I know this feeling. You're looking around a messy, messy room (or even a completely trashed house). You want to pretend you're three and just throw a blanket over your head. Where and HOW do you start? Today we start. And I'll give you some simple points to get you started.
The truth about the "best way" to organize
I continue to organize a lot of the Instagram accounts. All those trash cans and pretty things in rainbow order make me happy, but the reality is there's no BEST WAY to organize, and thisPeople who say YES are doing you a disservice.
the truth is thatYou have to find the best way for YOU.
- Systems that work for YOU(and my systems don't even work for everyone in my family, how can you be sure they work for YOU?)
- A rhythm that works for youwithout being overwhelming
- Something, thatfits into your budget"I don't know about you, but my budget isn't a jack of all trades.
because I aloneI kept seeing clean-up classes that just focused on clean-up, or "fancy" clean-up that I knew wouldn't work for everyone.I believemy own classIt really helps you start where YOU are and find systems and ideas that work for you. You can even skip it for a month and go when you feel ready. CheckThe organized house!
Well, now that we realize that there are no specific organizational rules, check out my episode on the same topic:
For me, the first step in choosing a room. It helps me not feel so overwhelmed with the ENTIRE house. So let's talk about ONE messy bedroom.
You can further narrow this down to a single piece of furniture. Let's remember that it's simple steps like these that gradually lead to a clean house!
In a messy and dirty room, where to start organizing?
for me, iStart in a corner🇧🇷 Then mework in circlesaround the room while I get things done.
Things to consider:
Focus on surfaces
If an entire room is super overwhelming, now is NOT the time to dive deep. First select a specific area and then circle the room from there. When you're ready to stop, look at the area you cleaned and see how it looks. go tomakes you want to continue!
Flat surfaces are easy to find:
When you are in your living room, go to the shelves.
When you are in the bathroom, go to the counters.
When you're in the kitchen, go to the countertops and be sure to put away clean dishes (or wash dirty dishes) so the kitchen sink isn't a problem.
If you're in your bedroom, start at the top of the dresser!
WHY? For some reason:
Clean surfaces make your mind believe you have a clean home.
Plus, you have the option to use these surfaces as you get more organized. It gets MUCH easier if you clean them first!
Use a microfiber
if you can fastClean the surface as you go, payment is extra. I'm a big fan ofcleaning the counters🇧🇷 It's good to see clean surfaces. me usuallythis cleaning solutionIt is aMicrofiber clothing(I get mine at Costco in the auto department, but Amazon's are great too.)
Why microfiber?I have all postsHow much I love microfiber towels, but its small fibers just clean faster. I think they are the easiest way to clean. It makes me love them (although I hate how they feel in my hand, I remember cleaning them quicker). There is no shame in using itgloveswhile you do it!
For me that's usually enough. If you have a really messy area, you might want to bring more cleaning supplies.
use a stopwatch
When I'm feeling super overwhelmed (and I want to make it VERY clearMay this feeling happen to me too: I don't walk around like a fairy cleaning my house with a big smile on my face) I often think -I can do that in five minutes..
I find I can get the job done quickly when the timer rings at 5 minutes. It feels so good and the promise I made to myself that I could stop after 5 minutes if I couldn't take it anymore keeps me going!
It seems so small, but whenDo this every dayit really makes a difference (and you might want to extend the timer by a few days). Sure, the first time it's five minutes, but maybe the second time it's 8, or maybe even if you find yourself wanting to go FAR over five minutes.Just don't burn!
The most important thing is to do your best every day and keep going.
Pro tip:I tend to do this when the thought of exercising makes me want to die. When I have 5-10 minutes and want to stop, I stop (but mostly I keep going).
Where to start when your whole house needs organizing?
I want to give you a few options to get you started:
Start at your OWN place!
If other people living in your house are making it difficult for you to get started, start in a place that is EXCLUSIVELY yours (eg. This has many advantages:
- You reap all the benefits and you can keep it that way.
- They might get jealous of how amazing your apartment looks and consider letting you do magic on them too!
Choosing an area of your home that isn't a shared area also allows you to make ALL the decisions, which is truly empowering and easier to make quick decisions, form new habits, and fill that trash bag!
By the way, this is part of word #1 inMy 5 word challenge🇧🇷 Me tooTalk to my husband about how we divide up the duties on my podcast.
Start in an area where you spend a lot of time.
Cleaning up a messy place inspires you to move to other places to make ALL your home as great as that place looked. If you start somewhere that you're rare, you won't see it as often (nor will you feel that sense of pride when you see it).
Don't worry, you'll keep using this system until you have the whole house clean!
choose something easy
If you have an area that you think will be quick and easy to get started in, start there! This sense of accomplishment will drive you to keep going.
Don't get stuck in a rut thinking the little things you do don't matter. Every step you take is one step closer (but sometimes that's a lot of steps).
no, you review
It's all too easy to think that if you had more storage space or more square footage in your home, you would have much better home living and organization systems.
I am her to testify that I have seen people move from SMALL apartments that were a big mess to big houses that are a big mess.Putting the things you HAVE online only helps expand your living space..
Don't get stuck in the cycle of thinking that you would have a better life or that things would be easier to get done if things were different. Realize that you have what you have now andYou can start where you are!
It's also good to rememberMost people have too much stuff, no matter how big your house is, so EVERYONE needs to downsize to make their house tidy.
What to do to stop procrastinating
Sometimes there are things about tidying up that keep me from getting started or feel overwhelmed. Sometimes a step-by-step process makes everyday life easier.
set the table
The older I get, the more difficult it becomes to bend down or work on the floor. If I want to "open a shop" in an area that has room for it, I usually take onecard table🇧🇷 It is easy to assemble and disassemble.
This allows me to categorize things on a surface where I'm not hunched over or sitting on the floor (and getting up again and again; see my practice note above).
Of all the ways you can make it a little easier, you're more likely to keep it.
configuration zones
Just separate the area you want to work on (even if it's just a mental "split").
I havezones in my kitchen- but most rooms have zones. Things like:
- a drawer
- a shelf
- an accountant
But like I said, even if your area doesn't have a defined "zone", you can create one in your head and just get that part done!
Honestly, the smaller the better. MANY people say they want to "declutter the dining room" when FEET are full of stuff in the dining room. Pause, start and next time go to the next zone!
WithinThe organized houseWe've talked about all the zones you could find in your simple spaces to really make it work for you!
Set that timer!
Do you see a topic here? Decidehow long do you haveand organize and set a timer.
Sometimes I set the timer for 5 minutes andjust undress for 5 minutes, and then I take the rest of my time to separate, tidy up and clean the area and put it back.
This makes it VERY good for a busy life. It also allows you to do great work with the small area you set aside for yourself.
get some containers
Sometimes it can be difficult to get organized. I always have a few containers with me:
- but
- garbage
- go somewhere else
You can use boxes, a laundry basket (I lovethose wrinkleseasy to tuck away in the laundry), cardboard boxes, old storage containers, or plastic bags. Just put some clothes on and when you go to the next room you're done.
It really helps to make a quick decision.
By using them in your cleaning process, it only helps you feel a lot less messy in less time.
Recognize that these are sunk costs
Once in a whileWe spent so much time beating ourselves up that our house became such that we couldn't see straight to work.
This is what your home looks like now, this is what your home looks like now.
It is asunk costs.
Now is the timemake the decision to do better, now that you know better.
The beauty is that every hour of every day (even every minute) we can make changes in our lives and even really change the look of our homeshow our children behave.
Sometimes everything seems so helpless, but it doesn't have to be.
What to do when you feel overwhelmed?
I like to take a deep breath and realize that every household organization or cleaning task has a starting point.
"Here" I am right now, but eventually I will have a clean house and feel a lot more relaxed and happier. I only have a short drive ahead of me.
For example, when you go on a road trip, sometimes you feel overwhelmed by the number of kilometers, but you keep going and somehow you get there!
And one day you will bet with an entire organized house!
Pro tip:It can also help if you collect dirty clothes and toss in a load of laundry (make sure clean clothes are put away, you don't have to wash them twice). This happens automatically and easily. Helps reset your brain so you're better ready to clean up when you're done. It's a great way to keep going when you're overwhelmed.
Get a co-organizer!
Need help and encouragement to organize your home?
You can always join a team with a friend or family member, but sometimes it's hard to admit that you're lost with the organization.
come with meThe organized house🇧🇷 I'll help you think about your next steps. It even comes with a Facebook group full of people to remind you that you are NOT alone. I think you'll love it, by the way I guarantee it. 🇧🇷
Save 10% on the course withCoupon code PC10.
Rigid
Split
Related posts:
- Where to start organizing? — PCP025
- Organizing Games: How to Organize Boards, Cards, and Board Games...
- Why is it difficult to organize?