Think of your messy house as a metaphor for the state of your emotional health.  Mess and clutter often lead us to feeling stressed or panicked.  At the very least, looking at the buildup of stuff can sap your energy after a long day at work, with the kids, running errands, etc.  A clean and organized home can lift your mood and keep you on track towards meeting your life goals.

Most people’s reactions to a messy home go one of two ways.  Either they attack the entire mess with gusto or they simply sink to the couch – defeated, exhausted, and irritated with themselves for letting it get this far out of control.

Instead of finding yourself defeated, focus on taking steps towards a clean and organized home. Break down your area into quadrants (or rooms if they are manageable enough).  Taking small steps vs. larger ones will help you get an area clean and keep it that way.

Create a schedule of tasks.  There will be tasks you do daily, like hanging up your clothes or putting dirty dishes in the sink or dishwasher.  Other tasks will be more sporadic but need to be included on the list.  Listing out your activities will help you plan cleaning around your life but will also help hold you accountable for your space.  As an added bonus you’ll feel a sense of accomplishment every time you check something off your list!  Following your list on a daily basis will help you create more permanent good habits that will make keeping your home clean a breeze.

Simple Storage and Organization Solutions

  • The office supply store is your best friend.
  • Drawer organizers aren’t just for work.  Use them to create order out of a drawer of random kitchen utensils.  Use them in the bathroom to organize hair ties, makeup, and other miscellaneous items that often end up at the back of the drawer.
  • Put your mail in one place.  Pick up an inexpensive paper holder to categorize bills, catalogues, personal correspondence, and things to file.
  • Use clear bins to hold things that usually create clutter.  Cluster batteries, lightbulbs, and other house supplies in one drawer.  Use another to hold ipods, headphones, extension cords, chargers, and other electronics that aren’t used on a daily basis.
  • Label your shoe boxes if you keep them so you always know what you have.
  • Specify a box for wrapping paper, ribbon, tissue paper, boxes, and cards so you always have a go-to place for gift needs.

Safeguarding Your Home

The following articles from Reader’s Digest offer an interesting look at tips for safeguarding your home:

13 Things a Burglar Won’t Tell You

8 More Things a Burglar Won’t Tell You

~MINES HealthPsych Team