How Busy Families Can Keep Their Homes Tidy
by: Cheryl Conklin
Wellnesscentral.info | cheryl.conklin@wellnesscentral.info
When life keeps your family busy, it can be a real struggle to keep your home organized. However, a tidy home can make your family’s life a lot less hectic, and it doesn’t have to take a lot of work to achieve. Here are three effortless ways you can keep your home in order.
Clean and Optimize Your Closets
If you really think about it, closets are like the heart of your home. They hold all those warm linens that keep you cozy and clothing that shelters you from the elements. So, start your cleaning spree by completely organizing your closets. One of the best ways to make your closets work for your family is to have them customized to suit your daily lifestyle. This could mean adding shelves and drawers to make your wardrobe more accessible in the mornings, or installing lighting so you can see inside your storage spaces.
When you’ve had your closet built to your liking, set aside some time to sort through your belongings before they go back inside. In terms of clothing and shoes, it’s a good idea to get rid of anything you have not worn in the past year or anything that no longer fits. You can make better use of these items by donating them to a local charity or responsibly recycling them instead of allowing them to clutter up your brand new closets.
Work on Creating an Efficient Entryway
Your family likely spends some time in your entryway, picking up those final items on the way out or taking them off before you settle back into your home. A cluttered, chaotic entryway can make this process much more time-consuming, and all the clutter can make your family feel stressed before they even walk out the door. Do your home, and your family, a favor and organize this important space in your home. Place some hooks or shelves on the wall for instant storage, especially if you do not have a closet to house your coats.
It’s also helpful to have somewhere to sit so you can put shoes and boots on and take them off before you walk into your house. Leaving your shoes in your entryway is an easy way to prevent dirt, allergens, and bacteria from getting tracked all over your floors. Set out a basket of cozy socks to encourage your family members and guests to shed their shoes at the door. Baskets can be useful for catching other random items as well, such as scarves, hats, and sports equipment. Label baskets for each family member so you’ll know where everything goes in the evening, and maybe add some odor neutralizers or essential oils to keep your home smelling fresh.
Tame Any Clutter in Pantries and Kitchen Cabinets
Having a busy family often means having a pantry packed with disheveled snacks and food items. All that mess can make it a little harder for your family to stay healthy, so you definitely need to spend time cleaning up your kitchen. Start by removing all items and checking for expiration dates. If food is expired, you can toss it out, but if it’s something you won’t use soon, you can put together a box of non-perishable items to give to a local food bank.
Before you begin placing back on shelves, pick up some canisters and baskets to help keep everything in order. Label your containers so you know what’s inside and check in every week to make sure you’re keeping things fresh and tidy. Another useful tip for keeping kitchen cabinets organized is to replace solid wooden doors with glass. Glass inserts give you a better view of what’s behind those doors and will encourage you to keep things neat and organized.
Clutter can cause a lot of stress for you and your family. All of that stress is unnecessary since it can be easy to create a home that’s organized, clean, and functional. So, take the first step in taking the tension out of your daily routine by committing to a cleaner home.
