How do you keep home organized, clean and neat? - Page 3

icezeus · ‎10-30-2010

@Sooner wrote:
Two of the biggest for us are using the dishwasher every day. When something gets used, in the dishwasher it goes. It gets washed that night, unloaded in the morning, and that's where dishes go.

Also, having a place for paperwork and working the mail every day. You have to have a place to file paperwork or it sits around.

@Sooner

I hate mail. I receive and pay all of my bills online, so I have to make myself walk down to my mail box once or twice a week, which is only three houses away from me and collect my mail.

I have a large basket where I place my incoming mail, and I get to it when I get to it. I like to shred a lot of items with my address which is why it takes so long for me to work on the items in the basket.

One year I found two birthday cards from at least two months earlier. Not sure how I missed those since they were brightly colored.

Years ago I remember taking a box of checks out of the mailbox and thinking to myself. I don't remember ordering checks. I dumped them in the basket. A few weeks later I looked and it was my next door neighbors checks. I promptly took them over and apologize.

Sooner · ‎03-10-2010

@icezeus Yes, we are some of the people that every day shred things the minute they come in the house. You really have to have a system of some sort for it.

Sooner · ‎03-10-2010

@Pook wrote:
Life is too short to be too organized. I want to enjoy the rest of my life without forcing myself to get it all done ASAP!!! The world won't end if my rinsed off dishes sit there or things do not all have a specific place!! I would sooner relax and enjoy myself in a little mess!!!

@Pook It just makes me nervous and not able to really relax until things are put up. I don't enjoy myself otherwise. Each of us have our own payoff!

jannabelle1 · ‎09-12-2010

Get into the habit of washing pans as you go, OR after you have a meal or cook something. And, use your dishwasher! It's much easier to take care of a few dishes and one or two pans rather than a whole sink full!

Go through your mail as soon as you take it out of the mailbox! Toss the junk mail right away and open anything else that isn't junk. Put it in a small to-do box or container if it's a bill that needs to be paid, or better yet - sign up for electronic bill pay with your bank and get your bills electronically. Don't save all those old bills!

Get a small notebook for your lists and notes to yourself instead of writing things down on individual pieces of paper. I have a 3"x6" top spiral notebook for reminders to myself, lists of things to do and a grocery list. Get rid of pages when the job is completed!

Best of luck....I try to keep my main level neat and tidy - can't say that much for the upstairs, but then no one really sees it so I don't worry too much about it!

homedecor1 · ‎03-09-2010

@CherryHugs

I'm so organized and really OCD since the pandemic shutdown its pretty ANNOYING to me ...previously, I was "life is short"" the dust will be here when I'm dead" and if anyone called (including going on impulse vacation) off I'd go!

And thanks to the pandemic I organized, sold off most excess things, completed some remodeling and finally got my furniture where my home is
semi-done".

And then throw in my spouse has been ill and doesn't leave the house to much - I've found my sense of "adventure" is calling me or I have a "overabundance" of excess energy!

Our home is always neat how bad can it be with only 2 people and no longer pets.

I don't go to bed until the house is in order meaning dishes are washed, put away - if I did laundry its dried, folded and put away or whatever I'm working on I complete. Although, my spouse has requested I not run the vacumn after he goes to bed at 8-8:30 ..then other times, since I'm not a big tv watcher I'll find something to tackle ...

I guess soon I'll be back to those carefree days and I'll have to work on this new OCD thing...my friends are slowly coming out of the house and the beach is calling me!!!

dancingwoman · ‎03-10-2010

@Carmie I do the same...I really can't go to bed unless everything is in its place...even sofa pillows need to be right...I can't help it...if DH has ice cream for dessert he knows to rinse his dish and put it in the dishwasher ...and if he eats a couple cookies instead he eats them over a plate...yeah I know OCD...I blame my Italian mother...(kidding)..DW

Kitlynn · ‎03-09-2010

Frist of all a place for everything and everything in its' place. After you use something put it back where you got it. Go through your mail and throw out the junk as soon as you bring it inside. Since you live alone wash your dishes at night and make sure you leave the sink clean and empty before you go to bed. Keep a notebook in one place with a pen and write your list only in it. Then cross things off as you get them done. When you do laundry put it away immediately. Just these few simple steps will make an amazing difference for you.

Bri369 · ‎11-03-2018

@dancingwoman wrote:
@Carmie I do the same...I really can't go to bed unless everything is in its place...even sofa pillows need to be right...I can't help it...if DH has ice cream for dessert he knows to rinse his dish and put it in the dishwasher ...and if he eats a couple cookies instead he eats them over a plate...yeah I know OCD...I blame my Italian mother...(kidding)..DW

I do the same thing with the couch pillows. LOL

When I come down in the morning, I want to see everything in its place. My biggest pet peeve is dishes in the sink. Just rinse them and put them in the dishwasher. It's so easy.

RealtyGal2 · ‎01-05-2017

@CherryHugs wrote:
Do you have any tips to stay organized that you use? And to keep up cleaning etc.

I will clean up and clear clutter and then a few days later its a mess again!

For days I will get the dishes down and then in a few days I have a sink full, clutter all around, papers and lists on the table, etc.

I try to stay organized but not sure what Im doing wrong!

Its all on me too LOL since Im divorced and cant blame anyone else for making a mess

I have the same problem. I keep putting things off. I am trying to get better at cleaning things up as soon as I make a mess, but it is hard to change habits formed this last year. I used to be very neat and tidy, but left on my own, clutter does not bother me so much.