You know who we are talking about! Those people whose homes you can visit at virtually any time of day or night to find them perfectly tidy, with a distinct feeling of peace and calm flowing throughout. Here are a few things we have observed about the way these homes are typically organized and the habits of people who live there:
- Every item has a proper place – and everyone who lives in the home knows what it is. This last bit is super important, so when an item’s place changes suddenly due to major reorg effort, everyone gets informed!
- They constantly purge excess stuff. Not twice a year or with each new season, but every day, all the time they are thinking: Do I need this? Do I want it? They also have ready lists of places where they can donate unwanted items rather than stuffing them into storage.
- They treat storage spaces differently – as places to contain items they use often rather than to stash away items they don’t really want or need but aren’t quite ready to part with. With adequate storage space all around, tidying becomes a fast, easy exercise.
- They decorate for double duty, locating attractive bins, baskets, bureaus, and other furniture items that double as design elements and storage. They also strategically place containers where they can accumulate items that need to travel, up or down stairs, for example, for greater tidying efficiency.
- They strategically locate supplies and tools. For example, an upstairs bathroom or linen closet might have its own complete set of moist wipes, cleaning rags, trashcan liners, a broom, dustpan, handheld vacuum, duster, and so forth for quick, convenient cleanups.
- They “do now”. No walk from one room to another or up and down the stairs is made empty handed. As soon as an untidy situation arises, they simply dedicate the few seconds or minutes it will take to address. Scrap of paper on the floor? Pick it up (1 sec). Dirty dishes in the sink? Put them in the dishwasher (1 min). Dishwasher clean and full? Empty it (3-4 mins). Dryer buzzer just went off? Fold and return clean laundry to its proper place (6 mins). You get the picture.
Happy tidying!
