Whether you’re looking to impress your new girlfriend or have simply realized that messy isn’t fun, an organized house is a must. No matter what drove you to get your house organized, your messy house can easily dampen your spirits! More so, if you’ve never bothered to keep your house organized.
But don’t worry; making your living space look good isn’t that tough! Here are some tips to help you start.
Motivate Yourself
You probably don’t organize everything because you think you’ll never get to the end of it. This isn’t true and you know that! You only need to get started and you’re sure to be done with the task soon.
Do what you can to motivate yourself and get your house in order. Think of the benefits- you’ll be able to have more space in your house, you’ll be able to find things you need easily, and if you’re planning to invite a girl over after a date, a clean and organized house is sure to win her heart.
Dedicate an hour or so every day to organize your house or do it on weekends. Remember to take breaks in-between; you don’t have to finish everything in one go. Playing your favorite music might help you get started with things.
Don’t do things on an empty stomach; you don’t want to be cranky while cleaning up the place. Don’t gorge a lot either or else you’ll just want to plop down on the bed for a nap!
Grab a Trash Bag
Make sure it’s a large one! Go around your house collecting all the trash you see and throwing it in to the trash bag. Target pizza leftovers from last night, empty takeaway boxes from last weekend, useless bills and whatever you categorize as trash.
Also take a look in your kitchen; clear the fridge and pantry of empty cartons or boxes, and everything that has gone stale or that you won’t be consuming.
You’ll need to first identify the things that contribute to clutter in your house. Take a look at all your possessions one by one and consider why you have them. Everything you own should have either aesthetic or functional value.
It is possible that you have several items that are neither functional nor exceptionally beautiful to look at. Perhaps they are ancestral items or they hold sentimental value. You don’t necessarily have to throw these away; just make sure that all items have a designated place. Piling things onto the coffee table or chucking things into the basement isn’t going to help.
Move on to the Piles of Clothes
You either have two piles of clothes- clean and dirty, or you have a single huge pile because you can’t tell which clothes are clean and which ones aren’t. If you have two piles, you’re in luck! If you have just one pile, you’ll have to go through each clothing item and separate the clean and dirty clothes.
Check clothes for stains and smells, and make a separate pile for items that need to be laundered. You might also want to launder just about everything in case you’ve had very smelly clothes lying in close proximity of clean ones!
Load your washing machine or throw the dirty clothes in a basket if you’ll be washing them later. Make sure you’ve got the socks paired correctly. Do away with lone socks if you don’t have any other use for them.
Stash away clean clothes in your cupboard. Throwing things recklessly in the closet won’t help. Put in a few hours to organize everything neatly. You might want to clean your closet first if it is dusty. Clean your hangers and cubbies too.
Check for signs of mold and if you find mold growth, clean the area with a mixture of water and vinegar. Use cedar hangers like the ones available on OnlyHangers to repel moths and other insects. Additionally, buy hangers that can be used in multiple ways or that can hold more than one clothing item. This way, you’ll be able to make the most of the available space in your closet.
Make sure you clear the floors, the bed, and every other surface of clothes strewn around carelessly. You’re sure to see more space once you get through your pile of clothes!
Target Flat Surfaces
Now that you’ve got most of the things out of the way, you should get started with cleaning all flat surfaces. Dust everything in sight- the TV, the dining table, desks, etc. Don’t forget the tops of cabinets and shelving units. Glass doors and window panes need some shine too!
If you are in the mood for some deep-cleaning and have enough time on your hands, you may want to clean cabinets and organize them. Remember, organizing things gives you more space and allows you to store more!
Once you’re done, you’ll have to sweep and mop, or vacuum the floors. Launder curtains according to manufacturer’s instructions. Check for stains on carpets and upholstered furniture. You don’t want unsightly stains to ruin everything so get rid of them. If going the DIY way to remove stains, be careful; you don’t want to damage anything expensive. If you’re unsure of your DIY cleaning skills, simply hire a professional cleaner.
Conclusion
See? It isn’t that difficult to organize your house. Start small- take up rooms or chores one at a time, and use the tips given here to get things in order.
Do note that you’ll need to make a conscious effort to keep your house organized. You certainly don’t want to go through all of this again!