Today in our article we will help you put your apartment or house in perfect order by doing everything quickly and correctly.
11 secrets on how to clean up your apartment
- Focus on dust. It is impossible to avoid it, since it penetrates us from all places - windows, doors and even vents. We bring it on the soles of our shoes and, of course, outerwear. You can get rid of such dust using a vacuum cleaner, but set it to wet cleaning so that it does not spread dust throughout the space. By removing the dust, you can move the things you need. There is no need to do the opposite otherwise, for example, you can move the bag to another place where dust will already accumulate, so it will remain there for a long time, and it is better not to breathe such air. The place where dust is most visible (especially to guests) is the surface of tables, chairs, televisions and window sills (there is especially a lot of it here, as it blows from the window). Dust can also form on the wallpaper (rarely, but if it appears, it means you have been cleaning the rooms for a long time), vents (it is better to remove them and thoroughly clean them from cobwebs, dirt, etc.). The top ones deserve special attention. ceiling corners, where cobwebs can usually be found.
- The first thing our guests pay attention to is the floor. Therefore, you should start by cleaning the floor. Thoroughly clean the carpets (if any), sweep and wash the floor itself (parquet, linoleum, tiles, etc.). It is better to focus on those places that are most contaminated - the hallway and living room, but this does not mean that you can forget about hard to reach places, such as areas under a bed or sofa.
- If your apartment is small, then try to take out the trash more often. There is no need to install separate buckets in the bedroom, living room, etc. for this. The fact is that the trash can will be easy enough to notice, but garbage left on a table or nightstand will also haunt you. Therefore, immediately accustom yourself to one bucket (in the kitchen) and daily removal of garbage bags, although the more often the better, because it does not give off the most pleasant smell in the house, which spreads very quickly.
- Get rid of things you don't need. Now that the living room and corridor are in order, take care of the objects that surround you. Order comes first rational use spaces in the house. When the house is a mess, there are a lot of things in it that we don’t need. Of course, you are unlikely to be able to throw them away, so we suggest doing it this way: purchasing a large box in which to put all the necessary things. Moreover, identifying a thing by necessity is quite simple: put in a box all those items that you have not used for a month, two or more: lamps, pens, magazines, accessories, small equipment(an old mobile phone, for example), etc. You can also place some decorative elements in the box (vases, mugs, figurines, glasses that you don’t like much). After filling the box to capacity, seal it and write today’s date on top. Take the box to the garage, basement, or at least indoor balcony. And believe me, most likely, you will not look into this box for at least a year (due to necessity), and, therefore, all the collected things are really nothing more than trash for you. After one year, you can safely sell these items.
- Once you've removed everything you need, surround yourself with the things you use regularly. Have you ever noticed that everything necessary items You take things out of closets, shelves and even other rooms when there are things nearby that you don’t need at all. If this is so, then you should urgently reconsider the entire set of objects surrounding you. He is unfaithful. Try to surround yourself by putting in a visible and convenient place only those things that you use, and not those that should be located according to generally accepted canons. By completing this step, you can easily avoid a mess in your apartment, because there will be no unnecessary things, and the necessary things will not create problems for you.
- A clean apartment in which everything is at hand is not ideal order. So now it's time for us to get down to hiding unnecessary items from the eyes of outsiders. Come to terms with the idea that there will be guests in your home from time to time, that is, essentially strangers. These may include: people from a repair service, neighbors, inspectors (gas and electricity), friends, colleagues, acquaintances (friends of your children, parents or spouses), etc. They may all have different understandings of order and cleanliness, but in general, there is a rule - to hide your personal life from strangers, so try to distribute things in the house in such a way that even if strangers come to your house at night, you do not feel awkward . So how to do this?! Quite simple! Get into the habit of “always hide personal things!” It doesn't matter if it's money or bed linen. Documents should never be left in plain sight. Small things like glasses, watches, mobile phones, bracelets and other things should also have their place, preferably in bedside table. When changing clothes, put all things in the closet, and dirty linen or clothes in a special basket. Washing should not be carried out over the whole day. It is also better not to leave dishes dirty, but to wash them immediately or put them in the dishwasher.
- Keep the kitchen clean. The order in the house can often be determined by the kitchen; if it is clean and well-groomed, then most likely the rest of the rooms in the house will not be dirty. This is often where most of the guests come, drinking tea with you or stopping in for a short conversation. Therefore, this implies several rules that the owner should not forget about if he strives to restore order throughout the apartment. First, as we already said, wash the dishes immediately after dinner, and don't even think about leaving dirty dishes anywhere in the house. Secondly, clean the refrigerator, both inside and outside. outside. It attracts the most attention due to its size and frequency of reference to it. There is no need to store spoiled products in it that are already expired or are not suitable for cooking in themselves (they smell bad and look terrible). Third, thoroughly wipe all cabinet handles and kitchen appliances(For example, microwave oven), so that the guest does not get dirty by accidentally touching something. Fourthly, ventilate the room more often so that not only the order and cleanliness in the kitchen is visible, but also the smell does not bother us.
- If you have already started tidying up the rooms of your house, then you should not bypass the bathroom. It will be very strange if everything in the house radiates cleanliness and order, and the bathroom somehow stands out from the general background. There should also be a pleasant smell, clean floors, fresh towels, soap and bottles on the mirror. clean look, and there should be in the sink good drain so as not to create discomfort for the guest and yourself.
- Now it’s time to think about the order and cleanliness of the “Holy of Holies” - the bedroom. You can feel the order not only by arranging all the items in their places, but also by changing the bed linen, removing small debris from the dressing or coffee table, arranging books or magazines on the bedside table, and also ventilating the rooms themselves. Naturally, here we no longer mention cleaning the room itself. Pay attention to mirrors too. If you are a pedantic person who loves order and cleanliness, you will not feel sufficiently comfortable seeing dirty stains on the mirrors (from touching or cosmetics).
- If it is difficult for you to constantly remember what and how should be folded ideally, then we advise you to once create the ideal order (that you would like) and capture it on. Such a picture will help you perform all the actions every time, which will tell you what else you have not done to keep your home in order.
- When cleaning up your home, check the technical components of all appliances at the same time. Here we are talking about various techniques, for example, televisions and computers. Check their connections to the outlet and other connectors. Is everything inserted correctly, is there any play or problems (especially with the electrical part, so that there is no short circuit later).
- Divide the entire apartment into several zones (living room, bathroom, corridor, etc.) and restore order gradually in each zone, do not try to clean everything at once, as you will definitely forget something.
- Train yourself to clean up your house, at least 15-20 minutes a day, then you won’t have to spend whole days on it once a week or two.
- If the amount of work is large, then it is better to stretch the process over several days.
- Scientists have calculated that every month from 20 to 100 unnecessary things appear in the home of the average family. Therefore, we suggest that you take a box with you once a month and forcefully put in it 20 to 30 things that are not particularly dear to you. Take the box to the garage. This way, the apartment will not turn into a “junk storage room”.
- Before you put things in order, make a list of things you need to do that day and gradually start doing it.
- If you want ideal frequency and comfort in the room, try to make all horizontal surfaces as clean as possible, and also to have a minimum of objects on them.
- Never leave an item in plain sight unless it can be hidden in a locker or closet.
- It’s better to put things in order while listening to fast and favorite music (you can even dance along to it), thus the process will go faster and more interesting. Do not turn on the TV under any circumstances, especially when watching an interesting program or film/series, as you will definitely get caught up in watching it and forget what you wanted to do in the first place. After watching, you are unlikely to want to get involved in the process again.
- Our editors of the online magazine site recommend finding a separate place for each item, since in this case it will be easiest to find it and also put it in its place. Which will accordingly save time and nerves.
- Use space wisely! Don't forget about the small shelves that you have in your closet or even coffee table. For example, we always forget about the bedside table on which the TV sits, but it often has a lot of shelves on which you can put remote controls. household appliances, a magazine with a program, favorite DVDs with films, etc.
- If you are overtaken by laziness in putting things in order, then you can come up with some kind of motivator, for example, invite dear guests tonight or tomorrow, to whom it would be very embarrassing to show the apartment in this condition. Then your laziness will go away, and the desire to clean up your house will quickly appear!
- Eradicate this “Sovdepov” habit of hanging clothes on doors, chairs and other pieces of furniture. Accustom yourself to order, then you will have to restore it less.
- Place aroma candles or special air fresheners throughout the rooms, which will create not only an externally pleasant environment, but also rid the apartment of unpleasant odors.
Fast pace modern life often leads to chaos not only in our daily routine, but also in our work, affairs and, of course, homes. Due to lack of time, energy, lack of concentration and disorganization, people are faced with systematic chaos in their lives. But, as the famous proverb says, clean is not where they clean, but where they don’t litter.
To get rid of chaos you need to start with own home. If you accustom yourself to cleanliness gradually, the discipline of order will fit tightly into the rhythm of life, and over time everything will become immaculately tidy everywhere and in everything.
However, keeping an apartment or house clean every day is not as easy as it seems at first glance. The housewife must follow some rules and also know the secrets of successful, fast and high-quality cleaning.
How can you keep your home clean?
Cleanliness and order in the house is not only a sign of the neatness and pedantry of the owners, but also the basis healthy image life. Each missed cleaning can lead to the proliferation of bacteria or fungi that are dangerous to humans. For example, a bathroom without proper care will become a habitat for mold; dust is a strong allergen and an excellent environment for the proliferation of harmful microorganisms. Unwashed dishes in the kitchen, crumbs on the table - a “feast” for cockroaches. Spiders with webs may not be as scary, but they are ugly to look at.
In order not to bring your home to such a state, it is recommended to “generalize” it from time to time. First of all, start removing garbage and putting things in their places. After this you can start wet cleaning and cleaning surfaces.
Advice: pay attention to the details of the interior. Lamps, chandeliers, figurines, flowers, blinds, curtains must be fresh and washed.
If you don’t have enough time and you are busy at work from morning to night, you can contact a special cleaning company. However, not everyone likes the presence of strangers in the house. Therefore, this method is suitable only if you know the workers or have been using the services of housekeepers for money for a long time.
Keeping your home clean requires desire, time and patience. You will also need a mop, vacuum cleaner, rags, sponges, detergents and cleaners to help. To fix minor “accidents” (such as a torn tablecloth or a fallen picture), stock up on thread, needles and tools. You should not ignore time-tested folk remedies cleaning Therefore, along with purchased detergents, you should prepare soda, peroxide, alcohol and vinegar.
What cleaning tools should you have?
For daily or regular quality work, everything necessary for this process should be available. First of all, household chemicals. Such preparations do an excellent job of removing dirt, dust, grease, and stains. This is a lifesaver for any housewife.
Each type of cleaning requires its own products, gels or sprays.
To combat dust on wooden furniture It is better to purchase a polish that can easily remove dirt and also leaves a protective anti-dust layer.
The window cleaner should be an alcohol solution, and for convenience it is better to use sprays. The choice in stores of this product is very wide, not only in terms of price criteria, but also in terms of brand.
The range of detergents and cleaning products for the kitchen is incredibly huge. Choose according to your preference: gels, sprays, liquid substances, powders. In addition to the excellent cleansing effect, the compositions have a “bonus” - aroma. The kitchen will not only be perfectly clean, but also smell nice.
Solutions are used for. They cope well with pollution, especially street pollution. The products provide not only cleanliness, but also additional disinfection. This is even more important if children live in the house.
For floor coverings You can also pick up a good cleaning product in the store or make a solution at home. For example, wine stains can be quickly removed with vinegar or alcohol, and greasy stains can be dealt with with laundry soap or dishwashing gel.
Advice: do not forget about brushes, sponges, napkins and newspapers, which will be useful in the arsenal of devices for putting things in order.
What detergents should be
In order for the cleanliness of the house to please the owners for a long time, it is necessary to clean properly. And to properly restore order, you need to select suitable detergents and cleaning agents. Listed below are the most popular and necessary funds for cleaning rooms.
So, home remedies are available for the following purposes:
- Bathroom (for cleaning pipes, tiles, acrylic and ceramic surfaces), also sprays for mirrors and glass.
- Wet cleaning ( detergents for gender, for example, “Mr. Proper”, and . “Vanish” or “Kärcher” will do. For dust – polish “Pronto”).
- With dirt on kitchen surface“Sif” cream works well, and “Fairy” liquid cleaner works well for greasy dishes.
- Spray “Unicum”, or similar ones, will help in cleaning and cleaning upholstered furniture.
- Liquid “Rhythmix” will cope with stains and dust on a TV or computer. Popular among housewives aerosol cans with the remedy.
If you are allergic or generally do not use store-bought chemicals, you can easily prepare them yourself at home.
A universal solution for many types of stains, dirt, as well as dust and germs, made from ordinary laundry soap and soda. In 100 ml hot water dissolve 50 g baking soda. Grate 25 g of soap and add to the mixture. Stir until a light foam forms and the components are completely dissolved. Use a sponge or microfiber cloth to remove dirt or dust.
How rarely to clean (what and how to do so that you have to tidy up less often)
To make the cleaning process move faster, you must follow the following rules:
- Divide the apartment into several conditional zones. It is better to clean from top to bottom. That is, initially the chandeliers and ceilings are washed, after. Dust and dirt are wiped off tables and other pieces of furniture. Next, they begin to clean the carpets.
- You can resort to one more trick. Create a cleaning calendar. Since areas in the apartment become dirty in different ways, it is worth cleaning them depending on the location in the room. For example, carpeted surfaces should be cleaned once every two months. Wash floors every week. Vacuum and 2-3 times in seven days.
- Keep detergents and cleaning products handy in your cabinet. How long the cleanliness will remain depends on the selection of the right cleaning products and devices.
- There is only one way to accustom yourself to order and cleanliness in the house. Things put in their places in a timely manner, washed dishes and washed clothes will make the process of regularly putting things in order easier. All you have to do is use a vacuum cleaner and brush off a layer of dust.
- Once a month, take the time to clean and wash cabinets, glass, tiles, and doors. On the day of the main cleaning, you will not be distracted by these small but very significant things.
Now you know how to keep your apartment clean and tidy so that it is always a pleasure to be in.
In conclusion, it must be said that cleaning can be not only quick and easy, but also enjoyable. To save good mood While putting things in order, open the windows for ventilation and turn on cheerful music. Singing along and dancing, you will see that the whole process will go positively and unnoticed, but the result (a clean house) will delight you for a long time.
Can house cleaning miraculously change the life? Japanese tidying expert Marie Kondo promises: if you are ready for big changes, the result of cleaning will be a real miracle.
Bestseller by Marie Kondo"The Life-Changing Magic of Navigation"Order details: Japanese art getting rid of unnecessary things and organizing space"truly changed the life of Emily Clay, a homeowner in Oregon. After reading the book, she says, she got rid of “a ton” of clothes and books, and although she loves shopping, Marie Kondo’s advice kept her from restocking her shelves and closets. “This book completely changed the way I think about things,” she says. “If I don’t like something, if I’ve never used it, never read it, never worn it, I get rid of it without thinking.”
A designer from San Francisco shares the same opinion: “I myself follow the main tenets of Kondo’s book and advise everyone to do the same: you should only keep what brings you pleasure,” she says. - This rule helps me determine the place of things in my heart and my home. It’s amazing how much cleaner my house is after I threw out all the junk.”
We are waiting for changes!
However, the definition of “life changing” is perhaps too bold. Life is changed by such events as marriage, birth, death, moving. Cleaning, even a major one, does not fit my idea of global change, but Marie Kondo’s ideas change the attitude towards the house without a doubt.
It doesn't matter how you feel about magic, which is the constant emphasis of this book. However, the sales volume of this book around the world can truly be called supernatural. It spent 23 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list in the Advice & Advice category. practical guides" On the Amazon website it was named best book 2014 in the “Crafts, Home and Garden” section. Since its first edition last fall, the book has been in print 13 times and sold two million copies. Looking at these numbers, we can conclude that people are really desperate to change the status quo. Let's see if Marie Kondo will fulfill the promise made in the bold title of her book.
Two Key Rules
After years of practice, the Japanese space organizer has developed her own method. The idea is simple, but it can be incredibly difficult to apply (I speak from personal experience), because people never want to part with their own things.
So, the two key principles of Marie Kondo’s method boil down to: that you should only keep things at home that fill your heart with joy. And in the cleaning process you need to work not with rooms, but with categories of things.
Keep what you love
Kondo often uses the phrase “sparkling with joy” when talking about things dear to his heart. Summarizing what has been said, we can draw the following conclusion: if you don’t like a thing, get rid of it. The difficulty lies in, as they say, separating the wheat from the chaff and distinguishing between the concepts of “happiness” and “attachment.” In his book, Kondo offers a rather tough way to help do this.
Deal with things, not rooms
One of the main ideas that distinguishes the Kondo method from all others is that you should sort things into categories. For example, instead of cleaning out your closet, you need to deal with all the clothes you have in the house.
Usually it is stored in several places: in the dressing room, chests of drawers and closets in bedrooms and children's rooms, in the hallway and even in the attic. Marie Kondo's work experience showed that if you clean each room separately, it will be an endless process. Therefore, everything that is in the house must be divided into categories and dealt with each of them. On the first page of his work, the author writes: “First you need to discard everything unnecessary, and then put the whole house in order once and for all.”
And this is only the first tip, and the book is quite large - as many as 216 pages. We asked Marie Kondo for an interview on e-mail, and she briefly formulated for us basic principles of his method
.
Cleaning step by step
Meet Marie Kondo as she begins cleaning out one of her clients' closets. In her world, the path to cleanliness and order begins with an idea of how you want to live. In her interview, she described this process in stages.
1. Think about what it is ideal life . In other words, how you want to live.
2. Collect things of the same type and put them together. For example, put all your clothes on the floor. Kondo suggests starting with clothes, then books, and finally documents.
3. Ask yourself if each item radiates joy.“Take the thing in your hands, touch it and try to feel if there is joy in it,” writes Kondo.
4. Sort things and put them back in their place. Appropriate place for each item, determine in advance.
Seems too simple, doesn't it? But Kondo believes that what makes the method difficult is that many of us fill things with emotion. Sometimes we become attached to things we don't like simply because they were given to us. We let books and papers pile up on our desks in the hope that someday we will read them. We flatly refuse to throw away unsuccessful purchases because we regret the money we spent. “The essence of my method is to take an impartial look at your possessions and decide what of all the things you have accumulated over the years that are truly important,” writes Kondo.
Now you understand how difficult it is. In response to all doubts, Kondo cites the words of Princess Elsa from Frozen: let go and forget.
BEFORE:
This is a photo of the room of one of Kondo's clients before cleaning. For many of us, shelves packed to capacity and endless bags of things are a familiar sight.
And Marie Kondo has seen this hundreds of times. She encourages people to forget those things that overflow closets (since they are hidden there, it means no one needs them), not to become attached to items that may be needed “someday” (for Kondo, “someday” means “never”), and be sure to give your things to those who need them, so as not to feel guilty about getting rid of them.
AFTER:
The same room after cleaning using the Kondo method. The publisher was worried that photographs of the homes of Kondo's Japanese clients might frighten Europeans. And in fact, after the table was moved to another room and most of the things were thrown away, this room seems empty.
However, what seems spartan to one person, another would call ideal. This is how Kondo describes his own house: “At home I feel a sense of bliss, even the air seems fresher and cleaner. In the evenings, I like to sit in silence and think about the past day over a cup of herbal tea.
Looking around, I see a painting that I really love and a vase of flowers in the corner of the room. My house is small, and it contains only those things that have a place in my heart. This lifestyle brings me joy every day.”
AFTER: The same kitchen after Marie Kondo's work. Radical transformation, isn't it?
What about considerations of necessity?
“A lot of people have a hard time following Marie Kondo's rules,” says Kaylee, a San Francisco-based space planner. ─ I like some of her ideas, but not all of them work.” How, for example, can we put into practice the idea that we should only keep things that bring us joy? “Every home is full of things that have nothing to do with happiness, but are simply necessary,” says Kaylee.
Kondo talks about the right things, but her definition of what is necessary goes beyond conventional ideas. For example, what to do with textbooks and equipment operating manuals? They can be found on the Internet.Books you haven't read? Give it away, you'll never read them anyway. Gifts from loved ones that you don't use? Free yourself from them too.
Real example from California
Kayley is sure that many people find it difficult to follow Kondo's advice in everything. To be on the safe side, we turned to Susie Shoaf, a San Francisco resident who won free consultation Marie Kondo. In this photo you can see Susie (left) in her 84 square meter home. m during a meeting with Marie Kondo.
This is a photo of Susie's living room after Marie Kondo's visit. “You may laugh, but I've been really meaning to declutter for a long time,” says Susie, who has heard of Marie Kondo's method but hasn't read her book. “I inherited many things from my parents, and I myself love collecting finds from flea markets. Things piled up until it became difficult to move around the house. Something had to be done urgently about this.”
AFTER and BEFORE:
Although Susie usually borrows books from the library, she has a soft spot for art and design books and travel guides. foreign countries. This is what she looked like bookshelf before she started cleaning with Kondo.
The prospect of getting rid of so many of her things scared Susie a little, but she knew that she could keep what she truly loved, and that thought calmed her.
“She started by taking all the books off all the shelves on the first and second floor,” says Susie, who herself was shocked at how many books she actually had (Kondo gives many similar examples in her book). “She didn't judge me,” Susie continues. “But when I saw how many books I had accumulated, I realized that I wanted to cope with this avalanche and accepted Marie’s method with all my heart.”
“Before the analysis, Kondo patted each book and said that this was how she woke them up,” recalls Susie. - Then we sat down on the sofa and began to take one book after another. Through a translator, Marie asked me about each book whether it radiated joy. If I said “yes,” we put the book in one pile, if “no,” we put it in another. We went through 300 books that day and got rid of 150.”
When all the books were sorted out, Kondo suggested bowing to the books that had been decided to say goodbye to and thanking them.
In his book, Kondo says that thanking things for their service is an important part saying goodbye to them. “When you say thank you to the things that have served you well, you let go of the guilt of throwing them away and feel grateful for the things you allowed to stay,” she writes.
AFTER: The idea of throwing away so many books confuses many people. But whatever you think, admit it: this bookcase looks a lot better now. “I took seven boxes of books to the Library Friends fund. This means a lot to me. And I’m sure that, as counterintuitive as it may sound, analyzing each individual book sped up the process and helped me understand which ones were really important,” shares Susie.When Susie and Marie sorted out the books and kept only their favorites, there was plenty of space on the shelves for photographs and decorative items. And, importantly, now they are better visible.
“Books you liked when you bought them may become useless over time. Information in books, articles and documents does not remain relevant for long, says Kondo. ─ When you put on the shelves only those books that bring joy, it is easier for you to understand that you no longer need the rest. And then everything is simple: the fewer books on the shelf, the easier it is to maintain order.”
“Now my drawers look beautiful both inside and out,” laughs Susie.
Cleaning as a path to success
How to become an international star in the field of space organization? In the first part of her book, Kondo tells how she began her path to success. Since childhood, she has been obsessed with cleanliness and clearing away debris. “When I was five years old, I read my mother's home economics magazines and it sparked my interest in all things home,” she says.
At school, for the first time, she realized what her main mistake was. Before Marie discovered the book “The Art of Throwing Things Away” by Nagisa Tatsumi, her experiments sooner or later turned into a vicious circle. She cleaned one room, then moved to the next, and the next - and so on until she returned to the first, where it all started all over again. “It seemed to me that no matter how much I cleaned, it didn’t get better. IN best case scenario the process of clearing the rubble came later, but it still happened,” she says.
However, after reading Tatsumi's book, Mari realized that she urgently needed to reboot the entire system. She returned home and locked herself in her room for several hours. In her book, she writes: “When I finished, I had eight bags full of clothes that I had never worn, textbooks from primary school and toys that I haven't played with for years. I even threw away my collection of erasers and stamps. I honestly admit that I forgot that I had all these things. After sorting it out, I sat on the floor for an hour and wondered why I even kept all this junk.”
This very question started own business with clients who wait for their turn for several months. As a result, he led to the writing of a book that became a bestseller in many countries.
Does it actually work?
So, we return to the question posed in the title of this article: can cleaning change our lives?
Of course, Kondo believes he can. “The whole point of my method is to teach people to understand what is important in their lives and what is not,” says Marie. ─ By following my advice, you will understand what things make you feel joy, which means you will know exactly what you need to be happy.”
Readers like Emily Clay agree: “The book made me think about how much stuff I have and how much I actually need. I don’t regret at all that I got rid of a lot of unnecessary things, although it’s unpleasant for me to remember how much money I spent in vain. Getting rid of unnecessary things freed me to some extent,” admits Emily. “Now, instead of buying new bags or shoes, I save money for a trip to Italy.” published
P.S. And remember, just by changing your consumption, we are changing the world together! © econet
Each of us has experienced a cluttered home, an excess of unsuitable clothes and unnecessary junk. Natalia Zhelyaskova I found myself in a similar situation and approached its solution confidently and eruditely. Yes, on personal experience and with a successful result, she will talk about 10 simple rules that will help you achieve order in your home.
“Order in the house means order in the head,” my mother kept telling me. But in the years of youth, such worldly wisdom has a tendency to fly past one’s ears. I defended my “creative” disorder, being a natural person and really close to the world of art (all my life I have been engaged in painting and applied arts, received a higher art education and to this day continue to do what I love, which now has the official status of my “work”). And so, after many, many years, already having a separate home, I really thought about how everyday life is and that sacred place that is called “home” (by the way, it is surprisingly true in Shakespeare’s language that the difference in meaning is noted by the presence of the words “home” , to refer to that very holy of holies, and “house”, to refer to an architectural structure), influence our lives outside its walls and feelings of peace and happiness in general.
A huge amount of literature was used, starting from the world-famous “Fly lady” system and Marie Kondo’s book “Magic Tidying Up” and ending with all kinds of courses for transforming space and yourself. I also met some scientific articles, listened to audio recordings of lectures on Vedic knowledge (people of Eastern cultures and traditions always seemed more harmonious to me) and read the works of all possible authors about such a collective concept as “hygge” (the Danes also gave me no peace in terms of their life satisfaction). Some of the new knowledge really inspired me and gave results, some did not suit me personally, some were immediately tested in practice, and some are still waiting in the wings. But I can say one thing for sure - my mother was right. The past year has brought a lot of new things both into my life and into my home.
From own experience and the knowledge I have gained, I have compiled a simple list of the main rules for transforming a home, following which you will certainly become a little happier, see the familiar in a new light, be inspired for new achievements and will happily rush home from work in the evenings.
Rule one
The place to start is to love your home. Yes, you heard right. Moreover, you need to love him right now and exactly as he is, even if the ideal is not quite “at hand” or if the housing is rented or you have to share it with someone. The main thing to remember is that things can always get worse. It’s not difficult to imagine offhand several options when everything is worse than it is now. Having scrolled through the possible deterioration in your head, return to what you have and be happy about it! And one more thing - we should not forget that according to most of the described techniques for managing one’s reality, improvements (including in terms of improving living conditions) should only be counted if you value what you already have. So, have no doubt, this approach has nothing but advantages.
Rule two
Don’t try to disassemble and change in one day (or even two) what has been accumulated for years. According to research, even acquiring a new habit, be it exercise in the morning or a new behavior, takes at least 21 days. So what can we say about such global changes as the reorganization of the most significant space in life. Don't beat yourself up if things don't go as quickly as you wanted. But beware of going to the other extreme - stretching out the cleaning for an indefinite period of time. Make a clear plan for the day or week that will be within your power and will help you enjoy the results.
Rule three
Junk cannot be organized. You just have to get rid of it. The main thing about this rule is that it does not tolerate compromises. Approaches may vary, some techniques call for throwing away a certain amount of unnecessary things every day, some recommend recycling everything you haven't used for a certain time (usually a year or two). I recommend not delaying the so-called “decluttering” stage and approaching it as categorically as possible. If you don't use an item all the time or don't bring you true joy when you pick it up, feel free to get rid of it. It’s better if you have only three blouses, not ten, but each of them will suit you and bring real pleasure and a good mood. It is believed that such “unloved” / unnecessary things have already fulfilled their purpose the moment they appeared and helped you understand that such a style, for example, does not suit you. The same can be said about useless gifts or cards - they have already brought you joy the moment you received them, feel free to let them go! Moreover, old things can still bring joy to someone else and turn out to be useful (think about which of your friends could use them, or look for charities that are ready to accept them).
Rule four
Don't start cleaning with sentimental trinkets. Analyzing photo albums or dear collections of porcelain dolls threatens to turn into a fiasco. And instead of a bag with unnecessary things a couple of hours later you will find yourself still sitting in a pile of photographs in the middle of the room. It's best to start with something more practical, like, as cleaning expert and personal advisor Marie Kondo recommends, your wardrobe. First of all, collect all your things in one place. Everything - that is, really everything that you have. You can start by category: first outerwear, then shoes, bags, trousers, dresses and so on. We put what we need and what we love to one side, what we don’t need goes straight into a bag and throws away (or to give away). We immediately carefully hang / put everything left in its place (think separately about what place would be best for these things, perhaps not at all where they lived before). We also get rid of unnecessary things as quickly as possible; you shouldn’t store it all in the hallway for a week, because you might be tempted to look again at the selected items and keep that blouse for yourself.
Rule five
Things of the same category and purpose should be stored in one place. You shouldn't keep your underwear at one end of the room and your socks at the other. Organize your new space so that everything is close to you. Let you have a “wardrobe” area where you can immediately choose a blouse, a handbag, and a jacket. The same applies to all other things, be it cosmetics, household chemicals, bed linen or children's toys. A nice bonus with this approach is that if you lose, for example, a document, you will know for sure that you should look for it only in these two drawers of the chest of drawers and nowhere else, because all the important papers are only there.
Rule six
When choosing a new “home” for each category of things, think more about how to conveniently return them to their place, rather than taking them. This simple rule will become the basis for maintaining future order. Agree, taking out a stack of frying pans that prevents you from getting to one treasured one (the one you need to bake pancakes, the dough for which is already waiting on the table) is much easier than taking out the same stack and then putting this frying pan back in its place. The essence of the approach is that you would rather be too lazy to clean up after yourself than to get to something you need.
Rule seven
Don’t rush out and buy all sorts of storage organizers first. First, it’s better to get rid of the excess so that you understand how much stuff you actually have. Then try arranging them based on the storage spaces you already have. Having done this and lived in the updated space for some time, you will definitely understand exactly what you should buy in addition and what you can do without. Also, don’t despair if you can’t buy absolutely everything you need right away. Instead of beautiful wardrobe inserts in drawers, you can use, for example, shoe boxes, and instead of expensive glass jars for cereals, use ordinary plastic containers or jars. Over time, everything will be replaced and purchased, and then, looking back, you won’t believe how much your home has changed!
Rule eight
The key to compact storage is choice the right way. You won't believe how much less space Take up your favorite 40 pairs of socks or T-shirts if you try folding them in a new way! What methods there are and what they are suitable for can be found on the Internet. I’m sure you had no idea how beautiful T-shirts folded into an “envelope” look and how convenient it is to use them. This also applies to bed linen, towels and even plastic bags(yes, it turns out that they can also be stored folded into neat triangles, and not in a “bag with bags”). From what suited me, I would like to note the option of the above-mentioned “envelopes” for T-shirts and T-shirts, vertical storage for them, as well as storing bed linen strictly in sets and folding jeans for horizontal storage on the shelf. I also recommend keeping horizontal surfaces as empty as possible. This will make cleaning easier and faster, and will also give the room a tidier appearance; the room will seem to “breathe.” All this is very, very convenient, believe me.
Rule nine
If some method of storage or organization is not convenient for you personally, then it is not suitable. When solving “domestic” issues, comfort should always be the first priority. After all, it doesn’t matter how beautiful the new arrangement of things is, in line with fashion or the practice of Feng Shui, if every time you take out that dress over there, you curse everyone and everything and always touch that shelf on the left with your elbow. Organize everything so that changes are only for the better. Sometimes to find best option, you'll have to experiment.
Rule ten
Your home also has a soul. Many of us probably gave feelings to toys and objects in our room as children. Likewise, many teachings say that inanimate objects possess, if not a soul, then at least energy. The same applies to any space, because according to the laws of physics (remember school curriculum) energy does not appear from nowhere and does not disappear into nowhere. Don’t forget to sometimes “delight” your home with something pleasant. These can be lit candles (it is believed that fire removes negative energy), ordinary ventilation (even if the arguments about the movement of energy did not really convince you, the benefits fresh air For good night no one has canceled), aroma lamps or special fragrances for the home, seasonal change decorative elements(for example, pillow covers) and pleasant daily rituals (you can, say, put plain or distilled water in a spray bottle and add a couple of drops of your favorite oil (mint and lavender are my favorites), and then spray the curtains or bed before bed (just don’t overdo it) Think about home with love, and it will not be slow to answer you in kind!
In conclusion, I would like to say that you will only need to go through the amazing process of reorganizing space once. And I even envy you a little if everything is still ahead. After that, all you have to do is maintain the order that has already been established once, the main point which is to return all things to their places. And since you will be surrounded only by the most dear to the heart items, it will be truly pleasant to do this. Never again will the arrival of guests take you by surprise, because in order to do even wet cleaning correctly organized apartment it won't take more than 20 minutes. And what can we say about changes in consciousness and achievements in the outside world, when such a reliable and cozy rear is always waiting for you and your family!
Well, who among us has not encountered this? In a hurry, we throw things everywhere, the house is a constant mess... This worsens the mood so much. But fixing this unpleasant moment is as easy as shelling pears. Meet these the most useful tips, remember them and try to put them into practice. There will always be a wonderful atmosphere at home, order and cleanliness!
How to keep your home tidy
Hang your shoe cover on the door. It is convenient to place everything you need in it.
To easily find the end of the adhesive tape, simply attach a metal clip to the end.
The tension belt will keep the balls together, so you won't have to look everywhere for them.
An empty egg tray is a convenient storage for small items. Nothing will be lost in the box anymore.
A shelf above the door in the bathroom is a very practical invention. You can put everything there that you rarely use. Perfect solution for small bathrooms.
Magnetic spice jars can be attached to your refrigerator door. How much space will be freed up!
If you stack T-shirts in tight, vertical stacks, you'll be able to fit a lot more into your drawer. In addition, it will be immediately clear where each item is located.
You can easily repurpose old metal tea packaging into pencil cups. There's a lot you can put in there!
Like these ones plastic baskets will save you from Armageddon in the freezer:
It's a good idea to label the different cords and chargers. Saves your nerves, you can find everything many times faster.
Paper clips are saviors in different situations. When sitting at the computer, it is very convenient to use clips to keep the cords in order. And then something always gets disconnected or falls.
The more shelves the better. It’s much more pleasant to store your favorite items with them, a real triumph of order.
Hanging boxes with things from the ceiling is exotic for Russian households. But this is a smart solution, it is more rational than what is happening in our homes. Let's listen to the neat Germans and take things out from under the sofas!
Wall for tools in the garage. Resourceful and looks great.
A ladder attached to the ceiling can serve as a clothes dryer. The idea is unusual, but the plus is obvious - things won’t bother anyone like that.
You can easily place all your cosmetics on a magnetic board.
Baskets hanging on railings are good for different rooms for placing various small items.
Handmade shelf in the bathroom. All you need is glass jars and round bases-holders for them. It works out wonderfully.
Hair dryers and hair curlers can be conveniently stored in tubular holders. I opened the door and everything was hung up in order.
You can use another type of stand for this purpose.
Effective method, how to fold clean bed linen on the shelf. By putting a bedspread into a pillowcase of the same bedding set, you save yourself from unnecessary searches for parts of the set.
Wire basket - faithful assistant housewives.
Knives will always be at hand.
Here's how to successfully place cleaning supplies under the sink:
A rotating plate in the refrigerator, similar to a plate in a microwave - brilliant idea. The refrigerator will become cleaner, and nothing will get lost in its depths.
How to determine which items urgently need to be removed from your wardrobe? Just hang the clothes you recently wore, turning the nose of the hanger in the same direction. The remaining items of clothing are not popular with you, which means it's time to free up space in your closet.
The ideal waste bin for your car.
Small metal items can be conveniently stored using a magnet.
Pot lids love order too! Here's how you can break them down:
Adjustable curtain rods will keep everything on the shelves intact.
Old shutters are an exquisite decorative element.
You can even put it on shelves washing machine! And use the freed up space for laundry baskets.
Hair ties will no longer be hopelessly lost. Put them on a bottle and they will always know their place.
These recommendations will improve your life. You yourself can make your home more cozy, comfortable and beautiful. Perfect order will reign everywhere! Don't forget to tell your friends about these valuable tips.
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