Overwhelmed by Mess? 7 Simple Strategies to Get Organized and Back on Track – Fast!
Because I have been faced with this type of mess in my life over and over again, even though I am a self-proclaimed neat freak most of the time, I have found some simple strategies that really help me to get the ball rolling toward cleanliness once again.
1.) Gather your supplies and set the stage.
My favorite basic cleaning supplies include garbage bags, laundry baskets, Windex, paper towels, a broom, dustpan and vacuum cleaner. If you have bathrooms that need to be scrubbed you might also want to gather your preferred cleanser and scrubbing brush. Once you have assembled your “team”, you now want to set the stage. For me, this includes finding a great Cd or just turning on the radio. This may not seem like much, but trust me it helps.
2.) Collect and dispose of all garbage and gather all dirty dishes.
I usually like to get a big black garbage bag and carry it with me from one end of my house to the other, grabbing anything that I know is garbage. Sometimes this is as simple as emptying all of the waste-paper baskets. Other times it is like finding buried treasure as I uncover my floor and tabletops, especially after a family get-together or holiday. At this point, I also gather all the dirty dishes and put them on the kitchen counter. This is like the equivalent of a fast return on my investment. I start to see instant results for not a lot of effort.
3.) Collect all of your laundry.
Next, I grab a couple of laundry baskets and again start from one end of my house working my way toward the other, grabbing any dirty clothes or towels along the way. Sometimes this includes emptying out my hampers, other times it includes picking up all of my husband’s and children’s clothing that they have worn for the last week (luckily those weeks are few and far between).
After I gather all of my dirty clothes, I start to sort. I empty the whole pile on my kitchen floor and sort them out between towels, lights and darks. You may have a more elaborate system of sorting, but after two children that is about as detailed as I get. Then I throw a load of laundry in the washer and gather the rest of the piles into their own baskets, ready to go. I then flip the laundry every hour or so. If you don’t have a washer and dryer, you may want to just load these baskets right into your car for your next trip to the laundry mat.
Ok, so now you have been working for anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour, depending on the monster you are tackling, and you have already put up a pretty good fight. The garbage is all gone and the laundry is under control. Good job!
4.) Make the beds.
Making all the beds will make your bedrooms appear instantly tidier. Even if the bedding is dirty and you plan on washing them later, do a quick fluffing of the pillows and a half-hearted attempt at pulling up the blanket. If you are really zealous and feel like you will have time to get the blankets washed, go ahead and strip the beds. I have more often than not, ended up having to allow my children to stay up past their bedtimes because I forgot that I had wet sheets and blankets in the wash. Yes, I know I really should invest in more sheets and blankets to have extras on hand. If you do, then by all means, strip the beds and break out the clean linens.
5.) Divide and Conquer.
Next, I take a few minutes in each room, gathering everything that does not belong in that room. If there is a lot, I grab another laundry basket and just start gathering. Once the basket is filled, I start depositing it in the room it where it belongs. If you have a really large mess, don’t bother taking the time to put everything where it goes in that room, because you can get bogged down, overwhelmed and lose motivation.
If you have children, you may even want to designate a basket for each of them and have them help by collecting everything that belongs to them and putting it in the basket. Sometimes the threat of throwing away anything that someone has not claimed is a good incentive. At least it works for me when my kids are being lazy.
6.) Get the most bang for your “time”- buck.
Start with the rooms that require the least amount of effort to finish. Do a quick straightening, dust and vacuum. Then move on to the next. I usually like to get my living room finished so that whenever I am finished cleaning, even if I haven’t completed my whole house, I feel a sense of order and accomplishment when I settle in for the evening.
Also, even if you still have major rooms to tackle, like the bathroom or kitchen, you can concentrate on those rooms without feeling overwhelmed by the mess in the rest of the house.
7.) Take a break and take stock.
By now, you should have most of your house under control. However, if I am still overwhelmed by what is left, I take a break and make a list. Sometimes my list is vague but other times I make it very specific so that I can just start with the first item and move to the next as I cross each item off the list. I feel a great sense of satisfaction in crossing items off of my to-do list, so this works well for me. It also lets me take a minute and figure out the most efficient order of priority for each task.
I hope that some of my strategies are helpful. My kids are so accustomed to this process now that they each actually get excited about getting the garbage bags and baskets. Sometimes they make a race out of each step; who gets the most laundry in their basket?, who collects the most dishes? I will often give them each a small reward for their efforts. Don’t forget to reward yourself too, for a job well done!
