From The Straits Times    |
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Image: 123rf.com

GETTING YOUR HOME ORGANISED 

Want to get your home organised in time for the festive season, but don’t know where to start? See these tips by professional organiser Nathalie Ricaud from Get Organised and Beyond

1. Envision the end result and take stock of your current space
Don’t underestimate the power of seeing the end result – an organised home – in your head. It helps to keep your motivated during the organising process. Then, understand what works well and what doesn’t in the space. Identify the cause of your mess at home. 

2. Block the time in your schedule
A task that you set aside time for has a greater chance of getting done. 

Read more: 10 beautiful things that keep your home organised

3. Break down your project into manageable steps
If you’re hoping to de-clutter your home, start with one room, or one item. For instance, you can start with the fridge in the kitchen or your go-out clothes in your wardrobe.  

4. Start with the easiest categories
Start with items you are not emotionally attached to and won’t struggle to part with. Alternatively, you can start with the areas that bother you the most. 

5. Don’t buy organising products too early in the organisation process
Buying organising products should only come at the end of the decluttering and organising process, because it’s only then that you can understand how much you have to store.  Also more often than not, you’re likely to come across baskets and containers that can be re-used.  You can also make do with old shoe boxes or plastic food containers to organise things.

6. If you still need them, consider these organisation products

  • Pocket organisations are versatile and can be great for bits and pieces such as your jewellery, toiletries or make-up.
  • Over-the-door hangers can be used to hang bigger items such as towels in your bathroom or handbags in your bedroom.
  • Drawer organisations keep your cupboards in check. They are great for clustering categories of items together.
  • Magazine holders can be used for more than keeping your periodicals neat and tidy, they can also be used in the kitchen as storage for items such as food cans or food wraps.
  • Multi-tier step shelves are space-saving and can be placed in your cabinets and pantry cupboard to keep your food produce in place.

LITTLE THINGS TO DO EVERY DAY TO KEEP YOUR HOME ORGANISED

Now that your home is organised and clutter-free, do these little things every day to keep it that way.

7. Return things where they belong after use
Teach each person in the family where things belong and encourage them to return things to their dedicated home every time. Be patient, it takes about 4 weeks to embrace a new habit.

Read more: 8 events and bazaars in November to get you into the mood for Christmas

8. End each day by doing a quick tidying around the house
This shouldn’t take more than 10min. If more than 10min is needed, you will need to re-evaluate your organisation system at home.

9. Make decisions on the spot
Don’t put things back in your cabinets that you know you won’t be using again or that you don’t love anymore.  Throw away what is not in a good condition. Have a box or bag in a closet for things you can give away or sell. Once they are filled up, action it!

10. Manage your paper
Open your mail on top of a wastebasket and get rid of as much as you can right away: junk mail, envelopes, publicity etc.  File the documents you need to keep for reference. Put those you need to work on in an interim action folder while capturing the task in your to-do list with a specific date.