Downsize your stuff. This can be a challenging, but relieving experience for people. Ridding ourselves of unused stuff removes the clutter and is mentally liberating. Make it a project to get rid of clothing you haven’t wore in more than two years, DVDs you’ll never watch again, books you’ll never read again, kitchen stuff you haven’t used in over a year. Give it away. The less you have, the less clutter and the less you’ll have to clean.
Set a timer. It’s been said many times before, but setting a timer and cleaning like crazy for fifteen minutes really does work. One or two fifteen-minute sessions can make a huge difference in keeping your house clean in the long run. Once you’ve started moving, you will gain the momentum to keep going and clean up other areas of your home.
Multiple projects. The thought of cleaning your entire living space can seem daunting and time consuming. I always tell myself that I have no time, as an excuse to delay tidying my apartment. I’ve found it helpful to write out on paper, all the sections of my home that need organizational love. After that I make each one a mini-project, where I’d tackle one every week. Make sure that each mini-project has a measurable goal, where it is achievable within an hour. If an area requires many hours, then break it up into several mini-projects. This way, the cleaning tasks seem manageable and will not take all day. Completing each mini-project also gives me small wins along the way, creating momentum to tackle the next mini-project.
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Labels. This might sound extreme, but when I last cleaned out my dressers and closets (after three years of resisting to change), I gave each type of clothing a home, and I labeled the locations within dressers to reminder myself. For example, I divided each dresser drawer into three compartments, I have four such drawers. I’d then gave each compartment names like: I’ve found the labels to act like little tidy traffic signs directing where to steer my clothes after the laundry cycle.
Boxes. I have the habit of leaving loose things on the table and other surfaces, because it’s easy. This of course, isn’t sustainable. I’ve found that attractive boxes serve as great storage for loose items. I got black ones and red boxes from Ikea (various sizes) for about $5 each. The idea is to group like items together into boxes, so that they will be easy to find when needed, but hidden from the surface when they aren’t. Some examples of boxed collections are: receipts, incoming mail, paid bill stubs, research papers for stocks I track, office supplies, pictures, wires, blank CDs, loose magazine cut-outs, pens. I even have a box labeled “Personal Development” where I keep blank cue cards, quotes, journal, notes from seminars, reading, or home-courses. (Pretty geeky, I know.)
Drawer Dividers. These are awesome if you keep your underwear, socks, and t-shirts in one drawer; a divider will keep them separate. A divider may seem a bit expensive, but trust me, it is well worth the price. It’ll give you a piece of mind in the long run. I got my dividers from IKEA for around $8.
Utility Drawer Containers. Find small boxes (I use soap boxes, small Glad tupperware, and store bought utility drawer containers) for your utility drawer. Get a box for every small item that you toss in that drawer. For example, batteries, stamps, elastic bands, random pens, scissors, notepads, etc. Give each small item a home. Since I started doing this, my utility drawer is no longer a mesh of random items, and I can finally find stuff when I need it.
A clean home will add peace and harmony to your life. I hope that you find some of these tips to be useful and try for yourself.
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