Being neat and organized requires less energy than being disorganized. Best way to clean up a mess is to prevent it.
I don’t know if I believe this… can it be true? If so, HOW DO YOU LEARN TO BE NEAT AND ORGANIZED!?!? Why is it no matter how much I clean it always goes back to messy? I visit people and their homes are gorgeously neat and organized… how do I obtain this level of organization? HOW!?!?!
Oh man, I would love the answer to this as well! I have this conversation with my husband all the time–he tells me I need to “Be more neat and organized around the house.” “But I don’t know how to do that!” “That’s no excuse! Just be more disciplined.” “Be more disciplined at what I don’t know how to do in the first place?”
Donna,
Well you’re right in that your axiom would seem to violate the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics.
But that said, it’s simple to be “organized”. (1) Don’t have so much stuff! You can’t clutter your house when you don’t have so much stuff to clutter it with. It also saves money. (2) Put things away when you’re done with them (dirty clothes, DVDs, wash dirty dishes/put away clean ones once dry, etc.). (3) Open mail and file it/toss it/pay it (e.g. bills) immediately when you get into the house.
Once you get a “pile” of tasks (laundry, dishes, pile of unopened mail/bills) it becomes a chore to do it and you’ll have psychological inertia. Good habits trump chores every time
Three ways to keep your place neat and clean.
First….invite someone to your home every day.
Second……buy a huge home and only live in two rooms
Third….spend all your time cleaning
or remember that a clean house is a sign of a life misspent.
Koz is right but the problem is doing it. I naturally just don’t follow my actions through to the end where I put things back or throw stuff away. I honestly feel like I am saving time– and I feel like there is never enough time. So I procrastinate. I don’t want to but even when I realize what I am doing, I can’t seem to force myself to do the right thing. Maybe I need to be hypnotized?
You have to make it a habit or make a “daily list” and put it somewhere you’ll see it when you get home. Write “DO THIS RIGHT NOW” on your note. You’ll end up spending 5 mins finishing everything.
My only failure with this is that I always forget to switch laundry to the dryer. Out of sight = out of mind. Folding laundry immediately after the dryer and putting it away no matter what is a good habit too.
Steve agrees the issue is putting things away when you are done with them. I am always leaving one thing out thinking I’ll get back to it, or put it back later, but I never do. Also when I see something out of place I just don’t have the inclination to right it. I just kind of observe that it’s there.