Daily Tips for Keeping Your Home Organized

It’s easy for clutter to take over a home. Many times, it seems like you can clean your house from top to bottom, then the next day it’s cluttered and disorganized.

You can beat this cycle by doing a few things each day to eliminate clutter and keep your home organized.

The following are some daily tips for keeping your home organized:

•Sort your mail as soon as you get it. Mail tends to pile up on the dining room table and in entryways, so the best way to stay organized is to sort it as soon as it comes. Have baskets or envelopes for mail organized by bills, catalogs, and miscellaneous items. Toss catalogs you know you won’t use or look at immediately, and throw away junk mail. (You may also want to call and ask to be removed from the mailing list.)

•Keep your dishwasher unloaded. Dirty dishes pile up in the sink quickly when you have a family, so take a few minutes each day to make sure you keep your dishwasher unloaded. That way, you can immediately load your dishes into the dishwasher after meals so the dishes won’t pile up in the sink.

•Set aside fifteen minutes every day to de-clutter. This can include clearing off items that have collected on tables and counters or making sure book bags and other things aren’t piled on the stairs or on the table.

•Make sure toys are put away whenever the kids are done playing. If you have young children, your house is certain to be filled with toys. You can cut down on clutter by making sure your kids put their toys away whenever they are done playing. In addition, have a tidy up period every night before bed, where kids can clean up their toys in their rooms.

•Do at least one load of laundry a day. Throw in a load of clothes or towels before you leave for work and then fold it when you get home. Keeping up on your laundry can help eliminate clutter in the home and help you be more organized. Consider making a schedule for days to do certain clothes; for example, towels one day, the kids’ clothes the next, and so forth.

•Pick out clothing the night before. This goes for everyone in the family. Mornings in most homes are hectic, and having clean clothes that are ironed and ready to be worn will cut down on the hassle of getting ready in the morning or looking for a certain shoe or pair of pants.

•Keep a calendar or planner. A daily planner is a great way to stay organized. If you are managing your family’s schedule, consider getting a large dry erase calendar and putting it on the fridge or other area where everyone can see it. Take time each evening to review what’s on the calendar and then prepare for the next day accordingly.

•Plan your errands. You can maximize your time (and gas mileage!) and stay more organized if you plan your errands in the morning. Determine where you need to go that day, and schedule your errands around other times you’ll be out. This will eliminate mad dashes to the store before dinner or before something closes.

By doing these few things each day, you can help keep your home more organized.