Houses may look tranquil and peaceful from the outside, but inside, chaos can often arise. Having a million things to do with kids running in-between your legs can often leave your home a little neglected. Design is everything, though – and designing your home to cater your busy home life will make a big difference. Even Superwoman couldn’t be efficient in an inefficiently-designed home.
If you find yourself in the kitchen five days a week, making school lunches with one hand, brushing your teeth with the other and yelling orders upstairs in-between picking toys up off the floor – you’re exactly the person who can benefit from a quick house-revamp.
Firstly, you will need to tackle clutter. Not only clearing it up, but making sure you accommodate for it. Ever heard of organized mess? Try placing a wicker basket in the more used rooms in your house. This way, any abandoned shoes and toys on the floor can be quickly swept up and stored in the basket, until they can be properly put away. This will leave the floor tidy and give you more room to run around.
Secondly, organise and alphabetise. By organising everything in a logical way, this will make things much more accessible, and will also mean less time tidying up. For example – organise your shoe rack so that each family member’s shoes are stored together. Getting out of the door will take less time, create less mess and you’ll wonder why you didn’t think of it sooner. Even organising your spice rack may save a few seconds that could come in handy elsewhere!
Whilst you’re in the kitchen – and it may sound simple – a family calendar that is kept in clear view of everyone will save a lot of confusion and allow for pre-planning. If you know you have to be in three places at once next Monday, at least this way you’ll know in advance.
When it comes to the smooth running of your home – one thing that you’ll be relieved for ticking over well is laundry. The last thing you need is piles of dirty clothes taking up the corners of every room – so investing in a laundry basket will, at least, keep any backlog of clothes hidden from sight.
It’s 2012 – it’s questionable as to how many of us have home telephones on a table – and if you do, I doubt many of you really use the home phone on a regular basis. If you do have some form of ‘station’ for your phone, however, make sure there is a list of important numbers beside it. Mobile phones are reliable, but what if you’re in a rush and you’ve misplaced it? Having a physical list of numbers will ensure that your home is the epitome of organisation in a crisis.
Similarly, pick a specific place for your house and car keys, and stick to it! This will prove to be very helpful on rushed mornings.
Lastly, and perhaps one best saved for a bank holiday, set some time aside to organise your mess. Having a cupboard with strewn clothes, or a kitchen cupboard full of out-of-date food will clear up a lot of room if organised properly. This will leave space for more storage, meaning less clutter and a tidier house. A tidier house will be easier to navigate in a mad rush – allowing for a smooth-running home that is serene and still on the inside, too.
