Is your house so messy you can never find what you’re looking for? Are you often late because you can't find your car keys?
Research on clutter shows that it has a negative effect on you mentally. The mere act of seeing raises your cortisol (stress hormone), causing stress and anxiety. It also harbors creativity and productivity.
These tips will help save time and keep you more organized.
Keep things in a place that makes sense. Place your keys in a dish by the front door so you won’t waste time looking for them throughout the house. Put anything you need to take with you by the front door- outgoing mail, pocketbook or the library books that need to be returned. This will save you time as you won’t be running around trying to gather what you need for the day.
Straighten up as you go. Paperwork...Go through your mail, place it in one spot, and recycle as needed, instead of leaving it on the coffee table. Fill the dishwasher after every meal instead of once a day. Put groceries away rather than leave them on the kitchen counters. Clutters counters make your house look messy, even if it's simply groceries on the counter. Clear counters makes the kitchen an appealing place to enjoy a meal instead of a constant reminder of chores that need to be done.
Finish one project before starting another. I have a friend who has started to update his bathroom, never finished the project and is now working on his kitchen. His house is constantly in a state of confusion and he never manages to get any project completed because it’s now so overwhelming.
Keep your bathroom tidy. Wipe up the sink and vanity top after you shave or wash your face and put your toiletries away. Doing these small things as you go keeps the bathroom looking cleaner in case unexpected guests stop by- you won’t have to be embarrassed if they ask to use the facilities.
Organize your closets. If your closet is filled to capacity, you can’t see what you have. Instead of squeezing everything into your closet, keep out of season clothes in the spare bedroom closet. Keep shoes in boxes or shoe racks. Donate any items that no longer fit or if you haven’t worn them in the past season. Don’t hang onto things you can’t use anymore because there is someone out there who will be grateful to have it. I love the Marie Kondo tip of touching the garment and if it brings you joy you keep it... There are many jeans in my closet that no longer bring me joy... Savers, here they come!
Keep your important documents and papers in a safe place. Birth certificates, passports, marriage license, divorce papers, the deed to your house and the title to your car should be filed in a fireproof lockbox. Better yet, they should be kept in a safe deposit box at a bank close to home so it’s convenient for you to retrieve them when needed. If you keep important financial information on your home computer, it’s a good idea to backup to a flash drive and keep this at the bank too. The cost of a safe deposit box is worth the peace of mind knowing you won’t have to replace these documents if they were ever lost in a disaster.
Taking small steps every day to keep organized will help keep your casa cozy, clutter-free and mentally at peace.
