In 2016 we will…
Get organised.
Some people really struggle with organisation. Fortunately for me I am not one of those people, in fact I would go so far as to say that I would fall to pieces and turn into a quivering nervous wreck if I were to not have a vast amount of organisation in my life. I function at my best when there is no clutter and I absolutely must have a calendar with headings for each family member and don’t even get me started on lists. I LOVE a list! I’ve got a list of what I need to do that week, a list for what I need to do that day, shopping lists, weekly meal lists, work lists, home lists, present lists, you name it and I’ve probably got a list for it.
I also love stationery, which goes hand in hand with being organised. I find it incredibly satisfying seeing pens neatly lined up, stacked up multi-coloured post it notes and beautiful, patterned notebooks. My idea of a fun day out is wandering around Paperchase, sad I know. Clearly, I don’t need to add ‘get organised’ to my list of New Year resolutions, but what I can do is share some of my tips with those of you who do!
- Lists – Have I mentioned I love a list? Seriously though, I cannot praise the use of lists highly enough when it comes to helping with organisation. Whether you jot it down in a notebook or create a list on your phone using something like Evernote, if it’s on a list you won’t forget it and you’ll feel more motivated to get the job done. Trust me, the feeling of ticking something off of a list is incredibly satisfying and before you know it you’ll love lists just as much as me!
- Tidy as you go – The key to a clutter free home is to not allow it to build up. Everything should have a home and your job is to make sure that each item goes back to it’s home at the end of each day. Now, I appreciate this is easier said than done when you share your home with little people, they’re hardly advocates of mess free living. But, instilling the belief that you should always tidy up after yourself and teaching your children to have pride and to look after their home environment is a lesson they will thank you for when they are older.
- Don’t hoard – You’re either a hoarder or you’re not. I have no problem whatsoever in getting rid of things I feel I don’t need, whereas my husband on the other hand can’t bear to part with things he thinks might just come in handy. Be brutal, if you’ve hung onto something with the belief it might be useful, but turns out you haven’t actually used the thing in three months, throw it away. There’s only so much storage one house can have and if things start spilling out of cupboards, drawers won’t close or the garage looks like a thrift shop, it is definitely time to have a clear out.
- Share responsibilities – Families should work as a team and the key to getting everyone organised is to make everyone aware of what their own contribution to the team is. Got kids? Make it their job to get themselves dressed in the morning, make their beds and feed the pets. Little jobs like this makes your life a whole lot easier and leaves you free to do some of the other, more difficult things.
- Weekly admin – Paperwork can soon build up if left to it’s own devices, so make sure you sort through your in-tray at least once a week. School letters, bills, personal emails etc. take up a lot our time, but if you set a regular time to go through it all you can keep yourself on top of things and ensure you don’t miss deadlines.
Give it a go, get organised and let us know how you’re getting on.
What organisational tips can you share with us? Email us at info@artofhealthyliving.com, send us a Tweet or post on our Facebook page.
