6 tips for organising your home
As the time to put away and store winter items has arrived, it is the right time to review your home and to critically pick out the items that you really use. This is necessary, because our physical environment also influences us mentally and therefore a messy and untidy room not only reduces the available space, but also has a negative impact on our thinking. Thus, we give you six tips on how to tidy the different areas of your home (and your thoughts) in a simple and smooth way.
1. KITCHEN AND BATHROOM
Firstly, think about the function of every room and assess what things belong where. What do you actually need in a kitchen? Or in a bathroom? Think about whether you really need all those coffee cups. Think about tidying the kitchen surfaces by putting away the kitchen appliances you seldom use. Also review the contents of your refrigerator – which jars have been stored there for years?
2. BEDROOM, CUPBOARDS AND CHESTS
A bedroom should be a calm sleeping area. A TV-set should be removed immediately.
Also get rid of the clothes that no longer fit you. And that is it. When sorting clothes, think about whether they still suit you, how they make you feel and whether you only keep them in your cupboard because of nostalgia. If they do not suit you any longer, then the time is right to get rid of them.
3. GARAGE
It is meant for vehicles, after all. In the case that you have no other possibility, it can also be used for storing garden equipment, but in general it is not a good idea to turn your garage into a general storage space. Look through all items thoroughly and take note of the ones you have not used for years. You could take these items to some other place or you could give them away. In addition, think about purchasing bicycle holders or installing some shelves or hooks, which could help you to tidy up the mess.
4. HOW TO ORGANISE ITEMS
When you are rearranging items and have reached the point where you know which items you should get rid of, sort them into different bags/boxes according to what you have decided to do with them: for keeping (store in another place, for example at the storage space), throwing away, selling, donating, recycling, repairing or returning. Then make the final decision and act accordingly – no way back!
5. E-MAIL
In addition to organising the physical things, you should also review the ever-lasting virtual mess – your e-mails. Use folders, arrange your e-mails accordingly and prioritise. Work with the e-mails you have to work with today and keep the e-mails of next week... for next week. In addition, take some time to unsubscribe from unwanted mailing lists. And you can delete that old Hotmail account immediately.
6. ROUTINE
Rearranging and tidying your home should not be a large-scale, boring annual activity. Any bigger cleaning event can actually be divided into smaller parts: for example, organise such a tidy up once per season or start with just one room and repeat the process daily until your home is tidy again!
So, put on some music, relax and then start cleaning-tidying!