How to train myself to tidy as I go?

[Times10]

It’s a recurring problem, we tidy up at the weekend, and by Monday every surface (including floors) is a tip again. I have read countless tips, and ideas, but I just can’t seem to train myself to put them into practice. So if you were messy and have leaned to be tidy how did you end up with a system that reminded you to do it? Did you have alarms as reminders? I can tidy up as I go consciously for the first hour or so after a big tidy, but invariably I forget soon after and the mess returns. I’m also rubbish at reminding the DCs until it gets to be a huge job.
In theory I know all the tricks - tidy as you go, touch only once, put it away not down, but I’m missing the part where I have a system that reminds me to do it every single time. Obviously long term I hope it gets to be second nature, but I’m no way near there yet.

Add a 10 min "putting away potter" to your bedtime routine. No timer or stress, just a few mins straightening up while you wind down for bed. I find when I'm in this habit, I'm then more mindful the next day that everything I leave out will be something I'll put away at bedtime. I might as well do it now and save myself the job later.

I think the alarm's a good idea too.

If it's not occurring to you to tidy things up as you see the mess, then presumably you aren't really "seeing" it iyswim? In which case, why does it matter if you're putting things away?

I think PP have it nailed. If it bothers you enough, you'll sort it. If it doesn't, you won't. So unless it's bothering someone else, then enjoy doing other stuff instead.

(I say this as a chronically tidy person who cannot relax unless everything is in its place. Not a mindset to envy, I promise you.)

Ha, you’re probably right wingardium8 the individual bits that I leave laying around don’t bother me, but suddenly they’ve multiplied to 50 things around the house, and that does bother me, so I figured if I can sort it out at the source, it won’t grow into the mess it currently does.

I started by never leaving a room empty handed.

This got things back to the kitchen or bottom of the stairs at least

The one touch rule doesn’t work if you have babies and you literally only have 30 seconds to run the clean washing upstairs not ten minutes to put it all away. Easier as they get older and can be left to their own devices though.

One thing I noticed when my house was a mess was I’d see things in photos I didn’t notice in real life. So I sometimes used to take a photo of the room and use that to help me tidy up . Now I do it mentally and without realising.

12 years ago I was messy. 10 years ago I started to be tidy. Now I’m pretty much tidy without thinking about it or making any conscious effort to be. I still have to force myself to dust or mop the floors though (having a weekly routine helps with this). Also my bedside drawer and wardrobe are a mess with miscellaneous stuff dumped in them (one touch rule meaning I hide stuff in there so it looks tidy elsewhere).

We’ve just gone back to the baby stage recently, and the house has basically exploded everywhere! I’ve been trying to be a bit more conscientious about tidying as I go this week, but it’s not quite worked so far, although I have been reminding the older DCs to tidy up after their activities, so a small win there.

It takes up so much of my brain space that I wish it was more natural.

I think photos are worth a try, because I know there’s a lot of “blind” spots in every room!

What works for me is having a sweep of the house after breakfast, lunch and dinner. I start in the kitchen and work through straightening things and putting things away. The more you do it the easier it gets.

That’s a good idea, I always forget to do it before the meals, but might actually be easier to do after the meals (when the DCs aren’t badgering me about food). I’ve tried to keep on top of things a bit more this week, but I still forget more often than not.
One day something will click into place...

No help to offer OP but you did remind me to switch on the dishwasher after dinner instead of waiting until morning

Just seen this, willow, glad to have helped. Our house is still a mess, even more so now we’re all home!

Thanks for starting this thread OP - I'm watching and reading with interest! I'm like you - I've tended to do a huge blitz at the weekend, let it slip during the week, spend most of the next weekend tidying up again and on it goes.

I think keeping things clean and tidy as you go (the little and often approach) is definitely the key to having a well-ordered home. I just wish I had the discipline to do it!

The kitchen is clean and tidy because after dinner, I almost left the dishes in the sink (dishwasher needed emptied) but then I thought about tomorrow morning and how happy I would be to come down to a clean space for breakfast.

This works for me to an extent. The other night I really couldn't face doing the dishes, but the thought of coming down to a spotless kitchen the next morning did motivate me (just) and I forced myself to do them. I felt really pleased the next morning and had more time do do other stuff rather than catching up on last night's mess.

Add a 10 min "putting away potter" to your bedtime routine. No timer or stress, just a few mins straightening up while you wind down for bed. I find when I'm in this habit, I'm then more mindful the next day that everything I leave out will be something I'll put away at bedtime. I might as well do it now and save myself the job later.

I'm going to try this as well - thanks @HoHoHolly!

Also OP - have you looked into The Organised Mum Method (TOMM)? I think a lot of people swear by it! It does take 45 minutes a day though I believe, which sounds like a lot - but maybe that's just what it takes to have a clean and tidy home. You do get weekends off though I think!

You need to have “homes” with enough space for all your things.

I’ve looked at Tomm, and usually manage the first day and promptly forget the next! I seem to have no focus or discipline when it comes to housework. It’s a real pain as I “know” what I should do, but still aren’t managing to actually do it. I think I think it should take no time or effort when actually it needs both.

I am very messy but a I can tell you a routine I have developed which has helped me.

Basically in the mornings (before work or immediately on getting dressed) I/we focussed on bedrooms and bathrooms. So beds made, curtains open and nothing on the floor. For the bathroom I used the fly lady morning routine. In the evenings I/we sort the kitchen after dinner and the lounge before bed. Repeat ad infinitum( the tricky part)

This does not equal a clean house, this is more of a habit of tidying the main living areas on a daily basis but it is a start and it lets me use my roomba every day whilst at work.