The past two years have been, shall we say, crazy. But now it’s 2022, and we at Assisting Hands West Austin would like to celebrate the new year with some wellness tips that go beyond eating healthy and exercising. Yes, those are very important, but in this article, we’re going to talk about cleaning up, organizing, de-cluttering, and tidying your life and home. Serenity in your home is important to overall mental wellness. Happy New Year!

Regardless of the size of your household, whether it’s just you or it’s a large family, keeping your space organized can be difficult. And while it is true, there are some crazy people who just love keeping their home tidy and neat, the rest of us tend to get lazy, or overwhelmed, when life gets in the way. But there is hope. Read on for eleven simple tips on how to stay on point this year.

First, You May Need To Change Your Perspective

It’s easy to get overwhelmed when standing back and observing the entire area as a whole, and this leads to feelings of defeat before you’ve even started. So let’s flip the script to avoid that self-sabotage mindset by starting small. Pick one area of your home that you desperately want to declutter. This place can be a sink in the bathroom or kitchen, a corner of a bedroom, maybe a wall out in the garage; you get the idea. Set a timer for 20 minutes and get going! When the timer goes off, no matter what, you stop and empty the clutter you’ve collected and promise yourself that you’ll do some more tomorrow.

And keep in mind, that a tidy home is also a safe home, as it reduces risks of accidentally tripping and falling. As if you needed another great reason to get organized!

Eleven Tips For Staying Tidy and De-Cluttering

Decluttering the home is not the time for sentimentality. Still, in the course of decluttering, you will probably run across items that have special meaning, such as an award from work, or a softball trophy that your little one won ten years ago and has now forgotten it exists. In cases like these, perhaps taking a picture with your phone and storing the image in a particular folder in the cloud will allow you to keep the emotional attachment while dumping the physical clutter.

Simply follow these eleven tips:

1. First, grab a trash bag and pick the spot most accessible to get started. Working your way through the area, you’re going to want to be on the lookout for trash and debris first. Trash is anything that does not have a use or serve a purpose. This will go a long way to making your home safe.
2. Let’s start with an easy one–and be honest: if you have not used/worn it in five years, it’s time for it to go.
3. Really think about purchasing new items (a definitely tough one during the holidays!) — and ask yourself, “Do I really need this?”
4. Concentrate on flat surfaces first; keeping those picked up will instantly improve the room.
5. Set up and stick to a “one in, one out” rule. In other words, before buying a new pair of shoes or jeans, get rid of a pair of shoes or jeans, or whatever item is under consideration.
6. Another easy one: if the item you are currently considering doesn’t truly serve a purpose, you gotta let it go.
7. Keep the floors clear, except for furniture, and everything else should have a place to belong. Another important consideration for keeping your home safe.
8. Experience the joy of giving by donating valuable items that you no longer need. Donating is very freeing and will provide you with a mood boost for the rest of the week!
9. This goes along with the previous tip, #8: place items that are good for donation in the car to keep them from working their way back into your closet.
10. Set up a place for keys, mail, and other dailies that come into the house, so they don’t multiply and become messy.
11. Finally, make sure you commit to doing this every 90 days or so. Yes, that may sound onerous at first, but decluttering should be easier and less time-consuming each time you complete the task.

Remember Rule #11: Staying Consistent Is Important!

As with anything good in life, consistency is the most critical part of staying tidy and keeping the clutter out of your home and mind. And by sticking to the 20-minute time limit, you are helping to prevent yourself from feeling overwhelmed and getting worn out. Remember, this daily commitment with these eleven tips for staying tidy in your home will ensure that you see results that are pleasing as well as safe, and will improve the quality of life for you and your loved ones.

We wish you the best of luck and a great new year, and if you ever need any help with care, please reach out to Assisting Hands Home Care in West Austin at 512-999-7379. Stay Healthy!