Do you find yourself wasting time in the morning looking for your keys (which you later find buried under a pile of unfolded laundry)? Are you always struggling with overdue payments because you forgot a bill or two? Do you invent excuses to keep people from coming into your home because you’re embarrassed by the untidy disaster that they will see? If so, you may need to reorganise your space and rethink how you spend your time.
When life gets hectic and you struggle to balance your job and social life, your domestic situation may start to decline. Soon enough, your cluttered and disorganised home can become a time-consuming problem. Here are five easy steps to turn that situation around:
Step 1: Organise your bills
If you receive bills through the post, drop them in a box or file as soon as they arrive. For bills via e-mail, have them sent into a special folder. That way, nothing will get misplaced.
Look through your bills and see which ones you can arrange automatic payments for. To give enough time for processing, set the payment for a week before it is due.
For bills that cannot be automatically paid, schedule a payment reminder in your day planner or phone.
Step 2: Tidy up every day
You may be used to marathon cleaning sessions done in a blind panic when you know company’s coming over. However, it’s far less stressful to tidy up for just a few minutes a day.
Try setting a timer for five to fifteen minutes. Some people like to do this in the morning as they wait for coffee. Others have success when they come back from work.
A basic cleaning strategy is to start with anything that is obviously soiled. This may include used dishes or dirty clothes. Once you put them up, wipe down countertops and run a mop or hoover over the floor. Areas like the entryway tend to get dirty first, so start there.
After that, put away clutter. Make sure everything has a place; you may need to invest in bookshelves or organisers. Items that you use rarely or haven’t touched in months can go into storage.
Step 3: Keep an eye on your food
Once a week, check through your refrigerator and pantry. Remove any foods that are past their expiration date, look odd, or smell spoiled.
For the rest, move the ones closest to the expiration date or the foods you’ve had longest to the front. That way, they’re easy to see and you’re more likely to reach for them when you’re cooking.
Finally, keep a list of pantry staples like beans, canned vegetables, or noodles. Mark the list when you run out of something so you’ll know what to restock on.
Step 4: Check your appliances
There’s nothing worse than going to use an appliance, whether it be the toaster or the dishwasher, and realising its broken. Especially if you need something urgently. Once a month, see if your major appliances are working correctly. Even something as small as a door that sticks can lead to the oven not working efficiently. Larger issues like faulty wiring could start a fire. If you notice a problem, call a company like Service Force immediately for a quote, or simply some advice. Fixing problems now can save you a lot of trouble in the future.
Step 5: Don’t let tasks build up
How many times a day, or week, do you say to yourself “I’ll do it later”? For the majority, “later” just ends up getting further and further away. If you know that a task needs doing, do it. Otherwise, before you know it, you’ll have a list of 20+ things that need doing and your home will just become a place of stress. If you’re still struggling to stay on top of things, try looking at some inventive organisation hacks.
By following the above 5 steps, you’ll be on track to having a hassle-free home that you’ll be proud to show off.
There are some great tips here – we do most of this already but thanks for the reminder! x