10 Hacks to Declutter and help you tidy your home.
If like Tracey Emin who famously sold her unmade bed for 2.2 million pounds you have found a way to make untidiness work for you? Or if you are somewhat OCD (suffer from obsessive compulsive disorder)? Then these hacks may not be so crucial for you. However for the rest of us who find it difficult getting motivated to tidy up then these helpful hints may be just what’s needed. Many involve a set time or a set number of activities as the thought of spending too long on boring, tidying jobs can seem too daunting. So breaking the work down into more manageable chunks can often help.
Make your bed
So unlike Tracey it’s best to make your bed every day as soon as you get up. This task usually only takes about five minutes yet it is one of the easiest ways to make your bedroom look tidy. It will also help set the tone for the day. In fact, a survey, which polled 1,000 Americans, found that bed-makers were more than twice as likely to be successful in their jobs, prioritize responsibilities over their desires and be more productive in their free time.
Tidy away a set number of items
Try doing this whilst doing other things. For example, if you’re getting ready to go out and the place is a mess you might just feel that you just don’t have the time to clear it up. This will result in your being greeted by a mess on your return when you probably feel even less like putting everything away. Instead, try tidying a set number of items between tasks. For example, if your lucky number is 5 clear away 5 items after you brush your teeth 5 items after you’ve had your shower, 5 items after you’ve done your hair – you get the idea. Or 5 items while you’re waiting for the kettle to boil
Never leave a room empty-handed
This is another easy idea for keeping on top of things. Before you leave a room quickly scan it to see if there are any items that need to be moved out – glasses into the kitchen, etc? Don’t leave until you’ve taken something with you
Throw away 1 thing a day.
Again this is more for the hoarders amongst us than those who religiously get rid of the excess in their lives. However, if you are guilty of having drawers full of items you haven’t used in ages but are hanging on to “just in case” it’s time to declutter. Even better have a “donation box” ready for these items. If you think a charity may find some use for your unwanted bits, collect them up ready to give away each month Local foundations such as Take Care Kids, Hand to Hand, Mercy, and Father Ray Foundation will be happy to take your unwanted clothes, books, and toys, etc.
Do a 10 minute tidy
Set your alarm and see how much you can accomplish in such a short amount of time it is sure to motivate you to do it again and again.
Don’t have a chair in the
bedroom.
It can look lovely and lull you into a false dream of using it to while away the hours with a good book or your copy of Discover Pattaya. However, the reality may well be that it is far too tempting to throw your clothes on the chair rather than hang them up or put them in the laundry.
Get other family members involved
If you are the only person tidying up your home, it’s easy to become resentful of all the unappreciated work you do. To avoid this, assign tidying jobs to everyone you live with – children included. This will minimize the amount of tidying and make you all feel like a team.
Clean the shower
Clean the shower while you’re still in it. Far easier to wipe down the glass while you’re still inside the cubicle than have it as an onerous task waiting for you later.
Do a wardrobe cleanse.
Go through your clothes and get rid of anything that doesn’t fit or that you haven’t worn in a long time. Or if you find you cannot bear to part with some items but don’t wear them due to some increase in Covid Kilos then re-consign them to a suitcase or overhead shelf – until you can fit in them again. Otherwise, donate them to grateful charities as per Hack no 3.
Use a stair basket
If you have stairs try putting a basket at the top and bottom. Then if you find items that belong on a different level you can simply put them in the basket to be gathered up by the next person using the stairs