10 Ways to Make Your Home Less Chaotic

[Marisol]

1. Never leave dirty dishes in the sink. This is especially important before you go to bed at night or leave the house for the day. You want to start your day and re-enter your home with an inviting atmosphere waiting for you, not the guilt of an unfinished task.

2. Make your bed in the morning. An unmade bed is depressing and uninviting. The room will feel chaotic if the bed is left unmade. It's also more restful to get into a made bed. Feeling deprived? Never make your bed when you travel.

3. Take the trash out every day. In addition to providing a calm visual, it will help fight pests such as roaches and ants.

4. Schedule household chores such as dusting, vacuuming and cleaning, and honor the commitment. A home that is tended to regularly is never going to feel overwhelming to maintain. The neglected one, on the other hand, will make you feel defeated before you begin.

5. Pick up after yourself. Clothes left strewn about a room can be visually depressing.

6. Toss the excess packaging that comes with everyday products. They will be easier to store and look tidier.

7. Get some plants.They give off oxygen and are pleasing to the eye. Got a black thumb? Adopt a cast-iron plant. (Not a joke!)

8. If you subscribe to magazines, toss the oldest issue when the latest issue arrives.

9. Burn an energizing aromatherapy candle while you're getting dressed in the morning to leave the house, and use a calming aroma for quiet nighttime baths.

10. Give your children the gift of an organized environment and teach them how to create one.

Source

 

[Sofia]

I can not stress how much I despise seeing dishes in the sink and can't go to bed without taking care of them. I won't be able to sleep if I know I left them in there. I also need to clean the stove-top, too. If I don't make my bed everyday, I feel my day is somehow incomplete. Maybe it's because I'm anal about things like that or a neat freak or both, but I can't have things out of place. Clothes on the floor, mags everywhere, would drive me crazy.

 

[girl_geek]

lol, I should make hubby read this!

I'm normally pretty neat but don't always have time to do much cleaning during the school ... and hubby won't do any cleaning voluntarily! (I should give him credit though, he does cook dinner and do dishes each night!)

 

[K*O*]

I do each & every one faithfully, ~ Tho, I'm having a problem w/ #10

(easier said than done) !!!

 

[cottoncandy]

i do most of those already, and it really does make a big difference. its so much nicer coming home to a neat room, its like a nice surprise, cause u forgot you did it, lol. i bought an orchid but it died, and i havent gotten anything else since although i want to, but theres not much space to put it anyway. i take out the trash when it fills up, no need to do it everyday as its so little anyway. aromatherapy candles is not really my thing, as heavy scents usually make me feel sick. i prefer a well aired home to artificial scents. and when i get kids i will definetily teach them these things. although, i used to be very messy as a child and everyone was worried id be a messy adult, but im the opposite so i guess kids need their mess. i remember i knew exactly where everything was in the mess and when my mom cleant up i could never find anything!

 

[Jen]

Thanks for posting Marisol! These are great. I really do do them all too!!!

 

[Amethyst]

This is so true ! But my husband is so sloppy & messy around the house, the minute I pick something up, something else is on the floor. I'm already defeated!!

 

[Kimberleylotr]

easyer said the done....lol.

 

[Becka]

I do most of these already, key word here "most".

This one:

Originally Posted by Marisol 2. Make your bed in the morning. NO, can't do it
LOL, I am anal w/ cleanliness and organization but I have NEVER been able to make my bed in the morning

 

[KittySkyfish]

Whoooops!! I glanced and thought the last one said:

10. Give your children to an organization!

Well, that *could* reduce chaos in the house....

 

[Marisol]

Originally Posted by KittySkyfish Whoooops!! I glanced and thought the last one said:
10. Give your children to an organization!

Well, that *could* reduce chaos in the house....

You crack me up Kerry!

 

[Akansha]

Gr8 tips. Very true. I follow most of them..ie..except the leaving dishes in the sink at night....My husband tells me to do them later on the next day

 

[anne7]

Nice tips, mari! I need to be better about all of them, except #10

 

[crazi29]

Thanks for the great tips!! I try doing some of them....hopefully....

 

[eightthirty]

Great tips! If you've got anything on dealing w/ a 16 year old boy that would be fab!

 

[dixiewolf]

I actually do none of these. I mean I dont leave stinking garbage out, but I dont empty the bathroom trash until it is almost overflowing. And I dont make my bed, b/c no one will see it. I admit I am very messy, this almost caused my bf and I to break up many times, he is a neat freak, and he was afraid I would mess up his house if we got married. He will make his bed, put dishes in the dishwasher, and even clean his cat's litter box before he takes me home. I think he has lived alone too long.

 

[gamaki]

I am pretty good about most of them. The only time I don't make my bed in the morning is if I happen to sleep in that day and I have to run out in a hurry. The one that I have trouble with is keeping magazines around too long. I have a couple of small stacks in my room right now. I like to cut out the pages of makeup looks that I'd like to try. It gives good inspiration.

Now my b/f.....that is a whole other story. He's beyond neat freak. He's borderline obsessive about it. Funny how some guys are like that but most are pigs. I can't decide which one is worse?!...lol

 

[VenusGoddess]

Originally Posted by dixiewolf I admit I am very messy, this almost caused my bf and I to break up many times, he is a neat freak, and he was afraid I would mess up his house if we got married. He will make his bed, put dishes in the dishwasher, and even clean his cat's litter box before he takes me home. I think he has lived alone too long. This is the same problem my husband and I have. He's big into fishing and sometimes will be gone for a week for tournaments, etc. When he's gone, the house is spotless...as soon as he comes back home...I swear, he's part Tazmanian Devil!!
We've actually been fighting more and more about this. I need to have things neat and orderly. There's nothing that pisses me off more than walking into the kitchen and seeing his mess from cooking all over the place...pans out, greasy stove, plates left on the counter (how much energy does it take to put something in the dishwasher???)...and I've threatened to kick him out last week if he didn't start making some changes. I don't expect him to become Mr. Neatfreak, but getting into the habit of picking up after himself would sure be nice!!

 

[Summer]

Great tips! Very helpful.

 

[FrillyChimps47]

Those are great tips. I like being organized and having things tidy. Got a little bit of an OCD going on. Who doesnt?

Its just a little hard sometimes, especially those really lazy days, Ahhhhh. Chill!