Do you feel overwhelmed about getting organised or don’t even know how to start?
Today, we will break it down into something simple so you can remember the T’s of tidying to help you get started!
- Tools
A successful tidy or decluttering will start with the right tools. There are a few essential tools to always have on hand that will make decluttering and tidying that much easier:
- Garbage bags
Garbage bags will be your number 1 tool! Have these bad boys at the ready, and the clutter won’t stand a chance. They can also be handy to organise while you go (rubbish in one bag, donations in another bag, recycling in another, etc.)
- Boxes
You may have several boxes around. These can be fantastic tools for you to take advantage of! Round them all up to see how much you have, and brainstorm how you could use them. For example, transporting heavy and clunky kitchen items for donation in a large cardboard box will be easier than garbage bags.
- Your phone
Take before and after photos so you don’t forget your progress. Set the vibe with a great music playlist! Call a friend and have a chat while you’re decluttering and tidying. There are endless ways to use your phone as a tool!
- A list
Some people find lists helpful, writing down areas of the home that you want to tackle at some point, and it might be easier for you to break them down into smaller sections. So instead of “Kitchen” (because that sounds scary and overwhelming), you could write down “junk drawer, spice cabinet, medicine basket”. This way, you’re not committing to something that will inevitably become too overwhelming.
- Our podcast
Our podcast has so over 350 episodes that you can listen to whilst decluttering and tidying up. Put on an episode of the space you are tackling for helpful tips and tricks, or alternatively, play one of the many on mindset to help get you in a great headspace for achieving success.
- Time
Time! Life’s greatest gift. It is so simple, yet it can be powerful in your tidying ritual. It’s so important to know and understand that tidying and decluttering aren’t just going to happen magically (how cool would that be, though!). It will take some time, so you need to figure out what that will look like for you. Here are a few tips and tricks to try with yourself if you struggle to carve out time to tidy up. Please keep in mind that not every method will work for every situation or person, so be patient while figuring out what will and won’t work for you!
- Set a timer
We all have one on our smartphones, so there’s no excuse for not having one! Set a timer for 10, 15, or 20 minutes and do what you can. Getting something done (even small) is better than having nothing done. Have 10 minutes before you’ve got to run to school pickup? Set a timer to declutter and tidy the junk drawer. Is the timer already on for the casserole in the oven? Great, pick something from your list and get to it!
- Schedule it in
Everyone suffers from “being busy”, but don’t let that hold you back anymore. Instead, make your calendar work in your favour by scheduling time to tidy up. You can do this in two different ways- either during the week or during the day.
If you have free time on the weekend, schedule some time on Saturdays to tackle the next task on your organising to-do list. Pick a day that will work for you based on your life schedule.
If picking a day doesn’t work, maybe it would suit you better to allocate a specific time of your daily schedule towards tidying. Perhaps after you finish dinner, spend some time resetting your space. Maybe when you get home from work at 5 pm, you can use that time to tidy up instead of scrolling your phone.
- Delegate
If you share a space with others, it can be a game changer to sit down and evaluate how much responsibility each person should take on for managing the area. Your time should be respected, so decluttering and tidying shouldn’t automatically fall on one person. Many hands make light work!
- Trust
Trust the process! Rome wasn’t built in a day, and building up the structure and habits for maintaining a tidy space won’t be either. It will be constructive in the long run if you can keep in the front of your mind that slow progress is still progress. Even though it’s easy to get discouraged, stay focused on the small wins of decluttering and tidying, which eventually become the big wins!
There you have it, curious ones—tools, Time, and Trust- the T’s of Tidying. Whenever you feel stuck in a rut of tidying or maybe even unable to start at all, keep these points in mind, and you’ll be able to stay focused on creating a life free of clutter!
