By Sam Iontton -30/03/2021
It’s official; we’re all obsessed with how to keep a tidy house. First, it was Marie Kondo and the Life-Changing Magic of Tidying. The Japanese KonMari method of transforming your space into a clutter-free oasis. And the theory that a tidy house can spark joy, improving your confidence, motivation and energy. Now we have the release of Stacey Solomon’s Tap to Tidy. A book of organisation and crafting tips, which is already #9 on Amazon’s bestsellers list.
Research has shown that a tidy house causes us less stress. Making things easier to find helps us to think more clearly and promotes better sleep. But it isn’t just about the end result. The process of tidying feels rewarding. When creating a set of manageable goals that we can tick off, our brain releases dopamine making us feel happy. This dopamine release can even make keeping a tidy house addictive.
For those of us who haven’t quite got there with our tidiness addiction, we’ve compiled our top tips for keeping your house tidy and organised:
De-Clutter
Without de-cluttering, keeping a house tidy and organised can be an impossible task. Depending on the size of your home and your storage options, you may have to be ruthless. To ensure you don’t overwhelm yourself, sort through one room at a time. Unpack all of your possessions and only put back what you’ve used in the last 12 months. Unless it has significant sentimental value, any unused items should either be thrown out, sold or donated to free up valuable space for the things you love.
Maximise Storage
Keeping your house tidy and organised can be challenging, especially without the appropriate storage furniture. Make sure you have a variety of storage to suit your different needs, from storing smaller everyday items to large, rarely used appliances. Vertical storage works brilliantly in smaller homes, making full use of available space from floor to ceiling. But don’t underestimate the value of cheap storage jars and drawer organisers in helping you keep your drawers and cupboards in order.
Leave Shoes at The Door
Having a ‘shoes off’ rule indoors will prevent mud and dirt from being trampled through the house and help to keep your floors cleaner for longer. But if your hallway resembles a children’s soft play area, chances are you need some practical shoe storage. A shoe rack bench will help keep your shoes tidy while creating a place for children to put their shoes on. Or, if space is limited, you can hide an over the door shoe rack away behind a cupboard door.
Involve the Whole Family
Don’t tackle the tidying alone. Being the only organised person in a house of chaos will only cause stress and disappointment. Assign every family member their own manageable task, such as putting away laundry or taking out the recycling. Set a good example to children and reward them for putting their toys away. They may cherish the extra responsibility you’ve given them. Encouraging tidiness from everyone will not only keep your house tidy and organised for longer, but it’ll also save time.
Tidy as You Go
Tidying as you go will save you time and effort if done efficiently. There are just two rules: put things back where you got them from, and never leave a room empty-handed. If you always put things away neatly, you’ll find your new neat, and tidy home stays that way. If you always take something with you wherever you’re going, whether that’s dirty cups or laundry, you’ll find less clutter builds up around the house.
Keep Cleaning Supplies Within Easy Reach
Cleaning as you go also saves a lot of time and effort. Storing cleaning supplies within easy reach in kitchens and bathrooms makes cleaning up spills quick and simple. You’re not alone if you clean your whole house in one day, but this makes housework harder than it needs to be. Regularly wiping surfaces and cleaning one room each day will help to keep a fresh and tidy home with minimal effort.
Explore more organisation and storage tips in our home inspiration section. Or, to stock up on affordable kitchen, bedroom and living room storage to organise your home, take a look at our extensive Storage Furniture.
