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There has never been a harder time to keep our homes clean. As the majority of the world is still on lockdown, we’re forced to be confined to two or three rooms, when we’re used to being able to have the world at our fingertips. From the bed to the kitchen, bathroom, and living room, we’ve turned our homes into our gym, favorite bar, conference room and safe haven. This sudden change can have a negative impact on our stress levels if we don’t have a cleaning schedule in place. “Living and working in an untidy space raises stress levels, even under ordinary circumstances,” says Ms. Sharon Lowenheim, a “Certified Professional Organizer”.
Here are a few steps on taking your home and mind to clearer levels:
Start with your ‘safe haven’.
A smaller scope can set you up for success. Mses Clea Shearer and Joanna Teplin, co-founders of the organizing company The Home Edit, say: “Don’t feel like you need to conquer your entire home at once. Instead, decide what you consider a high priority and go from there.” If you’re spending most of your working hours in a cluttered kitchen, that’s where to start. If you have trouble falling asleep in a messy bedroom – bingo. If it still feels overwhelming, the duo offers this advice: “Start with a drawer. The faster you see your progress and how life-changing it can be, the more motivated you will be to move on to the next project.”
Manage your paper trail
Those bills, long to-do lists, notes, and other paperwork can add up if you don’t have a set schedule in place to manage them. By digitizing your to-do lists using an app like Notion, you free up your mind and become more aware of your space. Also, practicing the post-it note method, where you only focus on the tasks that can fit on a post-it no, preferably no more than three, your procrastination levels are more prone to dropping.
Commit to a cleaning routine
Twice a week, take a 30-minute break from whatever you’re doing and commit to tidying up one area in your home. Start with the room you utilize the most and work outward. If you’ve been meaning to put your laundry away, block out that time to do nothing but that.
Donate what you don’t need
Sitting at home has turned some of us into shopping mavens. We’re ordering new things left and right, with sometimes no place to put them. When deciding on what to keep, consider the value it’s not only adding to your space but, to your life. If you’re not able to come up with at least three solid reasons to keep something, donate or give it away.
