Tips for keeping the house tidy!

[fedupoflivinglikethis]

I have always struggled with being tidy.. it's just not me! My bedroom growing up was always super messy - not dirty. Just untidy, and cluttered.

I am SO fed up of it now. I just want a tidy house. I love when it's tidy but I can't keep it that way.
I will admit that I am lazy. I hate washing up and putting washing away.

My house is very cluttered but it doesn't matter how much stuff I throw away - it always seems to be back straight away!

We put most of the children's toys in their bedrooms which I try tidy once a week. Upstairs is the worst, but I find it easy to avoid as I barely go up there.

It's downstairs that I struggle the most with.. I just don't know how to keep it tidy and decluttered. Every surface has something on.

Helpful tips?
Both of my children are at school so I'm home from 9:30-2:40. I'm pregnant with our third so feel I need to get this shithole under control ASAP!

1. Get rid of as much stuff as poss. E.g. Kon Marie method.
2. Assign each object a single home.
3. Baskets are helpful for objects that are used regularly.
4. Never put an object down, put it away.
5. Tidy every single day.

Sorry about 5. It's the only way though. 4. was the biggest help for me.

I'm in your position OP but slowly changing. My tips are:

1. Pick a small area. Declutter it - ruthlessly. Take stuff to charity shop regularly.
2. Avoid, where possible, new stuff coming in.
3. Dishes have to be done every day - whether you feel like it or not.
4. Load of washing a day. Only iron where necessary but do immediately. A washing machine load of ironing is a lot less intimidating than a mountain.
5. Clean bathroom whilst waiting for bath to run.

Good luck!

My top tip is set your timer for 10 minutes, tidy in that time, then move onto the next room. It focuses the mind and helps it seem like a challenge rather than a chore. In your case, I would set for 10 mins and bin as much clutter as you can in that time. Broken toys, old mags and books, old candles etc.

Everything must have a place and if it doesn't ie too much stuff on kitchen worktops because it won't all fit in the cupboards then you should get rid of it.

Some good tips already.

With washing up there are 3 things that help me:

1. I once timed how long it took me. It was actually very very quick (cos I generally wash up as I go along whilst cooking) which motivated me

2. when I've dished up, DH takes the plates to the table and I very quickly wash up a saucepan or two. Doesn't take long and food is still hot but no longer too hot to eat when I sit down

3. wash up as soon as you've finished eating, whilst still feeling the benefits of the meal (i.e. tummy nicely full, you've enjoyed it etc). I think there's nothing worse than leaving the washing up until the next day. Becomes much more of a chore somehow

Some really good ideas. Thank you!!

I didn't sit down when I got back from the school run this morning - I spent 4 hours cleaning from top to bottom!!

I'm hoping that now I've had a complete clean, that it will be easier to keep on top of.

I will definitely try these ideas because I need to be setting a good example for my children.

I pulled out the tv unit and a sofa today, I was shocked at how much crap was underneath them! I don't want it getting that bad again!!

I asked DD to put away her toys before we came upstairs and she did. It was only a few My Little Ponies but still! Usually they complain.

Baskets for the kids' toys so they can be easily swooped away. Tidy up at the end of the day. Always clear the kitchen after every meal. Dear clutter. There really isn't a magic solution,you've just go to do it.

If you keep on top of things and just do a bit every day it never feels overwhelming.

Analyse your problem areas. Think about what gets put there and why (hard to put away/don't have time/other people don't help/nowhere for it to go etc). Then work out how to fix that problem.

E.g. For us, children's art work is a biggie, you know the kind that's way too shite to go on the wall but you don't want to hurt their feelings by binning it . Now we have a lever arch file for it all to go in and that lives on a bookshelf. Much more tidy/controllable and I actually LIKE being given new pictures now instead of thinking "ugh, where can this go?"

I decided to clear out some clothes earlier.. 3 black bin bags full from just mine and DD (she's 4!) wardrobes! But I need to completely gut my wardrobe (it's built in so slightly bigger than a normal one and it's got a lot of crap just on the floor!

I think tomorrow I'm clearing out my downstairs cupboard which is just hideous. You'd think a bomb had gone off!! I've asked my mum to help with that as she's better at organising!

I was ready for school earlier than normal this morning so I tidied up the toys that the children had got out, and finished it off when I got home.

I'm feeling good about it actually. It's nice to feel like things are being done!

Last night while watching bake off, I put the washing in piles of who it belonged to. So later on I will put them away.

I have washed up during/after doing tea. Had to leave DHs plate from last night though as he left chicken on it and it makes me want to puke! So he can do that when he's home from work!

I clean for like two to three minutes during ad breaks!

I just tidy as I go along, and nag my OH and DS to do the same. Putting things away as you use them takes no time at all. Cleaning surfaces, washing up, vacuuming, etc is far quicker if you do it regularly rather than letting it build up into a big job. As others have said, de-clutter and have a place for everything.

I really recommend Flylady (there’s a thread on here, but see her website). It’s a bit American, but some great tips - some of which I see on here. I’m pretty organised, but if ever I think things are slipping I go back to her to help get in the rhythm. She has a big thing about shining your sink and keeping it clear - sounds like a silly little thing, but I’ve found if I can get into good habits with that (getting all the washing up clean, wiped and away and the sink sparkling) it inspires me to keep the rest of the kitchen tidy. She focuses on a different zone each day with lots of little bite size jobs. Half the battle is just putting stuff away - so having a place for everythingor alternatively chucking stuff out altogether. Sounds like you’ve got off to a good start. As you blitz each room try and work out what’s causing the problem so you can stop the mess building up again.

I love the shine your sink motto. I do it all the time. Even if the rest of the house is in chaos, having a sparkling clean kitchen is the business.

There’s just something about taking total control in that small space, seeing you’ve very quickly made a difference which then inspires you to try making a difference in other areas.

Wow, you're being really proactive. Well done!

I'm also madly trying to get my house in order. Due back to work from mat leave in 2 weeks and I'll be sharing childcare of 2 preschoolers with DH (opposite shifts). I know the kids will be looked after superbly but the house needs to be easier to manage or it's going to be a permanent shit tip!

Our current thing is decluttering (9 black sacks out so far). We need to get rid of a few bits of furniture which seems harder to orchestrate. Now I'm trying to solve problem areas. I have a feeling this is going be an ongoing project......

Storage is good is it makes it easy to find things and get them out.
It's better if it's also easy to out things away.
Decluttering will help.
It's much easier to put clean clothes away if there is actually space for them in wardrobe /drawers

People often comment how tidy my house always is and ask how I do it (I have young children, pets, and I run a business so it's not like I have loads of spare time or an empty house!)

Simply put, I just expect the house to always be tidy and I put away (or ask DH or the DC to put away) anything that's not in its place.

That way, we never need to have a 'tidy up', we all just put things away as we go about the day.

'A place for everything and everything in its place' is a useful motto! So everything has a home, from stuff that's used every day to stuff that's used once a year. For me, this includes a temporary place for letters that have been read and need to be filed/ shredded (because I know it won't get done straight away), and one dumping ground for random stuff (a small kitchen windowsill) that needs a home, which gets sorted out when it gets full. If you don't have homes for everything, you need to declutter to make space.

The other step is making sure stuff always goes in its home at the end of the day. The 'one-touch' idea is useful here - rather than sort the laundry, leave it somewhere, then have a second job to put it away, sort it and put it away at once.

Teach your children to tidy up fofbyou every day. Works a charm.

Hey :-)

I am looking for any recommendations on books, magazines or bloggers who are experts at tidy and organising or any tips on where you have all got your inspirations from.....in desperate need to reclaim my house!!
Thank you

I do all the above, but the one thing that you have to do whilst you are waiting for number three to arrive is to train your children. You have no hope of doing all of this on your own with a newborn.

Every child has chores in the morning and afternoon. Make their own beds, tidy their own rooms, put on the dishwasher, feed the pets, turn on the washing machine (pre loaded the night before) and be ruthless with 'stuff'

You have a golden chance now with your mum's help to get your house in order before no.3 - enjoy!

You could try clutterbug on you tube, she is currently doing a 30 day declutter challenge for October, 15 minutes a day, with a video for each area to be de cluttered. I'm finding it very inspiring.

Fab, I shall look on you tube now!!!

thank you :-)

I have separate laundry baskets for each bedroom. Dry clothes get sorted into them as they are taken down from the line/cleared from the dryer. Put away after kids in bed.

Rooms tidied every time I'm in one and have 5s. Dont walk past something which needs moving/putting away.

Kitchen is the worst as a dumping ground, but things to go upstairs can be put in the laundry baskets too!

I don't iron. Kids have stacking baskets (big plastic open fronted ones) in their wardrobes to throw smaller items in (under wear, swimming stuff, hats etc). If you hand wet laundry on hangers it dries quite flat and can go st in wardrobes.

Can you tell laundry is my bete noire!!