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Last updated on April 10th, 2022 at 08:46 pm
If you went to my house when I was a kid, you would have seen a big difference between my room and my brother’s room. Mine was always tidy and his was …well, not so much. I’d often help him clean his room (because I love to do that, and I’d be happy to help you, too!). Most of the time, we could organize without decluttering.
Those good old days of helping my brother taught me something valuable.
Organizing doesn’t always follow decluttering.
Today I’m going to show you 4 ways to organize your house without decluttering.
Pick up things and put them away
Picking up and putting things away is the biggest, most effective thing you can do to keep your home organized. Piles are typically the result of things getting left out and not put back in their places.
There are two ways to conquer this:
First, use the 1-Minute Rule to put items away (if it takes less than a minute, do it right then and there).
Second, use a 10-Minute Tidy at least once a day. Set a timer for 10 minutes, then go around your house picking things up and putting them where they belong. (NOT in a basket to put away “later.”) This includes throwing away trash, the easiest thing to put away, and even having your kids help out by putting away their toys and things. (Here’s an article on how to get your whole family involved in chores.)
Run your dishwasher every night
One of two spots in the house where stuff is always piling up is the kitchen sink. Loading the dishwasher every evening and running it keeps the pile-up at bay …or at least from becoming completely out of control.
It only takes 5-10 minutes to load up the dishwasher. Put in the smaller dishes and cups before adding big casserole dishes and mixing bowls. The bulkier items take up a lot of valuable space in the dishwasher. Maximize the space by getting all the smaller cups, bowls, and plates in for automatic washing.
Make loading and running the dishwasher into a habit by pairing it with another thing you do every night. I load the dishwasher and set it to run immediately after dinner every night. I’m less likely to forget if I do it all together.
Do a load of laundry every day (or on a schedule)
The second of the two spots where stuff piles up is laundry. To avoid a pile up, do one load of laundry every day, as many experts (and moms!) recommend.
If you’re like me, and you don’t want to do laundry every day, follow a simple laundry schedule. (I describe how to set up a laundry routine like mine in this post.)
Sweep/vacuum the kitchen floor
I have to sweep up crumbs off the floor almost daily. (We have a child who eats toast for breakfast each morning, so you can imagine the crumbs.) Sometimes I sweep twice a day or not at all depending on kitchen activity.
But one thing is certain: if crumbs are left on the floor, they get tracked all through the house. They get stuck on people’s feet and left in rugs and carpets. Vacuuming or sweeping up the floors will make your house a lot tidier in between cleaning days.
These are simple ways to organize your house without decluttering. Putting things away, washing dishes, doing laundry, and sweeping the floor will make your home look and feel more comfortable and less overwhelming.
I recommend getting started with a 10-Minute Tidy. Get your free checklist here >>>
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