Top tips for a tidy home
Most of the following apply to houses/flats that have got a bit out of control.
Are you faced with 1001 different things that need to be done? Does the thought of that daunt you? Don't worry, you don't have to do 1001 things right now. Just do one thing, and if you do more than one thing, see it as a bonus.
Separate out one big job into several small jobs. Huge pile of laundry? Huge pile of washing up? Huge mess all over the bedroom? Do *one* load of laundry, *one* sinkful of washing up, tidy up *one* small place in the bedroom.
Fight the cycle of 'I ought to's and just do it! Again, try to concentrate on just doing one thing and not the 1001 'I ought to's. You've just remembered about that button that you need to sew on? Do it now, and don't worry about anything else. Focus on getting the things you need, sewing the button on securely, and putting things away afterwards. You've now achieved something that you can see!
When faced with a very messy room, tidy one square foot then another. You will be able to see what you have achieved quite quickly. Keep on going if you can. Try to put things away immediately rather than shifting them from one pile to another. If you stand on it, pick it up and put it away.
Learn how to say no to generous people who want to give you *stuff* you don't need in a polite way. Explain that you have too much stuff if that helps you. If you don't say no, you will have even more stuff that you don't need and that will give you more work to do.
Been given a gift that you really don't want? Give it away! If the person who gave it you wants you to be lumbered with something that you don't need or like, then they're not worth worrying about too much.
If you haven't touched an item in over a year, you need to get rid of it. You don't need it! There are exceptions: photographs and decorative items that you have a place for, things that you have inherited and have sentimental value (but not multiple things per dead person if you can help it), things that you use every other year eg. clothing for exceptionally cold winters.
You've had a really hard day at work and you're tired. Wait! Don't sit down on the sofa, no matter how tempting it is. Do a couple of chores first and then sit down. Give yourself a pat on the back!
Before you buy something/get something for free ask yourself 'do I really need this?' If you buy books/DVDs/CDs frequently, try to get rid of as many old ones as you buy new ones, unless you have your own personal library to store things. Don't have a library? Get rid of stuff then! Same applies to clothes.
Get some stuff done when you've got someone with you who can lend moral support and maybe lend a hand. Have you been putting off listing something on Freecycle? List it while your friend sits next to you.
The author of this post doesn't always follow his own advice! Give him a poke about this ;-)
Are you faced with 1001 different things that need to be done? Does the thought of that daunt you? Don't worry, you don't have to do 1001 things right now. Just do one thing, and if you do more than one thing, see it as a bonus.
Separate out one big job into several small jobs. Huge pile of laundry? Huge pile of washing up? Huge mess all over the bedroom? Do *one* load of laundry, *one* sinkful of washing up, tidy up *one* small place in the bedroom.
Fight the cycle of 'I ought to's and just do it! Again, try to concentrate on just doing one thing and not the 1001 'I ought to's. You've just remembered about that button that you need to sew on? Do it now, and don't worry about anything else. Focus on getting the things you need, sewing the button on securely, and putting things away afterwards. You've now achieved something that you can see!
When faced with a very messy room, tidy one square foot then another. You will be able to see what you have achieved quite quickly. Keep on going if you can. Try to put things away immediately rather than shifting them from one pile to another. If you stand on it, pick it up and put it away.
Learn how to say no to generous people who want to give you *stuff* you don't need in a polite way. Explain that you have too much stuff if that helps you. If you don't say no, you will have even more stuff that you don't need and that will give you more work to do.
Been given a gift that you really don't want? Give it away! If the person who gave it you wants you to be lumbered with something that you don't need or like, then they're not worth worrying about too much.
If you haven't touched an item in over a year, you need to get rid of it. You don't need it! There are exceptions: photographs and decorative items that you have a place for, things that you have inherited and have sentimental value (but not multiple things per dead person if you can help it), things that you use every other year eg. clothing for exceptionally cold winters.
You've had a really hard day at work and you're tired. Wait! Don't sit down on the sofa, no matter how tempting it is. Do a couple of chores first and then sit down. Give yourself a pat on the back!
Before you buy something/get something for free ask yourself 'do I really need this?' If you buy books/DVDs/CDs frequently, try to get rid of as many old ones as you buy new ones, unless you have your own personal library to store things. Don't have a library? Get rid of stuff then! Same applies to clothes.
Get some stuff done when you've got someone with you who can lend moral support and maybe lend a hand. Have you been putting off listing something on Freecycle? List it while your friend sits next to you.
The author of this post doesn't always follow his own advice! Give him a poke about this ;-)