If your house is a mess, but you can’t seem to find the time to tidy up because of your work, family, and social commitments, then don’t worry. We’ve all been there.
With so much on your plate it can be easy to feel weighed down by the millstone of laundry, dishes and cleaning. But trust us when we say you don't have to feel like that.
Instead, if you want your residence to be a clutter-free and organised space, all you need to do is follow a plan that will prevent it from building up over time in the first place.
With that in mind, here are some practical ways to manage your household mess without stressing out or feeling too overwhelmed.
1. Don’t Try to Do Everything in One Go
If you wait until your home is a complete mess before deciding to tidy it up, you are going to be fighting a losing battle.
The sheer size of the task will most likely require at least a full day of exertion if not even two or three, and with your responsibilities for work, children and friends to also manage, you’ll probably find it overwhelming.
For this reason, you should set yourself a manageable goal that devotes a short time to tidying up every day.
Whether it is folding and putting the laundry away, tidying up the entryway or cleaning a bathroom, doing this is a good tactic to ensure the mess doesn’t get to the crisis point.
2. Declutter by Category, Not Room
Often, a home starts to feel messy because it is full of clutter, which has accumulated over time. While it is always good to streamline your possessions, if you have left it to a point where you are borderline hoarding, it can be difficult to know where to start.
One of the best strategies for managing a situation like this is to tackle clutter by category (i.e. clothes, books, papers) rather than by room.
By breaking down this task into smaller, bite-sized chunks, it helps you see what you have and, ultimately, lets you make better decisions on what to keep, donate, or toss.
A good place to start with is clothing because most of us can do with more wardrobe space! If you sort through every item, including coats, shoes, and accessories, you’ll most likely find items you don’t use to dispense with.
3. Rubbish Removal
Sometimes, the amount of clutter in your home is down to you not having all of your rubbish removed, especially those items that might need to be taken to a recycling centre and the refuge tip.
Therefore, you should make an effort to dispose of them responsibly or arrange for a company to do so on your behalf, as this will make a lot of difference to the overall look and feel of your home.
If you are living with a family member who has a severe mental or physical disability, it can be especially difficult to find the time or someone to do that for you. Thankfully, you can check out this link to learn more about NDIS rubbish removal services.
4. Focus on Key Areas First
Some areas of your home, like the kitchen, hallway, and bathroom, have a bigger impact on how tidy the space feels overall.
For this reason, you should focus much of your energy on keeping these ‘high-traffic’ areas tidy, as that will make your whole house feel more put together.
One of the best things to do is to clean countertops and clear surfaces, as this will instantly make a room feel tidier and more relaxing. It is also a good idea to put shoes in a box by the door and keep all your bathroom essentials in one cupboard that is out of view.
5. Adopt the Two-Minute Rule
A clever way to manage clutter in your home is to adopt the ‘two-minute rule’, which states that if a task takes less than two minutes to complete, you should do it immediately.
This could mean putting your dirty clothes in the wash basket, rinsing and stacking dishes in the dishwasher and filing away papers.
These things all contribute to household mess, which will escalate if you don’t tackle them immediately.
6. Use Different Storage Solutions
An excellent way to prevent mess from happening in your home is to use a range of storage solutions.
These can take many forms, including cabinets, bins, containers and boxes, all of which can neatly store your possessions in a way that will enhance the look and feel of a room.
By putting your possessions in these storage options, you will also make it easier to declutter when you have more time.
7. Don’t See Cleaning as a Chore
When it comes to tackling the cleaning, you can choose to be overwhelmed by the task or you can embrace it.
One of the best ways to do the latter is to turn it into an opportunity to do something fun. So, why not pump out the tunes and have a good old sing-a-long as you clean (there are some good health benefits associated with doing so!).
Alternatively, put on a podcast and lose yourself in what is being discussed.
