As you know from many of my posts, organisation and staying on top of a tidy house does not come naturally to me. But, I must say, over the past few years I have secretly watched and taken mental notes of those people who seem to do it all so effortlessly. For me it used to be a huge job, just thinking about it drained me, and by the time I had finished thinking about everything I had to do I couldn’t actually be bothered doing anything at all…. so here you go folks, here is what I have learned. Oh and did I also mention that I spent a good 16 years having all of this drummed into me by my OCD Mum – here is how they do it….
If you are new around here you may like to read some posts about the mess I used to be in here and here. And if you haven’t caught up with “Get Sorted with Chards”, you can check that one out here and here.
But now, onto the list…
1. Get up earlier. I am telling you – this is the key. People who have tidy houses don’t just wave a wand and they magically appear that way. No – they work bloody hard. They also don’t seem to sleep much. I need my sleep, so I have been trying to get myself to bed earlier so I can be up and at it at 5:15 am! It is so lovely having a coffee in peace before my 3 boys wake up and start terrorising me. This is also when I do my blogging.
2. Make your bed. This will make such a difference to your day. Start the day with order.
3. Don’t put it down – put it away or A place for everything and everything in its place. This is another essential step for keeping a tidy house. Those who make it all look so effortless PUT THINGS AWAY! They don’t sit things down on the kitchen bench or put them in a basket, they get up off their skinny little arses and put them away for crying out loud (FYI: their bums are so skinny because they are always putting stuff away). Why has it taken me 36 years to figure this out? I have been so lazy, it seems, for…..well…. all my life. And another bonus to all of this “putting away” is the calories you will burn. As a friend put it: Cleaning Cardio. It seems to have worked for me over the past week, I have lost weight but I haven’t been on the treadmill…. instead I have been busy walking km’s throughout my house putting things away, or nagging the children to put their their stuff away. Surely I am not the only person who is just waking up to this? I used to just put things down because I didn’t think I had time to put them away or find a house for them. What the hell was I thinking? Now I realise: I don’t have time not to put them away. So don’t walk past something and think “god I have to bend over, no bugger it I will do it later” just pick the bloody thing up and put it away, I swear it will take you less than 30 seconds!!! 30 seconds people. Onto it!
4. Washing – get it done. First thing. Put a load on before you go to bed, or, if you have multiple loads, try and get it all done of a night time. Hang it out that night or first thing the next morning, or pop it in the dryer. Unless the clothes are super dirty or white, put them all in one giant load. That is one less thing you have to worry about when you are racing around trying to sort out children, lunch boxes, getting ready for work etc etc. Oh and because your bed is made and your house is tidy you will have so much more time on your hands.
5. Kitchen: Leave the kitchen tidy every night. Put the dishes in the dishwasher and don’t forget to turn it on. Or wash everything up as you go, it will save you so much time and keep everything sorted in the kitchen as you are cooking. Don’t get everything out that you will need and plonk it on the bench. You will get yourself into a huge mess (trust me, this is how I have been doing things for… well, forever really). Until Aileen and Mrs Savvy B made me see the light. Why the hell had I not figured this out? I have spent so many years trying to make things easier for myself and take shortcuts, but really I have been making extra work. So now, when I am cooking a cake for, example, I get out the flour, put it in and then put it away, get out the eggs, put them in and put them away and so on. Get it? Good – you won’t regret it. So then when you have finished cooking it doesn’t look like a volcano has erupted on your bench and your head will be much clearer. I can’t believe it has taken me this long to figure it out. GET IT OUT AND PUT IT AWAY!!!! So at the end of the night it shouldn’t be a huge job to clean up. Wipe down all of your benches, put everything away and you will be all set for the next morning.
Now tell me – am I really the only person who has just figured all of this out or have you also struggled to stay on top of things. If you follow these 5 important steps you will never look back. Things will be sorted and you will feel a million bucks. Trust me.
They also say it takes 30 days to form a habit. So you need to make a conscience effort to do each step everyday. I am up to day 8 and so far so good! Still a while to go before it, hopefully, becomes habit. Would you like to join me as I follow this SORTED journey?
Acknowledgement must go to all of those who have inspired me… DD, Mrs Savvy B, Margie, Aileen, Kristy (Incy Interiors), Sophie, Flick, Babs, Sal (Mrs Gumnut)…. you all seem to do it so effortlessly and I HAVE BEEN WATCHING YOU (I, know – creepy right??) all of these years…. and I finally get it – Hard Work!!!…. just wondering why it has taken me so long. But thanks all the same!!! Did you even know you were my inspiration?
See I do most of these things, MOST. It’s the cupboard/pantry and wardrobes that REALLY need my attention.. Meh. Love that you are inspiring people x
You are all over it – look at you with your baking and all…. yes, my wardrobe needs a little bit of love at the moment too! But my pantry is done and my word it feels good!!!
I’ve been silently watching tidy people too and also duly noted that they work hard! I know the washing thing has been your shining revelation, but there is no way I will ever convince The Accountant that I should be constantly using the dryer. Still the old fashioned clothes line for me! Luckily I have help, because I do 2-3 10kg loads a day. (another reason I couldn’t use the dryer, it’s not big enough! One washing machine load equals two dryer loads!) I had a busy weekend, and got behind in my folding. I had 4 baskets full stacked so high yesterday, and now only have two to go. (I’ve done four loads of washing yesterday and today, so they were folded fresh, which is why I didn’t get all done.) Might tackle them tonight and watch a pre-recorded show of the The Block.
Ha ha ha, no way would The Accountant ok the use of the dryer. And you know what, there is no way I would ok it if I had town power. And I am not sure what has happened in my laundry but ONE LOAD…..that is what I have been doing each day…. what on earth has happened, is it because the children are older and finally able to just wear one outfit each day? No clothes, bibs etc etc? I don’t know, but things are looking up. It is definitely quicker to dry the washing on the line though I must say. All I can say is thank god “help” has a arrived for you! Oh dear – 4 baskets of folding, glad you have taped The Block, ha ha ha. Right, off to read more of your blog now. xx
Oh Miss Chardy… the #getsortedwithchards mentality is like a flippin cult in my household at the moment.
I just need an ironing lady. I imagine that the ironing SHOULD be like the washing up… A do-it-as-you-go sort of system, but I can’t get into the swing of it!
I’m too busy basking in the glory of getting the clothes off the line and away before the need to rummage in the basket for a clean pair of undies!
Ohhhhhh, I am so proud I may even have a tear in my eye. So happy to hear you are winning. How bloody good does it feel to beat the washing! It has been a total game changer for me – I have that much more time on my hands because I am not waiting to hang out the next load etc….feels SO GOOD!!! And I can’t believe what a difference staying on top of everything makes, I am so much happier and less stressed and it isn’t even that hard. Who’d have thought, ha ha ha. Oh and as for the ironing….luckily we live in the middle of nowhere because I don’t iron much, but having said that I do have a whole basket full of clothes that do need ironing. Or you could take a leaf out of Mrs Savvy B’s book – she doesn’t iron anything….how are we even friends…. anyway, I am so pleased you are having a win. We can do this – 30 days to become a habit – stick with it.
Way to go chards! True about the bed making first thing- if there’s a day I haven’t done it first thing, I feel I’m behind until I’ve done it. There’s a YouTube video of a previous army general (?) who gives a talk on this very topic. His point being you start the day by already accomplishing your first task. Win win. Order breeds more order. And if my house isn’t in order my ‘eyes hurt’ as i like to put it!! I am on to it.
Mrs T – that is so true, I love it. And I am totally searching for that talk on You Tube! Thanks for the tip. It is true, if things are a mess in my bedroom then I just think “oh well, why bother, it is all a mess so why bother….” Order does breed order and I am feeling so good because of it, much happier!
Legend in my own lunch time today. I had cleaned the house top to bottom including dusting (detest that job), mopped all hard floors, made all the beds (admittedly I don’t normally make the children’s beds but today was linen day) and had FOUR loads of washing on the line by 10am. I am feeling smug. So I am off to see Gaultier at the NGV this afternoon. Because I can.
Getting up early is the key. When the children were little I got so much done in that 1 hour window (annoyingly I had early risers, funnily enough not so much now that they are teenagers!) Now I just like the time to myself.
Look at you go!!!! Well done. I am so impressed and esp by the 4 loads of washing on the line by 10am!!!! You can totally go to see Gaultier!!!!
I’ve loaded 6 decks of cattle and done a load of washing. Think that’s enough for 9.30 on a Sunday. Going away for a week tomorrow so the floors will have to wait til I get back.
Ha ha ha, I think that is definitely enough for a Sunday too. Well done!
Love it : D After showers at night washing goes on ~ hung either then or morning ~ and then machine is filled throught day by dirty kid with ocd :s Yes the trick is pull out, use and either put away or pop in dishwasher/sink ~ with baking have a sink ready an wash as you go. Another trick is 4 sides to the hills hoist so hang each member of the family on a side each that way when dry take of and fold as you go and walha washing folded and sorted before entering house 😀 At bedtime routine is half hour reading before lights out with kidlets so that is when I wipe down benches, sweep floor and vaccy lounge room and then night is mine to watch tv or read 🙂 With bathroom an loo keep a dish (a salt shaker works awesome) of bicarb an vinegar in the corner so at your bedtime when you notice loo becoming grotty sprinkle with bicarb an mist with vinegar same with bath 🙂 Only downside is now I caring 24/7 for miss 13 since her collapse I get bored as house clean and legally I can’t go out to work lol
Great tips – thanks Kelly. Great idea with the clothesline. I have been putting the stuff straight into the washing machine during the day – now my basket is always empty, not full of bits a pieces like it used to be. I like the bi-carb and vinegar trick too.