Busy mother of three shares the one decluttering trick she swears by to maintain order and preserve her mental health
In the whirlwind of family life, keeping a home organised can often seem like an insurmountable task. However, one method that has proven to be particularly effective for busy mums is the 'little and often' rule. This approach, broken down into smaller projects, allows for progress to be made in various areas of the home, such as kitchen cupboards, toy boxes, and wardrobes, without requiring large chunks of time.
Rebecca Lawton, a believer in the saying 'tidy house tidy mind', has found this method particularly useful in her living room and kitchen. She tackles one area at a time, such as a cupboard or toy box, in short bursts. For instance, she might spend 10 minutes organising her kitchen cupboards one day and 15 minutes decluttering her children's toy boxes the next.
Shannon Murphy, the founder of Simpl Living Co, a professional organizer based in West Sussex, also recommends this method. Her mission is to empower people to adopt a life free from the societal stereotype that buying more will make you happy. When decluttering, she suggests having a donation bag at the ready to efficiently get rid of items that have been decluttered. Vacuum storage bags, like those from Argos, are useful for storing kids' clothes away without taking up too much space when decluttering.
Another practical tip is to use storage solutions that fit seamlessly into family life. For example, if you're going to have toy boxes in your living room, a house storage basket from Dunelm can help make them look nice while holding a lot. Stackable lunchboxes can help to cut down on the limited space in kitchen cupboards. Having a cube storage unit, such as the Habitat one, in your living room is one of the simplest and most effective ways to keep kids' toys in order.
Involving children in the decluttering process is also crucial. Hester Van Hien, a Home Decluttering & Organising Consultant from Tidylicious, emphasizes the importance of teaching children life skills from a young age. By involving them, not only are they learning valuable lessons, but the decluttering process becomes more manageable.
Progress can be slower overall with the 'little and often' decluttering method, and it can be easy to focus on quick-wins and leave more challenging spaces for later. To tackle this, it's good to ensure that you regularly finish a small project to achieve a sense of achievement and maintain motivation. Food organizers help to keep on top of clutter in cupboards and fridges, and stop you from rummaging around when you're short on time.
Storage cubes that slot into a cube unit are a great way to keep kids' toys separate and make decluttering one box at a time manageable. By organizing as you go, setting a timer, and planning the next step, the 'little and often' method becomes a manageable and effective way to keep your home organised, even in the busiest of households.
