How can you be in an organized state all the time? The answer is simple, by living in the present and being time conscious. And believe me, it does not take up your whole day. Organizing cannot be static. It’s a continuous process. I know you don’t believe what I just said. Let me spill some beans for you to know about some quick things to do and change the way your spaces look, forever.
I know thinking about organizing things or life may seem like a difficult task to do, but is achievable. What do we mean by being organized in any way? It simply means finding everything you need in the right place at the right time.
Breaking up the organizing tasks can save a whole lot of time and energy. The secret behind this statement lies in inculcating some easy habits that can change your lifestyle and spaces for good. Give these tips some thought and modify them to suit your needs. And I am sure you and your homes or offices will remain organized.
Tiny steps make a huge impact
I am listing tried and tested small tasks that take a few minutes but have the power to save your time and energy for sure in the long haul. Try and use these tips in your daily routine and you shall see the difference. Let’s divide all the tips and hacks based on the rooms they belong to.
Living Area/Hall/Library
Create a mail caddy in the living area, while sipping your morning tea or coffee, check those letters, pamphlets, and newsletters. Discard the ones you won’t need.
Keep some space on the shelf to keep old newspapers, as soon as you have read them, keep them aside to be discarded.
When you walk up and down the living area, straighten up those fallen cushions back in place on your sofa.
Keep a space allocated for hanging keys near the main door.
After finishing that book/ magazine, stack it back on the bookshelf, don’t just leave it on the center table or couch.
De-clutter your decor pieces, remove the ones that aren’t adding value to your space and need unnecessary dusting and cleaning up.
Kitchen/Dining section
Keep post-it lists ready on the fridge door, as and when a veggie/grocery item is over.
While waiting for the milk to boil, you could take stock of your freezer and make the to-do list for your next market visit.
As and when the grocery jars keep hitting bottom, separate them to understand easily that you need to re-stock them.
Labeling each jar with its ingredient inside becomes easier for someone other than you to easily find it.
While the curry is cooking on the stove or the cake is getting baked in the oven, clean the platform area and discard the waste materials. You can also start plating the dishes for arranging the meal.
Bedroom
Straighten up your lingerie/socks drawers just before you step into the shower. By doing so you save time. And those few minutes are unexplainably crucial for all of us.
Organize the wardrobe so that it has space for clothes to be washed/ironed so that they can be quickly forwarded.
As soon as you’ve got down your dried clothes from the hangers, fold n keep them off in their desired place.
Whenever you notice that a piece of your jewelry is broken and cannot be repaired, discard it instead of putting it back into the box.
Get rid of the dried nail polishes or expired lipsticks as and when you come across them.
If you’re waiting for your bathtub or bucket to fill up with water before you bathe, clean up your combs n other items. Utilize your free time.
When you come back home, de-clutter your handbag and keep the things in their place, for you to find them again the next time you need them.
Keep checking on your wallets, purses, and handbags for unwanted receipts, bills, notes, etc. Discard them.
Restrooms/Washrooms
Whenever a shampoo or conditioner bottle is about to get over, add it to your market list to re-stock it.
Remove the unwanted bottles off the shelf whenever you have a minute.
After you bathe, before leaving the bedroom, place the used towel on the dryer hanger or in the basket for clothes to be washed.
Plan your next day’s attire a night before to avoid the last-minute rush.
Corridor/Lobby
Set up a donation box in the corridor, dump whatever you feel isn’t needed, and can be discarded or donated. This simple process can make your wardrobes free from unwanted stuff.
Make sure that the corridor/lobby is not full of slippers and shoes. While moving in and out of the house you can place them where they belong.
Garden/Verandah/Balcony
While you take a stroll in your garden, remove the dried fallen leaves.
Change the place of your plants n table chairs if any, for the maids or gardeners to clean up the area.
While watering the plants, keep a check on the fertilizers or sprayers, if they need to be re-stocked.
WorkSpace/Office
When you are about to call it a day, de-clutter your desk, it just takes a few minutes. This habit will give you a fresh start to the next day, without worrying about where you have kept the important files.
Organize those loose sheets immediately after printing them into their respective files.
Declutter your non-working stationery items.
Other than these super useful tips, you can always try and make a set schedule for the family to participate voluntarily in every activity of organizing their own stuff. If this is executed regularly, only the women or head of the family will not have to spend a whole day organizing things.
You can also set up automated systems for week-wise meal plans, laundry systems or pantry purchases, etc. Make it a daily routine to keep things where they belong. If these get going, you don’t have to spend a day organizing stuff. These tiny habits can go a long way in saving time, organizing the house/office, and eventually your life.
Easy? Try it out and let us know, how it worked out for you. I am hopeful this will reduce your time spent organizing your spaces and you’ll be left with good quality time in hand.