Sometimes it’s just the little things around the house that need a quick fix. Just doing a few things for most of us can make a BIG difference in how organized the house can look. I’ve come up with five quick things you can do to make your home look more organized. It won’t take you a lot of work, but it will require a little effort.
1. Make your bed.
Did you know it only takes about 2 minutes to make your bed? Seriously, time yourself sometime. And, if it takes longer, you need to lay off all the throw pillows! When you make your bed each day, even if the room’s a mess, it can still make a big difference in looking more organized! It doesn’t even have to be perfect, just made!
2. Pick up little stuff on surfaces.
Sometimes the surfaces around you are a mess and just picking up a few things helps to make the area a little more organized. Grab a pile and stand over a trash can. Sort into three quick piles – throw away {right into the trash}, to be filed, and to be put away. Go file and put away immediately and that is one less thing you have to look at and one more way your home is going to look organized.
3. Wash and put away dishes.
Another quick thing to do to keep the house looking organized is to rinse/wash the dishes on the kitchen counter and put right in the dishwasher or put away in the cupboard once they are washed. Even a big pile of dishes will only take you 15 minutes or less to wash {by hand} and rinse/dry. Or loading the dishwasher will take 5-10 minutes and get those dishes off the counter. Now your kitchen already looks a little more organized!
4. Don’t walk away.
Every time you walk from one part of your home to another, be looking for something to put away. If you go upstairs or downstairs, you probably have something that needs to be brought up or down. Grab it. Put it back where it goes. Put a basket at the bottom of the stairs or near where you head from one area to the next.
5. Â Put things back when you’re done
If you have a habit of leaving things out without putting them back or if you have no idea where to put things away, this is one habit you need to get into. Whenever you use something, put it back! It’s such a simple idea, but when you leave things out constantly without putting them back right away, it takes longer to put it back later on. If you don’t have a place for it, you either need to make a place for it or toss/donate/giveaway it away.
How is will this be to help you around the house? You only need 5-15 minutes each to get things looking more organized today!
Heather K says
Great ideas!! Need a lot of organization help here!! This is an awesome way for me to start!!!
Thank you!!
SHELLY says
I used to decorate my kitchen island, now I leave it totally clear — makes the kitchen seem clean all the time.
Jennifer S. says
These are great and I’m trying to get my children to see their value. :) The little things add up.
Heidi says
found your tips very helpful, keeping kitchen counters clear is a tough one for me … But I have to try. Thanks for sharing these tips.
Heidi says
found your tips very helpful, keeping kitchen counters clear is a tough one for me … But I have to try. Thanks for sharing these tips.
Aspen Jay says
It is amazing how these five simple little things make your house -and your life- better organized. I know I don’t function well doing other things if the kitchen is piled with dishes or the bed isn’t made.
ML says
Little things – that make a big difference!
Pinterest Addicted says
Picking up little stuff on surfaces is the number one thing I need to work on. My dresser, counter, and table often pile up with random stuff. I need to learn to put things away instead of leaving them somewhere to put them away later.
Elizabeth says
Becky, I love these ideas! I find that these little things help me feel more organized too. Doing the dishes at night and then again during the day as needed is a big one for me, as well as keeping counters clear. That’s a tough one, but it makes a big difference!
Becky says
I’m glad you think so too!
JLP says
“Put things back where they belong…” says it all. There is nothing more annoying than the violation of this principle. Think about how much time we waste looking and tracking down things that weren’t put back when they were last used.
Joanna says
Found your blog through fb love it, it change lots in my everyday life. Thank you xx
Becky says
Aww, thank you! Becky B.
Kristy as Giftie Etcetera says
So simple yet so wise!