There is nothing comforting about coming home to a dirty house and knowing that at some point you have to clean it. But take a look around. Is it a dirty house or is it really a messy house? Cleaning the dirt and grime is only half the battle. The real stress inducer is organizing the chaos. Here are some tips on how to keep your sanity when faced with a cluttered mess.
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Controlling the clutter. Because clutter in the house is associated with increased stress levels, it’s a good idea to work on organizing clutter before starting anything else. Clutter drains people in more ways than one. Clutter can waste your time by you looking for misplaced items, it can cost you money cost to replace lost items, it can cut into your social/entertaining life and it can stress you out by lengthening your “to-do” list. The key to conquering clutter is to have a designated “place” for everything. Whether this means more wall hooks, storage bins, shelving and file cabinets, or trips to Goodwill, designate a place for each category of your clutter and work from there.
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It’s a marathon, not a sprint. For really unruly homes, tackling your clutter all at once can be extremely overwhelming. Pace yourself. Tackle one room at a time. Commit to spending one hour on each room everyday for a week. Think of it as a race against the clock and try setting a timer. If the buzzer goes off and you’ve successfully crossed that room off your list, reward yourself! If you want to get the kids and hubby involved, divvy up the rooms in the house and see who completes the most work within the hour!
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Learn to let it go. Even the most organized people find themselves collecting unnecessary clutter. When working through a mess, allocate three piles: things you’re going to keep, things you’re going to donate or sell and things you’re going to throw away. BEWARE of pile number two! If you know that it’s unlikely that you’ll make the time sell your items, consider donating it all.
Your home should be your haven from stress, but when it is cluttered, it becomes the biggest stressor in itself. Cleaning your home is as necessary for how your home looks as it is for your mental and emotional health. Once you’ve accomplished some of the de-cluttering, call Mini Maid to finish the job with a deep clean. You’ll be amazed at the peace you’ll feel with a clean home!
