How to Sneak Home Organisation Into Daily Routines
Build smart cleaning and organisation features into your home so it's easier to get into the tidy groove
Let’s admit it: Deep down, we are all lazy creatures. Cleaning is a chore, no matter how enthusiastic a person we are, or how much we spend on home cleaning supplies. Wouldn’t it be great to have a smart home that picks up after itself?
Even though most of us can’t afford a robot cleaner, there are ways to design smart cleaning routines that are so integrated with your daily habits that you don’t even notice you’re tidying up. Here are five tips on how to build organisation into your daily life.
Even though most of us can’t afford a robot cleaner, there are ways to design smart cleaning routines that are so integrated with your daily habits that you don’t even notice you’re tidying up. Here are five tips on how to build organisation into your daily life.
For an unobtrusive feel that blends seamlessly into the background, opt for something in a natural material, like a seagrass or bamboo basket.
A wall-mounted option saves space, like the Entry Butler, by Three by Three from HipVan. It even has a blackboard surface for quick reminders and notes.
2. Create a family organisation centre for smoother day-to-day operations
Minimise the hassle of leaving messages, mail, and keys everywhere by creating a one-stop centre for your family’s daily comings and goings.
All you need is a whiteboard surface for writing messages and schedules, a row of hooks for keys or jackets, and an organiser to sort each individual’s mail. Opt for one that hangs from the back of the door, to save space.
Minimise the hassle of leaving messages, mail, and keys everywhere by creating a one-stop centre for your family’s daily comings and goings.
All you need is a whiteboard surface for writing messages and schedules, a row of hooks for keys or jackets, and an organiser to sort each individual’s mail. Opt for one that hangs from the back of the door, to save space.
If your home can afford the space, a nook dedicated to each family member allows for the storage of more items, like bags and umbrellas.
As an alternative to the mail organiser, go for baskets – they let you stash everything out of sight, and the extra space gives you room for parcels, too.
As an alternative to the mail organiser, go for baskets – they let you stash everything out of sight, and the extra space gives you room for parcels, too.
3. Sort whites, colours and darks automatically with segmented laundry baskets
Instead of having to rummage through a pile when it comes to laundry time, get your family to pre-sort it for you by tossing their clothes into a divided laundry basket. You’ll need at least three for the different colour options – whites, colours, and darks – and maybe a fourth one for delicates. This way, you can simply take out each segment when it’s time to wash the clothes.
Instead of having to rummage through a pile when it comes to laundry time, get your family to pre-sort it for you by tossing their clothes into a divided laundry basket. You’ll need at least three for the different colour options – whites, colours, and darks – and maybe a fourth one for delicates. This way, you can simply take out each segment when it’s time to wash the clothes.
Bonus points if your laundry basket has wheels and removable, washable bags. Get one made of a sturdy and breathable material, such as polyester mesh, to prevent odours.
4. Use a lazy susan in your kitchen cupboard for easier access and cleaning up
It’s hard to reach into the far corners of a kitchen cupboard without knocking over ketchup bottles and spice jars. Put in a lazy susan that you can spin round for easier access to all your condiments and baking needs.
It’s hard to reach into the far corners of a kitchen cupboard without knocking over ketchup bottles and spice jars. Put in a lazy susan that you can spin round for easier access to all your condiments and baking needs.
Choosing one with a rim helps prevent jars from slipping off, and keeps spillage from leaking into your cupboard.
It doesn’t have to be plain, though; a beautiful lazy susan can be brought out during dinner as a functional centrepiece that serves dishes and doubles as a conversation starter.
5. Neaten your drawers by changing the way you fold your clothes
Picture pulling out a drawer to reveal tiny, even rectangles of clothing, all stood up neatly in a row so you can see everything.
What’s even better is that you can achieve this without any extra tidying effort – all you need to do is change the way you fold your clothes.
Picture pulling out a drawer to reveal tiny, even rectangles of clothing, all stood up neatly in a row so you can see everything.
What’s even better is that you can achieve this without any extra tidying effort – all you need to do is change the way you fold your clothes.
The KonMari method, introduced by home organisation guru Marie Kondo in her bestselling book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, advocates folding clothes so they are evenly displayed and easily accessible.
Whenever you select an item of clothing from the drawer, simply push the other pieces together to fill the gap – no more teetering piles of laundry waiting to collapse.
Folding short-sleeved tops is easy: just ensure the sleeves are tucked in when you fold the top lengthwise, then fold inward till you have a densely-packed neat rectangle.
Long-sleeved tops don’t require much more effort – just keep the long sleeves tucked away.
Pants are even easier!
The key is to store everything upright, to eliminate the hassle of having to move aside piles of clothing to reach those at the bottom.
By making a few tweaks to your folding method, you can save yourself plenty of tidying time (and give you the satisfaction of an organised home!).
The key is to store everything upright, to eliminate the hassle of having to move aside piles of clothing to reach those at the bottom.
By making a few tweaks to your folding method, you can save yourself plenty of tidying time (and give you the satisfaction of an organised home!).
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Got your own solution for smart organisation? Share in the Comments.
Got your own solution for smart organisation? Share in the Comments.
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Nobody has the energy to put things away neatly at the end of the day. Which is why our surfaces are often cluttered with the daily odds and ends we remove from our person when we come in – watches, keys, and earrings are tossed onto the table.
Instead of leaving them scattered about (and potentially losing them), have a space on standby, ready to catch all of these accessories. It makes it much easier to find them again when you’re ready to go out. This could be anything: a pretty trinket tray, or a small shelf positioned by the door.