As a dyslexic and dyspraxic, being organised does not come naturally, so I have been on a mission to find out how to organise my home and life (as well as discover organisational tips for busy people like me).
To start with, the home is important to organise because it acts as a good base for your mental and physical wellbeing. Haven’t you seen the Kon Mari documentary on Netflix or read the book?!
Luckily my friend Charlotte, who supports dyslexic and dyspraxic people with life skills, is a professional organiser and agreed to help me.
“We need to focus on one room at a time so it is manageable,” she said. That was music to my ears as my house was feeling overwhelming. I have just moved in after a challenging summer and whilst it looks nice, all the boxes and lack of order stresses me out.
Luckily, some of my fellow bloggers and vloggers have shared their: ‘How to get organised’ tips with us all.
Victoria Sully said: “Embrace minimalism and only have what you really need.
“The less stuff you have then the less you need to tidy and sort out. It will give you more space and you can even make cash by selling the things you declutter.
“Stay on top of it by regularly sorting through your things to see if there’s anything that has become redundant and can be given/sold to someone who will use it.”
Shel O’Connor said: “Make lists!
“I go around each room of my home and make a list on what needs done, whether that be things than need cleaning, moving, sending to charity, etc.
“I find having the things that need organising on a visual list is much easier to manage, and definitely more achievable!”
Emma Reed said: “We have a regular clear out where we choose things (mostly toys) that the children can donate to charity as they really only play with a handful of toys and I am much better at saying no to new things now to prevent the house from getting out of control again.
“When you cannot move for toys, you know there is a problem!”
Carla-marie Lett agrees, she said: “Always fill the charity bags that have come through the door.
“I have made an effort to do this regularly and see such a difference in my home.”
Hannah Pym said: “Plastic tubs/baskets from home bargains for all your packet mixes, spices and baking ingredients in the kitchen.
“The ikea drawer dividers for your knicker and sock drawers. These are also brilliant for make up too!
“Write lists of everything down to the last teeny tiny thing that needs doing in the room. I categorise tidying into the areas of the room ie toy box, table, bookshelf, under the sofa, just so I don’t forget anywhere when tidying and cleaning.”
Kate Tunstall added: “It might sound obvious but – invest in good storage! “Getting into a mess that’s difficult to get on top of on a regular basis often means too much stuff doesn’t have a home. When everything has its place, it can all be put away. Simple but effective.”
Similarly Sarah Hurst said: “Basically, make sure that everything in your house has a ‘home’ where it belongs, and as soon as you buy anything new, assign a place for it to live too.
“Make sure everyone knows where that place is …. otherwise you just end up with things being left out and about because they don’t actually go or fit anywhere.”
And check again that everything has a home as Claire Winlow added: “Find a home for everything and then you’ll know where to put it back when you’re tidying.
“I found that somethings seemed to just move from one surface to another so I had a rigorous tidy up and if I couldn’t find a home for something then I got rid of it.”
Beth Owen added: “Have a good de-clutter every few months.” This way you can keep on top of things rather than just one big overhaul.
And finally…
Nicola Merralls warns: “Control what comes into your house. Think about your purchases carefully and only buy what you actually need.
“On birthdays and Christmas ask family for things you need rather than them buying for the sake of it.”
What are your top organisational tips?