Life can get messy. So can your home. So many people struggle with organization especially in their homes. A messy home and a messy life are chained together. Clean up your home and clean up your life! Try a few of the tips on this list and you’ll feel more productive, put together and organized.
1. Get Rid of Things You Don’t Need
You might think you need it and it might take all the willpower you have to throw it in a garbage bag but then in a week, you’ll forget you even had it….since it hadn’t been touched in 4 years. Here’s a list of things to get rid of ASAP:
- Food storage containers without a lid and vice versa
- Socks without a match
- Old shoes, belts, wallets, purses that you never use
- Expired beauty and wash products – check the dates
- Books and magazines you didn’t enjoy and will not read again
- Dried out markers, pens and other art supplies
- Cookbooks you never used – you didn’t cook then, you won’t cook now
- Old sponges and ratty dish towels – invest in ones that don’t fall apart when they touch a plate
- Dried up nail polish
- Extra towels – 2 or 3 per person is enough, do you really need 27 towels in your bathroom for a 4 person family?
- Old, extra remotes that you don’t even know what they’re for
- Duplicates of things you really only need one of
- Broken, rusted or duplicate tools – despite how much your husband says he needs them all
- Sports equipment of a sport that no one plays anymore
- Anything you’re saving for that garage sale you’ve been planning for years that really is never going to happen
- Expired Coupons – there’s no point
- Duplicate ANYTHING – you don’t need two I promise
- Anything broken
I get it. It’s hard to just say goodbye to things you’ve had so long. You may have never worn that dress or used that new facewash you got in a free trial, but you’ve built attachments to them. When it comes to deciding what you should and should not keep, ask yourself the following questions. Be completely honest and accept the fact that it’s time to say BYE!
1. Have I used/worn this in the last year?
2. Is this the only one I have?
3. Does it have ACTUAL sentimental value?
4. Is it broken/dirty and will you actually fix/clean it?
5. Do you need it? – Honestly…
If you answered mainly “No’s” to these questions, I think it’s time to let it go… Goodbye’s hurt but you’ll feel much better when you see how much more organized your home is.
2. Organize Your Closet
There are so many ways to utilize small closets and get the most out of the space you’re given.
- Hang belts using shower curtain rings (cause where else are you going to store them?)
- Use a hanging shoe organizer to store bulky sweaters (they take up too much hanging space anyways)
- Where do I put my shoes then? Try a skinny shoe rack at the bottom of your closet or build a shoe holder onto a closet wall using command hooks, here’s some more creative ways to store your shoes
- Use a large accessory hanger to hang all of your small tank tops on
- Build a shelf above your closet rod and store stuff in baskets up there – store purses, hats, scarves, gloves, anything that wont hang that doesn’t deserve a full drawer
- Fold your t-shirts and set them up like this in your drawer to create more room
- Too many hanging clothes? Move your rod upwards and add a second one below!
- Make use of the back of your closet door – hang baskets and rods on it to store miscellaneous items that you never know where to put
- Hang your necklaces on command hooks on the wall – or try an accordion hook
3. Time for the Kitchen
- Store canned goods in wire bins instead of taking up shelf space
- Store cereal in airtight containers to get rid of bulky boxes and to keep track of when you get low on Fruit Loops
- Hang a shoe organizer on the back of the pantry door to hold small snacks, etc
- Fold all your dish towels and lay them out the same way I told you to set up your t-shirt drawer & get rid of old, dirty or torn ones!!
- Use a magazine holder to store long boxes of foil, bags, etc
- Use stack-able containers for things like sugar, flour, rice, etc & use printable labels
- Invest in a smaller over-the-door organizer for the cabinet under your sink to store cleaning supplies
- Try a towel rack to hold pots and lids
- Organize your fridge with clear storage bins and organizers
- Find a cute small box and add alphabetical tabs to make your own recipe box so you’re never struggling trying to find your mom’s famous pot pie recipe ever again
- Use wire or clear baskets to hold fruits and vegetables
- Make a command center!! I’ll tell you how in step #4
4. Make your own Command Center!!
A command center, otherwise known as an organization wall, is basically a portion of your wall designed purely for organization. They are so helpful for keeping track of important dates and papers and simple plans like what to cook for dinner this week. With a busy life, there are so many things to plan and focus on. We can often forget about the small things like the kids soccer practice schedule, the fact were out of yogurt or what to cook so we don’t get take out 3 nights in a row. The command center is the headquarters of all of this information to keep everything in one simple, organized spot. There are so many ways you can make your own command center! Here are some things you can include in yours:
- To Do List
- What’s for dinner board/Weekly meal board
- Grocery List
- Slots for receipts, bills, mail, anything else paper
- Calendar *** Very Important One ***
- Chores Board
- Holders for markers, pens, dry erase markers, chalk, etc
- Personalize it with family photos and fun frames
- Key Hangers
Here are some pictures for inspiration!
5. Set Up a Weekly Cleaning Schedule
Now that you’ve cleaned out your old stuff and organized your home, it’s time to set up a schedule to make sure you never get back to where you started! Messy home = messy life. There are certain tasks you should do each day and some tasks you should do once a week. You can divide tasks based on room or activity and dedicate them to a specific day. For example, Thursdays can be bathroom days or Tuesdays can be for cleaning floors. It may sound like a lot of time spent cleaning if you clean each and every day but if you stick to the schedule, the cleaning should never take long! You can spend a short amount of time each day keeping things organized or spend long days every few weeks trying to catch up. Here’s an example of a weekly cleaning schedule!
Everyday:
-Make Beds
-Clean Dishes (Right after use)
-Wipe Counters after dinner
-Take out trash
Monday (Bathroom Day):
-Clean sink, toilet, shower
-Wipe mirror
-Replace towels
-Wash rug if needed
-Clean floors and walls
Tuesday (Kitchen Day):
-Clean counters
-Clean oven, stove & microwave
-Sweep/mop floor
-Replace old sponges and dish rags
-Clear out pantry and fridge of old food
Wednesday (Hall & Stairs Day):
-Dust
-Vacuum
-Straighten closets & mud room if applicable
Thursday (Bedroom Day):
-Change bed sheets
-Wipe/dust surfaces
-Put away clutter, clear off surfaces
-Tidy drawers, closet, bookcases
-Dust blinds and vacuum
Friday (Living Room Day):
-Sweep/mop floors
-Declutter bookcases, coffee table, tv stand, etc
-Clean under the couch
-Clean windows and blinds
Weekend (Outdoors):
-Rake if needed
-Cut grass and weed wack
-Tend to gardens
-Clean inside & outside of cars
-Straighten up garage
-Sweep porch
Organization is key. There are infinite benefits to de-cluttering your home including reducing stress, spending less time looking for things and the feeling of peace within an organized setting. Don’t push this off, don’t wait for Spring cleaning, get off your computer and follow our tips to clean up your home, your mind and your life!
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Lee Hatfield Team 