The single best thing you can do to keep a tidy house, is limit what comes in the door, says an Auckland de-cluttering expert.
Liz Bradley, AKA The Tidy Lady, joined Jesse Mulligan with some tips for a tidier, more organised home.
Photo: Unsplash
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Start with what you let, or don’t let, in to the house, Bradley says.
"That's someone handing you something free in the street, you go to a conference, you get all that guff, you get something from the kids, the neighbours bring something, your mum gives you all the things that you had from your childhood, and you think, 'oh my goodness, what am I going to do with these', so you shove them in a cupboard,
“What you let through your door, you have to deal with at some point in the future. So, if you can stop things that are unnecessary in your life from coming through your door, you've already started winning the clutter battle.”
Use the smart spot principle, she says, for a more organised home.
“I like to call them smart spots. And that is different for every single person. So, a place where you put your keys, great, perfect. That's the place you put the keys, and everybody in house knows where those keys go, then you put them back in that same place every single time.
“It's a little self-discipline there as well, making sure that you do put it back even when you're in a mad rush. You've got this place that makes sense to everyone.”
Make it easy for children to be as tidy as possible, she says.
“You want them to hang their bags up instead of dumping them on the floor. So, you have to have a hook that's big enough, strong enough, maybe with their name on it at the right height. And it's easy for them to get to and plonk it on there almost as easy as dropping it on the floor. That is a smart spot.”
Photos are really tough to part with, she says.
“I like to tell some people imagine you have a shoebox. And that shoebox goes around with you wherever you go for the rest of your life. And that shoebox has everything in it that means the most to you.
“How important are those photographs really? If everything you ever loved has to be in that one little shoebox?"
Use what you have, don’t keep for best, she says.
“A lot of things are shoved in cupboards because we might use them one day. And there are also beautiful things that we don't use because they are our best. We buy maybe some top-quality sheets that have been on special, but we continue to use the old sheets and we don't use the beautiful new sheets.
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“It seems such a shame. It's like unread books that get mildewy and dusty, are not used, they're not loved, the beautiful china's never used, it’s a waste.”
Give spaces a single purpose if possible, she says.
“You can actually narrow it right down to even the junk drawer. The junk drawer often has no compartments and people biff things in there and become immensely stressed. It seems like such a vastly overwhelming task just to sort it out, so you just shove it close if you can."
Take everything out and divide it up, she suggests.
“Put little containers in there, it feels so much better. If you know that that section is just for batteries and that section is just for rubber bands.”
For a Pinterest-worthy pantry work from the top down, she says.
"One shelf at a time makes it less horrendously scary, less overwhelming. Generally you get rid of anything that's expired and then you work your way down.
“What do you use a lot? What do you use rarely? Who do you want to keep out of your pantry? And where should you put things to make sure that that happens?”
Put like with like, she says.
“You put all your nuts or spices together, all your spreads together in the most logical spot for them, that kind of thing.”
And apply the same principle to the fridge, Bradley says.
“Both the pantry and the fridge could really do with at least a yearly go over. It's a bit of a mish, but if you keep at it, it's not so bad and you get into a good habit of keeping them tidy and clean and wiping down the sticky stuff - you feel good when you open it up, when you're done it's fantastic and makes you want to keep it that way.”
When it comes to kids’ toys, continual culling is the key, she says.
“You need to moderate what's coming into your house… less volume entering your home, that can help a lot.
“Passing on toys on a regular basis is a really great habit to get into as soon as you can with the little ones so that they understand the concept of donation and kindness and giving and gifting.”
We only wear 10 percent of what we own, she says, so keeping the wardrobe under control is a case of regular culling too.
“Going through every now and again, and just letting go releasing clothes that you really do not like, do not wear, they're uncomfortable, they make you feel fat, they can go.
“It's good idea to have a bag or a box in your wardrobe or in your room, hang on a doorknob or a hook, where you can pop things into straightaway when you make that decision. And then at some point that can go into your car and then from the car to the op shop.”