My home is my sanctuary. A place where I can be so disciplined it sets me free.
The key to your success is hidden in your daily routine
If it is possible for you to be productive & efficient at work, then there is no better time than NOW to apply those same principles to your home! Here you can learn to declutter for good and tidy your home using my 10 simple and easy ‘home organisation hacks’ that you can achieve in 20 minutes!
Keep reading if you’re keen…
The purpose of tidying isn’t just cleaning your home. It helps you become a better decision maker, live a healthier and more fulfilling life where you’re in the right frame of mind to set goals, and puts you in the right frame of mind to work towards your dreams. Your goal in tidying is to create a space that improves your mind and body.
You have two homes. Earth and your body. Take good care of them.
My own tidy philosophy
My own tidying and organising methods have evolved many times over the years. What worked for me as a teen living at home with my parents needed to be adjusted when I moved out of home, and then again when I started travelling, and again when living with a partner or flat mate. In addition to this, the organisation hacks that worked when I was single needed to be adjusted for married life, and needed to then be realigned for life as a mother.
Breaking it down into manageable and achievable bites
Productivity is all about efficiency – doing more, faster and with less. We tend to live a work life with increasing demands from today’s “anytime, anywhere workplace”. Combine that with family commitments, and hobbies you’d like to participate in, it has never been more important to keep tidy and organised.
This is why you chop up bigger problems in smaller chunks. It will reduce the feeling of overload and the procrastination associated with taking on big jobs.
Simple & easy is essential to ‘get it done’
I created these simple and easy home organisation hacks you can achieve in 20 minutes, because if you’re like me (a time-poor mamma) you only have 20 minutes bursts – at the most – during the day. These are designed to cover your baby/toddler being down for a nap, and you have 2 hands, and a productive block of time to be efficient! This will allow you to clean, tidy and organise your home each week, with only 20 minutes of effort each day to achieve it comfortably.
In the kitchen and in life – cleanup as you go!
Divide these organisation hacks over your week to ensure your home stays clean and tidy!
Are you ready? Here goes…
Number #1: Follow the six basic rules of tidying. This is the KonMari Method, a Japanese form of tidying and decluttering, which of all the tidying and organisation hacks I have followed and implemented over the years, is the one method BUY FAR that is superior. Notably because it works for good! The rules are as follows:
- Commit yourself to tidying up
- Imagine your ideal lifestyle
- Finish discarding first
- Tidy by category, not by location
- Follow the right order: Clothes, Books, Papers, Komono (miscellaneous items), Sentimental items.
- Ask yourself if it sparks joy
Number #2 | Create a DAILY cleaning/organisation routine that suits your lifestyle (write a list or use an app). Incorporate a ‘clean as you go’ mindset. Items to consider on your list include: cleaning dishes, sink and counter after use. Place all rubbish in rubbish/recycling. Make bed/s. Floors (spot clean, vacuum and/or mop). Pets: feed, water, clean toilet space. Tidy balcony, water plants (as needed).
Number #3 | Create a WEEKLY cleaning/organisation routine that suits your lifestyle (write a list or use an app). Items to consider: decluttering and cleaning/wiping down: stove, oven, rangehood, microwave, cabinets, fridge, shower, vanity, mirrors, toilet, floors. Change bed sheets. Change towels. Dust, vacuum & mop floors. Laundry: washing, drying, ironing, folding, putting away. Where applicable – Pets: feed, water, clean toilet space, wash/groom. Maintain balcony/verandah, garage, pool, garden, water plants.
Number #4 | Duty for Monday: Declutter. Take out rubbish and recycling. Replace bin liners. Spot clean floor. Vacuum. Tidy space. Meal prep for the following week. Add items to the grocery list as you go to plan ahead (I use a free app called Trello, so I’m not wasting or misplacing bits of paper all the time).
Number #5 | Duty for Tuesday: Change the bed sheets. Remake bed/s with fresh linen. Change the bathroom towels. Put on a load of washing. Tidy space.
Number #6 | Duty for Wednesday: Cook once, eat twice: Cook a meal (1 to have for lunch/dinner + a left over for another meal). Tidy space (wash dishes and utensils. Put away when dry).
Number #7 | Duty for Thursday: Fold and/or iron clothes. Put clothes away. Tidy space (return iron, ironing board and steamer to their home). Vacuum. Mop.
Number #8 | Duty for Friday: Put on a load of washing. Make smoothies (1 for today and 1 for another meal). Water plants. Clear emails. Check social notifications.
Number #9 | Duty for Saturday: Load/Unload dishwasher. Clean dishes and put away. Wipe down countertops. Vacuum. Fold and/or iron clothes. Put clothes away.
Number 10 | Duty for Sunday: Spray shower/bath and add toilet cleaner to toilet (let it sit). Dust shelves and countertops. Clean glass/mirrors. Spot clean floor. Mop. Clean shower/bath and toilet.
Further Reading: Explore more Wellness Tips here.
Tidy notes:
- The above organisation hacks can be modified to suit your own lifestyle and home situation.
- You may wish to keep your weekends free, to dedicate that time for socialising with family or friends, studying, sightseeing or whatever sets your soul on fire (if tidying does not do this). To cater for this, adjust the 7 days days into 5 days to suit the number of home duties you need to perform. Happy weekend!
- A personalised duty I would adjust this list to, as an example, is around laundry. When my daughter, Penelope, was an infant and I was still breastfeeding, I was doing 1-2 loads of washing per day – more than listed here. I am now no longer breastfeeding so my laundry days have (relatively) come back to ‘normal’, though I need to add in ‘bottle sterilising’ to my daily routine, as she finds comfort in having her favourite Infant Formula Little Oak.
- This is applicable to parents of a baby/toddler: I take frequent outings with Penelope, to the park or beach, and need to cater for cleaning and storing her pram for every day use as well.
- The work you do or home lifestyle you have will greatly dictate how often you need to check your emails/social notifications. You may need to do this several times a day, once per day, or you may not need to schedule it in at all (it’s just for fun).
More tips to cut down on tidying:
There’s even more! A few of my own minimalist and efficient tidy tips to reduce the time you spend on your daily and weekly cleaning and organising:
- Own and only buy clothes that don’t need to be dry cleaned, ironed or hand washed. You save money on maintenance, and you’re more likely to enjoy washing and folding if they’re uncomplicated and less time consuming in your routine.
- If cleaning falls into the ‘too hard basket’ for you, it may be time to invest in a professional cleaner for your home. You can budget (from) $60/week or fortnight to take that stress off your hands. This will allow you to still take pride in your home and keep your sanity at the same time. For my Aussie readers try Tidy Me or Absolute Domestics (if you don’t have any personal recommendations from family/friends).
- If clearing the clutter for good or tidying and organisation feels like an endless cycle of chores, you can invest in your very own tidy consultant (aka Life Coach) to guide you through. I work as Model Coach though a huge part of my 1:1 is also helping my clients ‘clear the clutter’ (physically, emotionally + digitally) so they can get back to focusing on what’s really important – their goals! Get in touch and let me see if I can help you.
Enjoy!
Hey YOU! I’d love to hear your thoughts. Have you implemented any of my organisation hacks? Do you have some handy tips of your own? Let me know on my Instagram!
Further Reading: Explore more of my FREE Model Tips here.
