before bed. It puts your thoughts in order, plus it means you won’t waste time in the morning when you could be cracking on. You can go to bed with your mind at ease of what’s coming up and that you will have enough time for at least your top three priorities of the day ahead.
Home sweet home
How to organise all the bits and bobs? Give everything a home – from keys to gadgets – and always use it. Not being used? Find it a new home outside of your own! Donate items or sell them on Facebook Marketplace.
Double up
While we encourage you to get rid of the things you don’t need, having duplicates of items your household uses daily is a good idea. ‘I suggest scissors in the kitchen, as well as in the bathroom, for instance, but keep them in a designated place,’ says professional organiser Vicky Silverthorn. This way you avoid having to search the house for where they may have wondered off to.
Low maintenance
Keep it simple – overcomplicated filing or storage systems won’t work long term because they’re too time consuming to maintain. The best way to organise everything from documents to underwear and crockery is the way that is easiest for your household’s habits.
Two-minute wonders
The key of how to organise is to do what you can whenever you can. You don’t have to wait for it to pile up or become a massive job. You can organise all the time. Do barely noticeable two-minute jobs as you go: clean the basin after cleaning your teeth; plump up cushions at the end of the evening; sweep the floor after you’ve prepped dinner. And encourage everyone to do the same. Once you make it routine you will hardly notice you are organising.
Tune in
Go with your natural body clock to make the most of your energy levels. ‘A lark will be productive during an early-morning organising session, for instance, while a night owl will find it easier to do when the day is almost done,’ says Linda. Either way, most find it easier to get organised when the rest of the world is quiet or not demanding. If you’re a mom that might be when the kids are at school, for example.
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