Imagine you just woke up in the morning and a clean and organised bedside table. No clothes on the bedroom floor, no toys lying around in the living room and a clean and tidy sink to start your morning.
How great is that?
Keeping a clean, tidy, and organised home is not a very difficult task if you have a system or a process in place.
We often find hotel rooms so relaxing and calming. Why is it so and why our rooms are not?
Hotel rooms have only the necessary furniture, arranged in a way that facilitates circulation around the room. It has limited decors which do not create any visual distraction and most importantly it is clean and tidy.
According to many experts, happiness is related to a clean, organised and clutter-free environment.
Let's get the process started
If you are very new to the cleaning and decluttering process, I would strongly advise you to start with one area of the room or one room. It can be overwhelming when you try to organise the entire space and in less than one week, It is a mess again.
I strongly believe in a good organisational system and having items which we need only.
The benefit of this method of organising is that every item has a place and everyone in the house can find or put an item back in their place.
First thing first!!
Step 1: Start with a vision.
If you are starting with the master bedroom, what do you want to achieve in this room?
How do you want the space to feel? Do you want to feel zen and relax? Do you want a royalty vibe?
If you want to achieve a minimalist vibe, check the article on minimalist lifestyle here.
Having a vision and a plan will allow you to make appropriate decisions.
If you want to move furniture around, it is always a good idea to draw the layouts before proceeding with moving the actual furniture.
Step 2: Remove any unwanted items from the room.
We often keep items that we thought we will use but we did not touch them for years.
Yes!! that's the handbag we got for Christmas and that top that we purchased at a discounted price and waiting for the "right" occasion to be worn.
Tip: Donate your unwanted items.
One man's trash is another man's treasure - Unknown
Step 3: Give the whole space a proper clean
Cleaning the space thoroughly is essential.
We always start on a clean slate.
Here are 10 steps to clean your space:
Pick up any items on the floor and put them in their designated area.
Take all mugs or plates lying around and put them in the sink for washing.
Put all the unclean clothes in the laundry.
Remove all the bins around the house.
Start with dusting your space.
Wipe down all surfaces including the bathroom sink and toilet.
Clean all mirrors
Do the dishes.
Change the bedsheets and the bathroom mats.
Vacuum and mop the floor.
Step 4: Use baskets and storage boxes to keep your house organised.
Organisation baskets are great ways to contain items and keep them neat. It can be used in your wardrobe, kitchen pantry, bathroom, and shelves.
Labelling baskets help everyone in the house to know where to find an item.
Tip: I prefer to use wooden baskets in the kitchen pantry and a mix of both transparent storage containers and wooden baskets in the wardrobe. Some items, I like to see them !!
Step 5: Organising your kitchen drawers and cupboards
The kitchen is one of the most used areas in the house. Having a proper organisation of kitchen items will help us to save meal preparation time.
The kitchen is one of the areas that need decluttering regularly. We often have duplicate items that we don't use most of the time.
Start with:
Removing chipped plates, mugs or any item that we are no longer using. Discard them carefully.
Donating items that are in good condition.
Zone out your cupboard and pantry.
For example:
Zone 1: Everyday items like cutlery, spoons, glasses and bowls (Cupboard).
Zone 2: Cooking items like pots, pans, dishes and, baking items (Cupboard)
Zone 3: Spices and dry goods (Cupboard/drawers/pantry)
Zone 4: Dish liquid, cleaning cloth and garbage bin bags (under the sink cabinet)
Keep items that you use regularly at eye level and within reach.
Tip: Keep your countertop as empty as possible for a cleaner and less cluttered look.
Step 6: Includes plants in your house (Optional)
This step is optional. If you like plants, include them around your house. It gives a fresh look to a clean place.
If you are new to plant, seek advice from your local nursery.
There are a lot of plants that make great indoor plants.
My current favourite indoor plants are cactus and Epipremnum goldilocks.
They make great indoor plants.
Step 7: Maintain the tidiness and cleanliness of the house
One of the easy ways to maintain a clean and tidy house is by applying two principles.
First, clean and tidy as you go.
Second, Do a light clean and tidy before the day is over.
The first principle allows the house to be clean and tidy during the day and the second one always ensures that your house is clean for the next day.
Tip: Use a daily, weekly and monthly checklist to maintain a clean and tidy space. You can download a free checklist here.
How do you keep your house clean and organised?
Do let me know in the comment section below. I would love to hear from you.