Make Your House Look Clean: Day 3

Today's lesson is one I feel like I always knew but it wasn't until recently that I realllly saw the wisdom in it:

A place for everything and everything in it's place.

YES.  EVERYTHING.

There is SUCH satisfaction in having a place to put everything.  It's own well thought out and intentionally placed location.  A pile on the kitchen counter does not count.

Then you know where to put things AND, maybe more importantly, know where to FIND things.

I've long said this and have given it as advice on the blog before but I still didn't completely follow it.  Just two weeks ago I finally came up with a place to put library books to be returned, that wasn't a pile on the dining table.  It is SO satisfying to know where they should go, know where to get them on library day (or days) and not have them just sitting on the table.  (Less satisfying is when somebody pulls books out of the "to be returned to the library" spot because "I reallly love this book and want to keep it!".   And then hides it in their room.  But that's not the point.)

It was when we finished the craft shelves last fall that I made a basket for works in progress/things collected for Luke's art projects (like toilet paper rolls, empty egg cartons, craft kits) that all of a sudden I didn't mind holding on to a few things (keyword: FEW) so we'd have them on hand for projects without just sitting on the table.

I get a little surge of satisfaction every month when I add my HGTV magazine to their magazine file home. (Do I need to keep all of them?  Probably not, but until the file is full I'm not going to worry about it.)

front room shelves

Keys have a spot, coupons have a spot, gift cards, receipts to be entered when I do bills, library books to be read, blankets, games, things to be returned/passed on to others, etc. etc. etc.  Their spots might move as habits, routines, and life changes but for now, I try to give everything a place.

You probably won't find a place for everything in your house immediately, it's not an overnight fix.  But if, eventually, you can't find a place for something, then it probably shouldn't be in your house.

I find just writing about this so satisfying, thinking of all my things being in their little spaces in the house.  Knowing I can find what I need, when I need it.  It's a sanity saver.  A time saver.  A clean house saver.
_______________________________________________________________
This week I'm sharing 5 little tips to keep your house looking clean, little things that can make a big difference in how you and others see your living space!  Day 1 | Day 2| Day 3