3 Tips for Finding your Windex in the Clutter
by Lorraine Brock
Years ago when my husband and I were first married, we had a glass-topped kitchenette table. I remember one day my brother-in-law had just finished eating a meal at our table, and just as he was taking his last bite, I scooped up his plate and brought out the Windex to clean the table. At that time I knew exactly where I kept the bottle and how important it was to me to keep the table free of spots and smudges.
The memory of him chewing his last bite as I sprayed and wiped around him is a far cry from how I manage my family dinners today. Many of us who have raised a family along with hosting frequent family celebrations are not quite as efficient as I portray when it comes to locating the Windex bottle or wiping up crumbs and spills. Like me, there is a little more on all our plates these days like taking care of a family. Life has just gotten a bit busier.
As a family grows, so does the amount of things they own, but there is less time available to maintain their possessions. It is a formula for eventual family chaos. When my husband and I were newlyweds, our life was small, and there was plenty of time to pull out the Windex and keep everything shiny and clean. I could usually get things done the moment they happened.
Fast forward 20+ years in anyone’s life and tables may not be Windexed until the next time someone sits down to eat. It is also probable that sometimes no one can even find the Windex bottle. One junk drawer has turned into three; clean, empty counters have become collectors of paper and items with no specific home; and the closet floor is now the storage place for unhung clothing.
Truth be told, we have a lot of things that we hope will make life better, when in fact they often become part of the chaos. Here are three tips I recommend to reduce the clutter in your home and allow you to find what you need when you need it.
Create a Specific Place
First, create a specific home for all items. Gather like items together and determine the best location based on who uses them and how often they are accessed. School supplies go with other school supplies in a desk or cabinet, baseball caps go with other sports caps in closets or containers, and tools should be stored with other tools in a shed, garage, or other convenient locations throughout the home. Everyone knows where to look when the items are needed and how to return the items to their original home.
Something Comes In, Something Goes Out
The next tip is a household rule stating that when something comes in the house, something else has to go out of the house. For example, when a new baseball cap is purchased or received as a gift, the owner must select an older cap to part with. If you cannot do this with your husband, at least start teaching your kids the benefits of this routine.
Get Rid of Unwanted Clutter
Finally, do not let unwanted clutter remain in your prime real estate areas. When you decide to start using candle warmers, it is time to get rid of the tea lights, votives, and pillar candles. Either place them in a “To Be Donated” box in your home for the next trip to Goodwill or Salvation Army, or immediately give them away. Allowing unwanted items to stay where they are until the next major house cleanout only adds to the clutter syndrome.
If you consistently use these organizing tips, you will keep clutter at bay and be able to find your Windex and keep your home shiny and clean.
Lorraine Brock is a professional organizer, family coach, speaker, and founder and owner of Get Organized! Get Organized! is a professional organizing company in the Dallas, Texas area. Get Organized! specializes in organizing and de-cluttering homes as well as implementing systems in the home for better family management. A popular media guest, Lorraine has appeared on Dallas’ two top morning television shows: Good Morning Texas and Good Day Fox, and has been featured on various radio outlets. She has been hallmarked in many local, regional, and national print and online magazines, such as the Dallas Morning News, The North Texas Kids Magazine, SheKnows.com, and Daily Candy Kids. To get more information about Lorraine, visit www.GetOrganized.ws. You can connect with Get Organized! on Facebook, follow Get Organized! on Twitter and connect with Lorraine Brock on LinkedIn.