5 Pillars for a tidy home that works
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It is so easy for your home to slide into disorganized chaos. I used to leave the tidying and cleaning of our home for Saturday morning and boy did it put me in a bad mood. Not a great way to start the weekend!
Now I have freed up my Saturdays by following these simple 5 pillars of a tidy home.
Refill, Rotate, Replace, Recycle, and Return
I feel so much more efficient and in control of my home. Most importantly, if someone drops by unannounced I don’t feel ashamed or feel the need to apologize for the “mess”.
The key is to make sure everything has a home – and everyone in the house knows where that home is! It’s the little things like where the scissors are kept or the measuring tape goes back to.
1. Refill
This first pillar is about reducing the level of frustration of running out of staples you need and not buying things you already have.
I have this Getting Low On… printout on the inside of the pantry cupboard so if we are nearly out of pepper for the pepper grinder or toilet paper. It goes on the list for when it’s time to do the next to the shop.
It saves me from having to try to remember what needs to go on the shopping list before we run out.
Everyone has access to the list so everyone knows what we are getting low on.
2. Rotate
Use the trick Latest In Last Out (LILO) for your cupboards. For instance, if I buy a new bottle of sunscreen and I already have a bottle in the cupboard the one I purchased goes behind the older bottle so the older bottle gets used first. I also use this for sheets & towels, the fresh ones go to the bottom of the pile so everything gets used equally.
It works for cleaning products, cans of tomatoes, batteries, and anything that will help prolong the life of the things you already have.
3. Replace
Sometimes it’s hard to see if the things you use every day need replacing until you really look. Slimy lettuce or wilting flowers are no-brainers. Replacing kitchen sponges that are past their best or cushions that are no longer plump with give your home a fresh boost.
4. Recycle
Not just putting items in the recycling bin we are talking :
- repurposing things you already have around the house like old peanut butter jars for making salad dressings,
- donating items to charity, and
- selling stuff too good to donate online and make some money whilst you are at it!
5. Return
Nothing makes a room look messier than shoes on the floor. Get everyone in your home into the habit of putting their shoes away at the end of the day.
The key to a tidy home is giving every item a place to go. Otherwise, you’ll end up shoving random things in random drawers and forever asking: “Have you seen the sticky tape?” or “Where are the envelopes?” It also stops you from buying things you already have.
I love Burt’s Bees lip balm. I can’t go a day without using it. I recently went through my hand bags, gym bag, bedroom, bathroom and office drawers. I found 27 Lip Balms hardly used Lip Balms! In total that is 27 x $6.00 = $162! I gathered them all in one basket and now put one in my pocket or purse when I leave the house and return them to the basket when I get home.
Angela
Each time I leave a room I have the rule to take one thing with me. I look to see if there is anything in that room I can take and put back in its rightful place. It could be simply an empty glass to be returned to the kitchen.
Returning also means you have to actually return the items you bought online that aren’t quite right, instead of piling them in the corner for later. It’s your money!
In conclusion
A tidy home is about stuff not being where it is not supposed to be. A few little tweaks to your daily routine will make a huge difference to how proud you feel about your space. Not just for other people – for you too.
