We lead such busy lives that we hardly have time to be completely organized. Working mothers have time only in the weekends to organize their homes. Stay-at-homes may be busy trying to supplement the income by getting involved in a hobby or working on the computer from home. As a result, there may a lot of clutter around the house as we may plan to neaten up during the weekend or on particular days of the week. This generally does not happen as other matters take precedence.
How does one solve this problem and learn to get organized. It is something that we should learn to do and then get into the habit of doing. If you empathize with this problem and would like to learn how to get around it, here are some tips to help you organize successfully.
1. Set aside some valuable time
Time management is very important when you have decided to take your home in hand and sort out the mess. Rome was not built in a day and if you think you can do it all in one day then you have to think again! Plan to complete one to three tasks on any given day and work towards this.
Do not overdo this as you will not feel as eager to take up this difficult task if you tire yourself.
2. Less is more
Learn to do away with stuff that is not relevant in the home. If you are planning to clean out your closet, carefully inspect the clothes that are crammed into those shelves. Are there any clothes that you have not used in the past six months? This is a good time to get rid of them. Put all the items that you do not use in a box and give it away. If you have not used them the chances are you never will!
3. Roll up your clothes and quilts to save space
If you are one of those people who pull out clothes in a hurry and have a tendency to shove them back in the shelves, you should think about using wide drawers or shelves. Roll up your tops and pants neatly and lay them next to each other. Do this with your undergarments as well. Blankets and quilts are easier to store and pull out when stored in this fashion.
4. Make notes and pin them where you can see them
You may require purchasing some groceries or items in the home or paying bills on a certain day. Write it down instead of making mental notes which you will easily forget. Once you make a list and put it down as “To-do” you can ensure that they are done on that particular day.
5. Segregate the items that need to be taken care of for home or for work
During the week, dump the papers and bills that have to be sorted out and put them in two different boxes. A good idea would be to have a separate box for your husband and one for yourself. During the weekend, set aside some time to take them out of the box and deal with them. Papers may have to be filed or bills may have to be paid. Once this is done, the boxes are empty and ready for the next onslaught!
6. Use organizers to store your pens, magazines, keys or hobby items.
Label each and you will find your stationery items, CDs, photos and other items without much difficulty. You will be able to find them easily but make sure to put them back in the organizers when you finish with them.
7. Try not to clutter the tables or empty spaces in the home
Get into the habit of putting away stuff that you bring in immediately. That way the place does not look cluttered and you will have less work organizing your home. Instill this discipline in your children and you will save that much time taking care of something more important on days you have set aside for becoming organized. Once you develop certain systems your husband and children will learn to take care of their stuff and you will have more time on your hands.
8. Make sure to give the place a once-over every six months
Pull out all the drawers and containers lying around the place. Remove the dust bunnies and re-organize the contents. Review the situation and toss out stuff that is not required. You will find that it will take less time for you to work on these items.
9. Delegate work to others in the home
If you have teenagers at home, involve them in cleaning their own rooms and teach them how to organize their stuff. Give them space and do not be a hard task-master. Encourage them to take up some cleaning jobs in the house and increase their monthly allowance when they do it well.
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