Having a mess
free, well organised house is an ever elusive dream for many. It is that
coveted position that many can’t really reach. To add to the chaos there are
endless videos on: My daily cleaning routine, 30 ideas to a well organised
kitchen, Cleaning hacks etc..
Now these
videos raise the bar so high that it puts many on a guilt trip. Hence I thought
of writing a blog doing a reality check. The fact that you are even reading
this article means there are chances that you are either grappling with
organising your home or are looking for some motivation to do so.
1.
Set realistic goals:
Please do not
set your standard so high that they cannot be met. A lot depends on which your
life cycle, routine, responsibilities and the actual time spent in your house.
If you have toddlers and babies in the house, your priority is to ensure they
are safe, well fed and looked after and NOT really having a well organised
house. If you spend several hours out of the house I wonder how much time can
be dedicated in organisation/cleaning etc. If you have all grown up in the
house and well abiding to a routine then perhaps you have a higher chance of
having a neat, clean and well organised house.
So the point
being do not get carried away with fancy videos, one doesn’t know what mess
lies behind the cameras!
2.
Consistency:
A well
organised home is the result of consistency and not one off effort. Small
things like dedicating a place for every item and ensuring each item reaches
its designated place after use, goes a long way in keeping a well organised
house. This done consistently gives results.
3.
Routine:
Setting a
routine, be it daily cleaning, spring cleaning, purging etc.. are important in
getting that very well organised home. Do not expect to have an organised home
if you keep on buying things at every sale/offer or whimsically. New things
need extra space in your house. It’s a good idea to be mindful of the shopping.
Decide if the product is really needed or perhaps is just good to have. Do you
have space for it? If not what items will you give away to create space? Yes
purging and creating space need to be at regular intervals.
4.
Use organisers:
Many
innovative organisers are available in the market use these to help you de
clutter. Things like shelf organisers, drawer organiser, make-up organisers,
toy storage towers etc.. Look and you will find many fancy options.
Above: Using bins and boxes to organise toys
5.
Back-ups and storage:
These are
often overlooked. Buying in bulk sure saves money, but do you really have the
place to store bulk. E.g.: in our tiny Mumbai homes do you really have the
place to store 30 kgs of rice for a family of 4? Can’t we buy grocery on
monthly basis instead of yearly? Similarly if there is a baby in the house; do
we need to have 6/7 large packs of diapers? Will buying just 2 packs help? Same
goes for extra detergents, soaps, toothpastes, toothbrushes etc. We need to
find out those little things we do mindlessly that adds up to excess items in
the house.
6.
Rotation of seasonal things:
Rotation of
seasonal things like sweaters, blankets, umbrellas, ponchos and raincoats etc.
help a lot in getting the home to look organised. Storing the seasonal items
when not in use makes way for that added space that can be used for day to day
use items. E.g. Umbrellas, raincoats etc can be stored away in the loft during
the winters. Similarly thick blankets, sweaters etc can be stored away during
the summers.
7.
Stacking and clubbing:
Stacking and
clubbing are storage tricks that help to give a clutter free look. I have given
an example of my son’s toy shelf. The way things are stacked gives it a feel of
well organised shelf. Similarly here is another picture of his clothes shelf. I
have clubbed all Indian clothes in one pile, the pants in one pile, the
t-shirts in another pile and formals in yet another pile and night clothes in a
separate pile. And within these the clothes that are seldom used are stored at
the back of the cupboard. This helps in utilising storage space well.
Above: Indian clothes are stacked in the extreme left, followed by formal pants, followed by T-shirts, followed by night clothes.
8.
Planning:
Writing the
above points brings me to another important aspect that is planning. All above
points make is so clear that planning is a very important tool that everyone
can benefit from in decluttering mind space and home space. So please use it
liberally.
- Chalk out your week,
- Note down weekly/daily requirements
- Draw a weekly/monthly cleaning, purging routine
- Mark out special events like festivals, birthday, party invitations etc
- Have a shopping routine and the list ready a day in advance
The success
of the plan lies in following the plan to the T. A few one off things can be
taken into the stride. But by and large plan everything and try and fit in
contingencies.
9.
Fragrance and candles:
Having a well
scented room gives the illusion of an organised and clean house. Use these to
your advantage. You do not have to go overboard spending on expensive room
sprays/candles etc. Burning the humble uddbatti or dhoop or camphor does the
trick. So try and it, these are also known to elevate one's mood.
10.
Do not stress:
Let those
fancy videos and pictures not stress you. Don’t try to have a clutter free
organised home at the cost of your health. Remember not everyone is good at
everything. Perhaps clutter free, organised house is not even your priority. Do
not go by the standards set by others. If a messy, cluttered house works for
you; well then hey who is a Vlogger or a Blogger to tell you any other. The
ultimate aim of ‘doing’ or ‘not doing’ something is happiness so go and find
your own happiness.
Best wishes
and happy decluttering OR cluttering.
Do comment
below how you liked the article. I would also like to read, your organisational
or clutter story. Do like and subscribe to my blog.
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