Let me start by saying this is based on a home without children, they can make things a lot harder to keep clean and tidy!
If you're like me and clutter and mess stresses you out, then this is the list for you!
Honestly, that title should really read "9 Tips for Keeping your Home Tidy from someone who has no business giving tidying advice". I do try, but I often fail.
I've just moved into a new flat with B and it's absolutely beautiful. It has a lot more space than our last place, and a lot more scope to personalise. But with this comes the inevitable issue of keeping it tidy and looking nice at all times.
Now, I get very stressed when living in an untidy or chaotic environment and I get very anxious about what visitors will think. This was a particular problem in our last flat. It was so small and cramped that it always looked untidy and cluttered. I would spend days before any visitor came round panicking and making lists about what needed doing and getting myself completely worked up with fear that they would see my home in a mess.
So I decided I had to get better - new flat, new rules - and with that I discovered the tips listed below. So sit down, and get comfy, and prepare for wisdom (I hope)!
1. The Stuff Box
This is my personal favourite. The basic premise is that you have a box in each room where you put things that don't belong. Then once a week you empty this box. It localises all the clutter and means you don't end up with stuff everywhere.
This also works really well with clothes - everyone likes to joke about the clothing chair. If you have a place to put clothes that don't need to be washed yet and can either be put away or worn the next day it stops there being clothes all over the floor. It's an absolute miracle worker!
Now this doesn't always work as planned - I'm not always great about emptying the box - but definitely prevents the room being covered in clutter!
2. Don't leave things until later unless you have to
I don't always manage to stick to this one, but it works as a general rule of thumb. If you go into the kitchen to get a drink and see a pot of teabags on the counter from your tea earlier - put them away! If you go to the bathroom and see an empty toilet roll tube has been left there, put it in the bin!
A lot of people would disagree with this one, as it distracts you from what your doing at the time, but I stick to the principle that if it's either on my way to my next destination, or in the room I'm currently in, I'll do it now. It does sometimes mean you got to get a cup of tea and spend a few minutes wiping down the counters, but if you have to wait for the kettle to boil anyway, why not?
3. Everything needs a home
This is probably one of the most important things I have learned about keeping my home organised. If you don't have a place to put things, they will end up going on random shelves and looking messy.
One of the first things we bought when we moved in was a file divider so we weren't losing important paperwork that was being put on the bookcase. Try to allocate each item its own space, so when something is out of place, you know exactly where it should go.
4. Make it easier to put things away
Don't put barriers between you and the homes that you created in number 3. For example, our washing basket sits in the corner of the room and has no lid. Means I can easily see when it's full, and can actually throw clothes across the room into it. Yes, I do get a massive satisfaction when I get a hole in one with a pair of socks. Don't hide away all storage containers. If all bills go into a box in the back of a drawer, you'll never remember them, and you won't put them all away. If all shoes go in a lidded box at the back of a cupboard, you won't put them away unless you're one of those really efficient, tidy people. Which I am definitely not. At all.
5. Eliminate clutter hangouts
Everyone has certain spaces that are hot-spots for clutter to hangout in. Ours is the dining table as it's one of the first things you pass when you enter the flat. The first step towards combating these spaces is to make it part of your evening routine to just clear everything that's in this space. Either by going around putting it all away, or by making use of the handy stuff boxes from number 1. The next step is to block it from being a hot-spot, so our table now has a vase of flowers as a centrepiece, and some small tealights which prevent it from being an open space to dump things. I will add, even unlit, sticking nice scented candles around your space disguises the smelly shoes and damp washing smells!
6. Make your bed everyday
Such a small thing, that makes such a big difference. My bed has been optimised for quick making. We have no extra cushions or throws. Just straighten the pillows and shake out the duvet and you're ready to go!
7. Leave your shoes by the door
This goes hand in hand with making sure everything has a space, but if you have a designated spot to put your shoes (and are like me with 3 or 4 pairs in daily rotation), then it makes things much neater. Occasion or special shoes go in the bottom of the wardrobe, then everyday ones are in a line by the front door. We have a nice little gap in the entrance to our front room which is a perfect place for shoes. It prevents dirt and mud getting tracked through the house, and bonus, means you can always find your shoes!
8. Have lots of small bins
This one does require you to be a little organised, but is small work for big rewards! B spends a lot of his time in the study and so we bought a new bin to go in there because there's always rubbish in there. We have bins for both of the bathrooms and for the bedroom. You do have to remember to go around and empty them, but if you like phone reminders I would definitely advise you to set a small weekly reminder to go around and empty them all. It stops there being a stray wrapper or tissue or cotton wool bud sitting around that you just keep forgetting to pick up.
9. Have a coat hook or cupboard
Another that fits with number 3, but it makes all the difference. In our old flat all of the coats went on the backs of chairs or on doors and just made it look messy. We now have a big coat rack on the back of a door beside the front door. Means there's somewhere to put your coat as soon as you walk in, and you always know where it is when you're going out!
This list is by no means comprehensive, and I can 100% guarantee that we do not stick to it in our house. Sometimes the bed doesn't get made until I get home from work, and the teabags are still sitting on the counter in the kitchen, but we try, and the difference it has made to both of our moods is amazing. I feel excited about having visitors as opposed to living in fear that someone will spontaneously come round before I have a chance to tidy.
How about you, do you have any tips or tricks to keep your place looking presentable? Let me know in the comments below.
Hwyl am nawr
J x
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