Even if it’s not Spring, it’s a good idea to have a proper Spring clean at least once a year.
You can feel cleaner, more organised, more on top of things and even richer!
Who knows what you might find behind the sofa, in those drawers you haven’t seen for years and even in the airing cupboard.
Most of us have more than we realise and doing a good old sort can reveal lots of treasures! Here are 15 ways to save as you have a proper Spring clean and sort.
Lamp bases and lightbulbs attract a lot of dust over time. Clean them with a damp cloth to make sure you pick it all up.
Some lampshades that are covered in material also collect dust but should be cleaned with the nozzle of a vacuum cleaner as a damp cloth will just put the dust on the material. You can also use a feather duster to flick the dust off and the vacuum up from the floor.
Ceiling fitments are harder. Use a ladder (or get someone else to do it) and a feather duster to remove dust, followed by vacuuming the floor. If you can reach, clean the bulbs and other fitments with a damp cloth.
Making these areas shine is a quick and easy way to get the house looking like it has just had a paint job. Definitely worth it.
The areas around door handles always get a build-up of finger marks. Attack these with surface cleaner on a good cloth. You can buy cleaning products from the local bargain basement shop. Recently, for example, instead of paying £7.98 for dishwasher tablets at the supermarket, I picked up exactly the same brand and the same sized box for £2. It’s worth looking at these places for bargain cleaning products. An all-purpose cleaner works – but for a serious spring clean, good old fashioned sugar scrub will help degrease tons of things (and it’s cheap, too!).
Ideally get down on your knees to clean the skirting boards and banisters with a cloth and cleaning fluid. It’s effort but worth it for the final look and your exercise routine!
Wiping down walls isn’t something we usually think of when it comes to cleaning. However, it’s a quick way to spruce up the place – you’ll be amazed how much grime builds up over the years! For serious finger marks or crayon (!) you will need a proper cleaner like Cif or one of the other kitchen and bathroom products.
You can save money by not buying disposable cloths all the time. Reusable cleaning cloths are much more environmentally friendly than using disposable wipes – once used, pop in the washing machine and they’re ready to use again!
Pull the bed out (you might need someone to help with this), vacuum under it really thoroughly, doing the bit by the wall with just the vacuum nozzle. Use the vacuum head on the wall as well as that often traps dust (do the same behind the sofa as that tends to leave a line of grey dust too).
Sprinkle baking powder on the mattress, leave it for a couple of minutes then vacuum it off. This freshens it. Turn the mattress over and do the same on the other side. It’s a good idea to turn the mattress every few months if possible (unless you have a no-turn mattress – check first!).
If you need to store items under the bed (it can be a help) try some of these great storage solutions from Lakeland. We love them.
Again, it’s handy to have help with this one, at least when it comes to deciding what to keep and what to sell/donate/throw.
Empty your entire wardrobe (and yes, those boxes under the bed… and the hallway coat closet!) onto your bed. Go through every single piece:
Take the books, CDs, DVDs, bric a brac and everything else off the shelves.
Clean them with a damp cloth. Use Cif or a similar cleaner if there are a lot of scuffs.
If you’re feeling adventurous, touch up the shelves with paint or varnish if they need it.
Go through your books and other items. How much can you manage without now? Either take them to the charity shop or sell for quick cash on Zapper. Same with the CDs and DVDs. If any of the ornaments are good, take them to a local auction house to see if they will sell them for you. Other stuff can go on Gumtree (photograph them as you go along).
Once the shelves are dry and clean, put what’s left up there. Try to have spaces here and there to make the place look less cluttered.
You can do a quick and effective clean of the carpets with powder cleaners which you then vacuum up. If the carpets aren’t too bad this is a good way of making them look even better. A tub of carpet cleaning powder will set you back around £1 – and one will do an average size room.
For a proper deep clean, hire a Vax or other carpet cleaner from your local hire store (like HSS), pour the liquid in and follow the instructions. Try to do this on a day which is set to be sunny and warm – or turn your heating up to dry the carpets quickly. They could be soggy for up to a day otherwise!
Ideally you should move all furniture out of the room you are shampooing. But if you have to leave the sofa or other items in there, cover the feet with tin foil so that they don’t get wet and soggy with the shampoo.
It’s a good idea to save money – and the environment – by not using chemical detergents when you’re Spring cleaning (or any cleaning for that matter).
Empty all cupboards and drawers, one at a time:
Check out these drawer dividers and shelf stackers for extra organising power.
Katherine Blackler, a professional organiser and member of APDO (the Association of Professional De-clutterers and Organisers) says: “See what you can keep off the countertops and surfaces to give the illusion of more space. Consider using wall space to mount a plate rack holder. This leaves valuable internal cupboard space to hide the more irregular shaped and multi-coloured items from view that can often distract the eye. Use the undersides of your overhead wall units to discreetly mount cup hooks or a kitchen roll holder (making sure to avoid any under-cabinet lights).”
A Spring clean is a good time to use up the products you already have in the kitchen and bathroom. Dig out all those half-used bottles and use up what you have.
This is particularly true with those ‘special’ bottles you probably have under the sink for the oven, the fridge, the taps and so on.
To be honest, although some are useful (oven cleaners are often a specialist area) many of them are just marketing. You can use a good old bottle of Cif for pretty much anything, or try some of the products you already have in your store cupboard.
Here’s another area where you could use homemade cleaners just as well as the bought ones.
There are loads of window and glass-cleaning products on the shelves of the supermarkets. If you already have some in the kitchen, use those.
However, white vinegar and newspaper is just as effective and often better than these chemical-based products. Give it a go!
Also, if you have venetian blinds, use one of these handy tools to dust every fiddly bit of them.
For roller blinds, remove them, clean with a damp cloth and replace.
Check curtains to see if they need to be dry-cleaned. It can be expensive but if you do a few at a time you should haggle with local dry-cleaners to see who will offer the best price for a job lot.
Find out how to slash your laundry costs here.
If you’re feeling brave – or you have someone else in the house who can be brave for you – now is a good time to clear the gutters after the winter winds and storms have blown all types of nonsense into your gutters, and possibly down the chimney too.
If you don’t feel up to climbing the ladder with a brush to clear things yourself, hire someone to do this – and a few other handy jobs around the house – from one of the DIY agencies around the country.
In London there’s the HandySquad which offers DIY, building, electrical and plumbing help for small jobs. Also try RatedPeople for handy help around the country.
This is a big job and probably more than you could do in a day…on your own.
Ideally, get help with these, even if it’s just someone who will talk to you as you do it!
Check out what professional organiser Ingrid Jansen of APDO had to say about approaching these big jobs during a previous Clear Your Clutter Campaign:
Katherine Blackler, also from APDO, offers these tips:
Wait until a sunny day for this. Why sit out there in the cold!
You don’t have to stop at just cleaning and tidying things in your life. You can Spring clean the rest of your life too.
Use this time to
Now is a great time to make New Spring Resolutions (the New Year ones have probably dropped off by now anyway) so make yours to de-clutter and lift yourself up in all areas. Have a happy, healthy, wealthy year!
Make money from your unwanted items today! Clear your cupboards and your debts and quickly see how to make money by selling old CDs, DVDs, video games and books. A survey by Swapgame found that we could be debt-free as a nation if we sold our £1.8 billion of unused computer games, so let’s get started!
If you want to make easy money today by selling old CDs, DVDs, video games and books, your one-stop shop is Ziffit. Ziffit is a free online service which pays you for your old books, CDs, DVDs and video games. Over one million products have been sold to Ziffit and they have a five star score on Trust Pilot based on over twelve hundred reviews.
Step 1: The beauty of Ziffit is in its simplicity – you simply enter the barcode of the product you want to sell into their search box (or scan it with the free Ziffit app) and they’ll provide you with an instant price.
Step 2: Review your items and make final decisions! Complete the trade and then pack your items.
Step 3: If you’re happy with the price offered then you just need to pack your items (they can all go in the same box) and you can then either drop it off at one of their Collect+Stores or use their free courier service.
Step 4: Get paid to your bank, PayPal or by cheque – it really is that simple!
We’d always recommend shopping around for best prices before trading in, but Ziffit offers a quick and easy way to trade in your goods.
Even your broken gadgets are welcome at Gadgets4Everyone, where a unique calculator guarantees to pay the most for them. If you’re honest with the grading questions you’ll receive the amount quoted.You can also trade in, from a big selection of Macs, tablets, phones, consoles and other gadgets to choose from. Less hassle than online auction sites with no transaction fees and a range of payment options available.
Feeling vintage? You could sell your old CDs, DVDs and games the old fashioned way and look up local second hand shops in your area. Not only can you get some cash for them, but you might be able to barter and trade them for some cool vintage wares. Selling directly to a shop means you get cold, hard, instant cash too which can be so helpful if you’re wondering where the next meal is coming from. Look up your local shops, gather your goods and start negotiating. Make a day of it, clear out your closets and earn some cash at the same time. And there’s always good old Gumtree of course.
Here’s some tips on how to make money from vintage clothing.
Going to a car boot sale? Then don’t forget to throw in all your old CDs, DVDs and games in with the mix. Depending on how old the games are you could sell some for £20 each, although many will make less than that. Toss in an old DVD or CD for 50p to a fiver. The disadvantage of car boots is that you may not sell everything. Also, car boot foragers are looking for bargains and usually won’t give you as much as you could perhaps get elsewhere. However, if you’re going anyway then there’s no harm taking some if you have them cluttering up your cupboards.
Find out more about car boot sales and how to turn your trash into cash.
Throwing a clothing swap with friends? Bring along your old games, CDs, records and DVDs too. One man’s junk is another man’s treasure remember! If swap parties seem like too much effort, you can always visit swapping sites. You just register for free, find your local group and you can look up items you want and swap them for your old stuff.
Snaffleup is a great swapping site because you don’t need to sign up to browse around, and the search engine prioritises postcodes in your area so you can swap with those closest to you. While you won’t be able to make any cash by swapping you can get rid of your old games and pick up some new ones without spending any money. You can also start swapping on: Swapaholic and Freecycle.
Find out how to get involved in the National Clear Your Clutter campaign.
What comes to mind when you think of social media influencers? Attractive people sipping champagne on a yacht? Fashion-forward celebrities showing off designer clothing? How about someone cleaning their oven or showing you how to declutter?
It may not sound glamorous, but recent figures reveal the most popular cleaning influencer, or ‘cleanfluencer’, is making almost £7,000 per sponsored post on Instagram. She’s also sold millions of books and has her own Netflix show, ‘Tidying Up With Marie Kondo’.
Read on and find out how cleanfluencers are making so much money, and a few tips on getting involved yourself.
Back in the 2000s, the TV programme ‘How Clean Is Your House?’ enjoyed huge popularity, and even went on to make a US series. But tidying messy homes was about much more than cleaning: In clearing the clutter, hosts Kim and Aggie helped give people a fresh start, especially those stuck in a rut.
Today, social media has given cleanfluencers the chance to reach millions of people, offering tips, hacks, and inspiration to get people tidying. Posts are often simple: A recent one from Kondo tells followers to empty the dishwasher before guests arrive for a party, to keep things running smoothly. But the backdrop of a sparkling kitchen is undeniably appealing, offering visual inspiration.
It’s true that sweeping floors and washing dishes sounds mundane. But in a VICE article, psychologist Darby Saxbe was quoted as saying, “Life is full of uncertainty and many situations are out of our hands, but at least we can assert our will on our living space.” Cleaning is a great way to gain control, even if that only stretches as far as the kitchen door.
End of Tenancy Cleaning London has provided figures on the top earning cleanfluencers. Marie Kondo cleans up with an average of £6,800 per post. Born in Japan, she started an organising consultancy business at university and has since spawned a cleaning empire.
Following her is Mrs Hinch, from Essex, who earns an average of £5,900 per post. It’s a sharp drop from there, down to Clean Mama, earning around £1,100 per post, and finally Melissa Maker, at £242 per post. That said, cleanfluencers such as Melissa also make revenue with their YouTube channels and other media.
They’ve shown it’s possible to be a successful influencer with a very niche, everyday theme such as cleaning. In a world of hyper-chic influencers showing off expensive cars and watches, there’s something refreshing about a down-to-earth theme like cleaning.
There are several ways social media influencers make money. Firstly, they need the followers to justify their popularity. Someone with a few thousand followers might make a little pocket money as a ‘micro influencer’. Once you get into the tens of thousands and then 100,000+ range, numbers start reaching the hundreds of pounds or more for a single post.
But who exactly is paying for these, and why? Brands might pay an influencer for a promoted post, such as one showing the benefits of a particular cleaning product. Paid reviews are another method. Affiliate marketing, where influencers take an agreed cut of profits based on promoting products, can also be lucrative.
It might sound like money for nothing, but cleanfluencers and regular influencers alike work hard to bring in followers. Brands understand the power of social media marketing. It’s already become the third biggest ad sector globally (behind TV and paid search, but more popular than print ads).
Starting a following and building a successful online brand is hard work. The fundamental element is quality content: Find a niche you’re passionate about and post regularly. This could be fabulous food posts, inspiring photography, or becoming the newest cleanfluencer. You don’t want to overload people, but posting at least a few times a week is a good rhythm to get into.
Follow successful accounts and study what they do. The idea isn’t to copy them, but you can get inspiration from their posting frequency, photographic style, and other aspects that make them appealing.
Think outside the box: Why not be the first successful male cleanfluencer? Or show people why they should be interested in your niche hobby. It takes time to build a following, but the internet is full of excellent guides that help walk you through the process.
Don’t expect things to happen overnight, and never pay for followers, as this shows potential marketers you can’t be trusted. The trick is to enjoy yourself and treat it as a side hobby. If you manage to build a brand, you could make money from sharing your passions. If not, keep following others’ accounts, and at the very least you might pick up some handy cleaning tips.
This is a guest post from Krista Thompson of Zen Den Oxford and member of APDO Association of Professional Declutterers and Organisers.
My brother and I didn’t have a lot of toys growing up, but we certainly knew other children who did. I remember going to their houses and wondering why they weren’t as enthused about their wonderful toy collection as we were. Funnily enough, after becoming a preschool teacher I noticed that classrooms which had tons of different toys and activity options were more chaotic than classrooms which had a small selection of rotating activities.
The reason for this is quite simple. When a child has too many toy options, they’ll be less likely to have genuine interactions with each toy or activity. This is because they know that as soon as they get bored, they can move on. When a child has fewer options, they’ll be forced to use their creativity to come up with other ways to manipulate or play with that toy. This creates opportunities to use their imagination and allows them to concentrate on what they’re doing.
What does any of this have to do with decluttering? Well, now that you know the reason why it is important to narrow down your toy collection, I will explain why your child should help you in that process.
Most parents already know which toys their child no longer plays with or has grown out of. It would be easier to do all the decluttering yourself, but it’s actually very important for young children to have some control over their environment. Being able to make some of their own decisions gives children a sense of pride and accomplishment which are the building blocks to independence.
So here is a four-step process for decluttering with young children:
Involving your child in the process of decluttering their toys is a great learning experience. It teaches them to be mindful of their environment and is a great stepping stone for keeping their personal space tidy.
Why not give it a try for Clear Your Clutter Day? Post your results on social media @clearyourcluttercampaign so we can see your lovely team work!
And if you think you could use a helping hand there are professional organisers like me across the whole of the UK. Find an organiser near you in this useful directory on the APDO website.
For day 4 of our 4 days of competitions this week, we’re giving you the chance to win 1 of 6 Headphone Hangers from Brainwavz.
Win 1 of 6 Brainwave Hengjas!
The Brainwavz Hengja is ideal for clearing your clutter! If you’re always tripping over wires or being told off for a messy desk then this will be the answer to your prayers. A practical headphone desk hanger that is suitable for large or small headphones of almost any weight, the all metal construction allows the Hengja to be both sturdy and stylish.
Built and designed as a strong, durable, reliable headphone accessory, headphones can sit comfortably on its stand as it’s clamped to your desk, table or shelving unit. The Brainwavz Hengja desk headphone hanger is available for £11.33 from www.brainwavzaudio.com
To enter, complete both of the following steps:
Follow @ClearClutterDay on Twitter and tweet this to all your followers:
It’s DAY 4 of our Clear Your Clutter #Competitions! Today we’re giving you the chance to #WIN a headphone hanger Brainwavz Hengja https://www.moneymagpie.com/clear-your-clutter-day/day-4-win-1-of-6-headphone-hangers #ClearYourClutter
OR
Like our Clear Your Clutter Facebook page and share the post titled ‘Day 4 – Win 1 of 6 Headphone Hangers′ with your friends.
Answer this question in the box below: What material is the Brainwavz Hengja made out of?
1) Metal
2) Plastic
3) Wood
The competition closes on Monday 1st October at midnight. The winner will be announced in our newsletter on Tuesday 2nd October. Good luck everyone!
For day 3 of our 4 days of competitions this week, we’re giving you the chance to win a cleaning products bundle from Bio-D.
Today you can win a great cleaning products bundle!
Bio-D make great, green cleaning products that don’t cost the earth in any sense. They use naturally-derived and plant-based ingredients which are vegan, cruelty free and ethically sourced.
Bio-D are also leading the fight against waste with an ambitious aim to roll out packaging made from used plastic bottles across their entire range by the end of the year – so once you’ve cleared your clutter, you can make sure your clean-up is kind to the environment.
Buy Bio-D from selected independents, Oxfam stores and www.biodegradable.biz.
To enter, complete both of the following steps:
Follow @ClearClutterDay on Twitter and tweet this to all your followers:
It’s DAY 3 of our Clear Your Clutter #Competitions! Today we’re giving you the chance to #WIN a cleaning products bundle from Bio-D https://www.moneymagpie.com/clear-your-clutter-day/day-3-win-a-bio-d-cleaning-products-bundle #CYCD2018 #ClearYourClutter
OR
Like our Clear Your Clutter Facebook page and share the post titled ‘Day 3 – Win a Bio-D Cleaning Products Bundle′ with your friends.
Answer this question in the box below: Bio-D products are?
1) Vegan
2) Free
3) Energy draining
The competition closes on Monday 1st October at midnight. The winner will be announced in our newsletter on Tuesday 2nd October. Good luck everyone!
For day 2 of our 4 days of competitions this week, we’re giving you the chance to win an organisation bundle from Avery.
Would you like to feel more organised at work or at home? Avery is here to help with a handy range of Organising & Filing Labels and plenty of decluttering inspiration. To kick start your journey towards a calm, clutter-free life Avery has an ultimate organisation bundle to give away, worth over £100.
The prize includes Avery Organising & Filing Labels, stackable desktop storage from the Avery ColorStak range, Printable Tabs for colour-coding and a Creative Journal. With this super-organised prize, you’ll be well on your way to achieving an orderly home or workspace. Visit the Avery website for more www.avery.co.uk/organiseyourlife.
To enter, complete both of the following steps:
Follow @ClearClutterDay on Twitter and tweet this to all your followers:
It’s DAY 2 of our Clear Your Clutter #Competitions! Today we’re giving you the chance to #WIN an organisation bundle from Avery. https://www.moneymagpie.com/clear-your-clutter-day/day-2-win-an-organisation-bundle-from-avery #CYCD2018 #ClearYourClutter
OR
Like our Clear Your Clutter Facebook page and share the post titled ‘Day 2 – Win an organisation bundle from Avery!′ with your friends.
Answer this question in the box below: How much is the Avery organisation bundle worth?
1) £50
2) £75
3) Over £100
The competition closes on Monday 1st October at midnight. The winner will be announced in our newsletter on Tuesday 2nd October. Good luck everyone!
From Tuesday 11th September – Friday 14th September, we’ll have a brand new set of Clear Your Clutter competitions for you every day.
Feel free to enter as many of the competitions as you like. All competitions close on Monday October 1st at midnight.
Good luck!
For day 1 of our 4 days of competitions this week, we’re giving you the chance to win some ACE cleaning bundles.
We have teamed up with ACE, the global stain remover, to offer four lucky winners the chance to win an ACE cleaning bundle worth £15 each. These bundles will get rid of everyday stains, add sparkle to your household surfaces and brighten up your wardrobe. Included in the prize are:
For more information visit www.acecleanuk.co.uk or to buy head to your local Tesco’s, Morrison’s, Waitrose and Sainsbury’s.
To enter, complete both of the following steps:
Follow @ClearClutterDay on Twitter and tweet this to all your followers:
It’s DAY 1 of our Clear Your Clutter #Competitions! Today we’re giving you the chance to #WIN an ACE cleaning bundle worth £15 each. https://www.moneymagpie.com/clear-your-clutter-day/day-1-win-one-of-four-ace-cleaning-bundles #CYCD2018 #ClearYourClutter
OR
Like our Clear Your Clutter Facebook page and share the post titled ‘Day 1 – Win one of four ACE cleaning bundles ′ with your friends.
Answer this question in the box below: Where can you buy ACE cleaning products?
1) Tesco
2) Aldi
3) Lidl
The competition closes on Monday 1st October at midnight. The winner will be announced in our newsletter on Tuesday 2nd October. Good luck everyone!
Got any junk? We’ve all heard it before or even said it ourselves. On the way from the living room to the kitchen, or as you head out the door to drop off something at the local garbage dump. We often refer to things in our possession as “junk,” but the truth is that any junk we do own probably isn’t junk at all.
Just because something has lost its gleam, fallen into disrepair or indeed is just no longer needed, it shouldn’t be cast aside into a corner or thrown to the garbage dump. One of the first things you must learn to become a successful declutterer is that any “junk” you have lying around your home can still hold some value.
The point of decluttering is not simply to throw everything away, rather it is to take a look at your possessions, identify the things you need and figure out how to extract the most value from the things you don’t need. Throwing things away should be your absolute last resort. Before you even consider asking whether anyone’s “got any junk?” that you can bin, you should try all other options.
By that we mean figuring out the best way to get rid of the unnecessary items you have lying around the home, all those pre-loved things that can still hold a purpose in some way.
Firstly, a good idea is to think about selling. In this way you turn the phrase “got any junk” into “got any cash” and turn an unused item into a source of money. Even if you think nobody wants that old t-shirt or wobbly cupboard, it’s likely there’s someone out there who will give you money to take it off your hands. They may even be living down your street. That’s why sites such as Gumtree are so useful, because you can list pretty much “any junk” on there, and through its local focus you may even find a buyer in your area. If it’s something clunky you’re trying to get rid of, they can come to your house to collect it.
Maybe you’ve got something you don’t feel comfortable with selling. You can always see if someone in your social circle would like to have it. Alternatively, charity shops will also take most things off your hands. What we’re trying to get at here is that you can very easily find a new purpose for most items. Decluttering is not about finding any junk and throwing it out, rather it’s about adding value to your home and getting in control of your life.
It might take a little more time to sell something or give it away, but it’s worth it. Throwing things away is a huge waste and so easily avoidable.
So next time somebody asks you whether you’ve “got any junk?”. Tell them no, but you have got a great selection of pre-loved items looking for a new owner!
Most people hate doing the chores around their homes. However, many of those people cannot even imagine how cleanliness can impact not only on the home environment but on your mental health, too. Doing the chores can boost your mood, help you get better sleep, have positive effect on your relationships and help you get in shape. Can you believe it? Here I will share with you some impressive effects of the clean home on your physical and mental well being.
If you spend most of your time at work and the thought of coming home to a dirty and messy place can only exhaust you even more, do not act surprised. There is a study that indicates that housewives who live in messy homes are much more stressed, depressed and tired than housewives who live in a cleaner home environment. It is proven that having a long list of domestic chores may prevent the decline in the stress hormone called cortisol which makes you feel not in the right mood.
The best tip we can give is to spare a couple of minutes each day to do a chore. You will see for yourself that being on top of the cleaning duties can make you feel happier and more satisfied at the end of the day.
There is a research which shows that a tidy, clean home can make you eat healthier. According to a study, people who work in tidy place are more likely to choose an apple for a snack instead of a chocolate bar. Messy places are stressful for your mental well-being, so you are more likely to choose unhealthy food than if you live in a tidier environment.
It is proven that people who live in more organised and tidy homes are more likely to stick to their workout schedules. Once you are used to following a cleaning routine, you will tend to be better at sticking to your workout routine as well. Not to mention how many exercises you can do while end of tenancy cleaning.
Clutter and mess can have a negative effect on your ability to be productive. If there are too many uncleaned and untidy things in your home, it makes it harder for your brain to focus on just one task and it makes it harder to work the brain into the whole information it receives. Therefore, having less untidy things to look at can make it easier to concentrate. Furthermore, increased productivity means doing more tasks. Completing all of the tasks in a quicker manner means you can have more free time to simply relax. Making time for yourself will have an impact on your mood! Even more, you will have more time to workout, get more sleep and cook healthier meals. All of these are good for your mental well-being.
Healthy relationships lead to a happier life. Surprisingly or not, living in a messy, cluttered home can have a negative effect on your relationships with people. If you have a roommate, not doing the chores such as vacuuming or washing the dishes can spark indignation. Often, clutter creates conflict of interest and tension.
A messy home causes embarrassment, making you avoid having guests. Unfortunately, this can make you feel depressed or even isolated.
The more free time you have, the easier it is for you to make healthier choices. The tidier your home is, the more time you will have to cook healthy meals instead of going for junk food. When you have good organisational skills, you can easily plan your meals and prepare healthier food.
As we already said, living in a neat and tidy home improves your sleep and can reduce the stress levels. This is not the only advantage of living in a clean home. Most people admit to sleeping better on freshly changed sheets. Moreover, doing simple things like making your bed in the morning would help you get healthy sleep.
Doing the daily chores on a regular basis means that you do not have to rush before bedtime. Make sure to do the household duties before you hit the sheets and you will see for yourself that this can lead to a healthy sleep.
Not only will cleaning improve the look of your home but it will also boost your mental health. Doing the chores is a perfect way to enjoy your home and feel happier. However, cleaning the cooker twice a day, for example, is bad for your health and could make you feel even more stressed. Being on top of the cleaning duties is great but do not be too obsessive.
Anything and everything can be decluttered, including time itself. No, you don’t have to be Doctor Who (for the uninitiated, he’s a time lord) to take control of time, all you have to do is learn how to implement time management into your life.
This is where your time management should start. Whether you’re aware of it or not, you have a schedule. Maybe you don’t have meetings at work penned into your diary every day, but more likely than not at some point in the week you’ll go shopping, refuel your car, pick up the kids, things like that.
The sooner you understand the way your life works, the better. Where are your routines? Start planning ahead. What is the best time to shop, what is the most efficient time to head into work. See if there are changes you can make. Sometimes all it takes is a switch from driving your kids to school to sending them on the bus, to give you an extra 15 minutes of productivity at the start of the day. You’ll be a time management pro in no time at all.
If you’re in the business of selling pre-loved items online, instead of spending time packaging and driving to the Post Office to send to the buyer, why not list the item on online classifieds site, Gumtree? Gumtree is more than just your average marketplace, it has a local presence meaning buying and selling goods online is no longer a hassle.
A spokesperson from Gumtree said: “We know our customers love Gumtree for its simplicity and easy-to-use nature, plus the ability to find a good deal locally. You can post an ad on the site for free with just a few clicks and even organise the buyer to collect direct from your door, helping to save on delivery costs.
Look at all the aspects of your life and ask yourself where you can replace routines and reduce time spent doing things you don’t feel you want to be doing. Time management pretty much comes down to this. It’s in the name; you want to be managing your time, that way you’ll be in full control of your life.
Replace the time you spend in front of the TV…with exercise. Try to spend no more than an hour a day in front of the telly. This is wasted time. Why not go out outside and exercise, even if it’s just a walk.
When you exercise, your body releases chemicals called endorphins, which trigger a positive feeling in your body. You will lower your anxiety and have time to think and clear your mind, rather than being bombarded with unnecessary information by your TV.
This same principle can be applied to magazines and newspapers. Limit all the non-essential information flows in your life.
Figure out what truly gives you joy and ditch the rest. And when you have a spare hour or two, exercise rather than slouching around in front of your TV or computer. Here’s a statistic to inspire you: According to Thomas Corley, author of “Rich Habits: The Daily Success Habits of Wealthy Individuals”, 67% of rich people only watch TV for one hour or less per day. Also, just 6% of the wealthy watch reality shows, while 78% of the poor do.
Do you hate that Wednesday night dance class you attend? Stop going, there are plenty of other ways to stay fit. Try Yoga, try Karate, try anything, the world is your oyster. Fed up with your weekly brunch with Karen and Sue? End it, you will feel better by making sure you are happy and not always doing what everyone else wants you to do.
Does social media drain your time? Cut it out. It’s as simple as that. The people that matter in your life will still be there even if you can’t browse through their holiday photos from last summer in Greece.
Stress is a key issue in modern society. Often we are more stressed if we have less time. So, simply put, you can decrease stress by giving yourself more time. Make sure you have the time you need and aren’t always rushing around trying to get somewhere. If you plan your life the right way, you should make sure to give yourself plenty of “me time,” because as you know you can’t have “time” without “me”.
