5 tips to get the mess under control

Some people hate living in at messy home, and some people live with a little more chaos and clutter. Unfortunately, a lot of us are both: often letting things get out of control and finding ourselves in an embarrassed, apologetic frenzy to clean
up any time guests are on their way.

People who are prone to clutter are often accused of being lazy, but it’s more likely that you’re distractible or your organization scheme requires more energy than it needs to. Here are some tips for making it easier to keep the chaos tamed long–term.

Keep your things close to the spot where you use them:
Go through your home and find instances where you store things in a separate area or room from where you use them, and reorganize to shift the balance. Putting your dirty-laundry basket near your closet where you get dressed, creating a reading area near the bookshelf, eating in the kitchen and making a spot for jackets and shoes near the front door will all make it more likely that you’ll put things away without a conscious effort.

Have a junk drawer or bin:
You aren’t necessarily a hoarder, but from time to time you acquire things you’ll rarely if ever use, yet can’t bring yourself to throw out. If this is you, create a “junk pile” hidden from view in a drawer or container where you give yourself permission to stuff things and worry about them later. Every six months — or before it starts to overflow — go through the pile resolving to throw at least half of the stuff away.

Separate your dishes: If dirty plates and pans tend to pile up in your sink, take out a small stack of the plates, cups and silverware you use on a daily basis and put them in your main kitchen cabinet. Put the rest in a box, closet or long-term storage. That way you’ll get into the habit of cleaning dishes as you need them; don’t get the others out until you have a large group of guests coming over.

Store your cleaning supplies in the open:  They may not be pretty or decorative, but face it — having your broom in a corner or bathroom cleaner on a visible shelf is better than the way things are going now. You’ll be surprised how much easier it is to take initiative when you see the solution (your cleaning supplies) at the same time you’re looking at the problem (your mess).

Tidy up to upbeat music:
Designate a weekly time to clean and organize — during daylight hours — and get to work with some fun music playing in the background to keep yourself upbeat and energized during boring
household chores.

The bottom line: rather than beating yourself up trying to reverse your personality and habits, accept the way you are and structure your life around what needs to be done. That’s the beauty of it being your home — and while others might not always appreciate the wisdom behind your strategies for staying on top of it, you, your family or roommates will find life is much better
that way.