Streamline Your Living Space: Nine Efficient Strategies to Overcome Habitual Disorder for a Tidy, Organized, and Well-Maintained Home in the Long Haul
Got tired of messy piles and clutter around your house? Ready to ditch those bad habits for good? Here's a no-nonsense guide to help you tidy up and keep your home cleaner for good.
Breaking Bad Habits the Smart Way
From lazy cleaning methods to ruined clothes due to poor laundry practices, it's time to kick those lousy routines to the curb. Say goodbye to nasty surprises and hello to a cleaner home by following these proven tips to replace your old ways with new, effective habits.
1. Get to the Root of Your Habits
Understanding why you're holding onto a particular habit can help you set clear goals and make it easier to replace it with a new one. Why are you failing to declutter regularly? Dig deeper to uncover the real reasons behind your habits and let go of any "shoulds." Blanka Molnar, a former NAPO professional organizer and conscious parenting coach with Awarenest, insists, "Your deep 'whys' will get you through deep transformations.''
2. Create Your Own Mantras
Get motivated to ditch your bad housekeeping habits with the power of words. Diane Quintana, a professional organizer, and owner at DNQ Solutions, suggests using easy-to-remember mantras such as:
- Don't put it down, put it away: Stop creating piles and clothes jungles.
- The floor is not an option: Avoid leaving items on the floor. Choose to place them instead.
- Later is not a time: If you can't do it right now, schedule it and treat it like an appointment.
3. Give Yourself a Break
Changing habits takes time and effort, and it's essential to practice self-compassion along the way. Christina Campoy, executive coach and founder of Chief Elevate Officer, recommends writing yourself a "permission to slip" note – forgiving yourself for occasional lapses and reducing the pressure to be perfect.
4. Embrace the Pocket Protocol
Taking things one step at a time is the key to building good habits without overwhelming yourself. Christina, the executive coach, suggests creating "mini-interventions" to support progress without causing burnout. You might decide to clean the sink every time you brush your teeth or tidy one room before bedtime.
5. Create Drop Zones
Instead of fighting your natural instincts, create designated areas in your home for items that tend to get left lying around. You can use the Desire Path decluttering method and organize entryways, rooms, and stairs with simple woven baskets. Or, opt for a three-part divided laundry hamper to make sorting clothes for laundry easier.
6. Stack Your Habits
Pair new habits with existing routines to make it simpler to integrate them into your life. Task stacking can help you undo bad habits by doing something desirable right after you finish another task. For instance, wash dishes every time you leave dinner simmering or declutter the pantry every time you go grocery shopping.
7. Focus on One Habit at a Time
Taking small steps can result in more significant, lasting changes. Licensed counselor Kirsten Hall-Baldwin advises focusing on creating one new habit at a time and celebrating consistency, not perfection. Starting with one small change can help build confidence, create visible progress, and increase motivation to keep going.
8. Remove Obstacles
To make it easier to follow through with your new habits, set yourself up for success by removing any barriers that might prevent you from sticking to your routines. Make sure you have the tools you need, create storage solutions that are easy to access, and remove items that might tempt you to fall back into old habits.
9. Build Momentum
Celebrate your small victories to maintain focus and keep up the momentum. Utilize the "one-minute rule" and tackle quick tasks when you come across them. And don't be discouraged if you don't feel like making progress all the time – take breaks when needed and try again later.
10. Reward Yourself
Finally, remember to celebrate your successes when you reach your goals. Reflect on how far you've come and use those achievements as motivation to keep going. After all, there's no time like the present to start loving the home you live in.
What to Shop
Get ready to conquer your clutter and create a cleaner, more organized living space with these must-have items:
- Microfiber cloths in various sizes
- Multiple baskets for creating drop zones
- Extra-large laundry hampers with removable bags for easy sorting
- Essential cleaning supplies
- A cleaning caddy for organization and easy access
- A quality daily planner to help you track your habits and establish structure in your days
By putting these strategies into practice, you'll be well on your way to transforming your home from a messy, chaotic space into a haven where you'll love spending time. Want more tips and tricks for taking control of your life and home? Follow us for more tips to help you banish clutter, declutter your mind, and improve your focus.
Meet the Experts
Blanka Molnar
A professional home organizer turned family coach, Blanka works with parents to help them become better parents and contribute to the emotional, mental, and physical growth of a healthier generation. With over 20 years of experience in the field, she has deep insights into what drives our habits and offers practical solutions for positive change.
Christina Campoy
An award-winning career coach, Christina has worked with A-list celebrities and leading brands including Meta, Adidas, Nestle, Pantone, and Hilton. With a focus on time management and leveraging AI, she helps her clients optimize their workflows and improve focus.
David Radin
CEO of Confirmed and creator of Time Management in the Age of AI, David specializes in coaching professionals to streamline their workflows and boost their productivity using the latest technology.
Diane Quintana
A certified professional organizer in chronic disorganization, Diane earned a hoarding specialist credential from the Institute for Challenging Disorganization. She is the co-author of Filled Up and Overflowing: What to do when life events, chronic disorganization, or hoarding go overboard.
Kirsten Hall-Baldwin
A licensed clinical professional counsellor, Kirsten has a bachelor's degree in psychology from the Ohio State University and a master's degree in mental health counseling from Malone University. She offers practical advice for individuals seeking to create more structure, focus, and balance in their lives through organization and self-care.
By following these expert-backed tips, you'll be well on your way to saying goodbye to bad habits and hello to a cleaner, more organized home that brings you peace and happiness. Remember, change takes time and effort, but don't give up — progress is possible with persistence and self-compassion. So get started today and enjoy the journey to a more organized and productive life!
Enrichment Data:
Strategies
- Identify your "why"
- Uncover the motivations behind your habits.
- Use mantras and affirmations
- Incorporate phrases to help focus and develop positive habits.
- Create a schedule
- Establish regular tidy sessions and stick to them.
- Implement systems and protocols
- Follow rules and practices to maintain a tidy home.
- Replace bad habits with good ones
- Choose alternative activities that offer similar rewards.
- Avoid cues and triggers
- Manage the environmental factors that contribute to bad habits.
- Consistency and persistence
- Maintain your routine even when it feels challenging.
- Seek professional guidance
- Utilize resources such as books, workshops, or professional organizers for help.
- To help maintain a cleaner home, consider adapting a 'lifestyle' strategy where you replace poor laundry practices with efficient ones, addressing issues like ruined clothes.
- If you're struggling to declutter, focus on understanding why you hold onto specific habits by discovering your 'deep whys' as recommended by Blanka Molnar, a former NAPO professional organizer.
- Incorporate 'fashion-and-beauty'-inspired mantras such as "Don't put it down, put it away" to combat clutter, following the advice from professional organizer Diane Quintana.
- For those who love 'food-and-drink' experimentation, pair new good habits with existing routines using the 'task stacking' technique, cleaning the sink every time you brush your teeth, for example.
- If you travel frequently, create 'home-and-garden' designated areas in your home for items left lying around using the Desire Path decluttering method, utilizing woven baskets at entryways, rooms, and stairs.
- To improve relationships, offer forgiveness for occasional lapses in changing habits by writing yourself a "permission to slip" note as suggested by executive coach Christina Campoy.
- If you're passionate about 'shopping,' invest in essential cleaning supplies, microfiber cloths, multiple baskets for creating drop zones, extra-large laundry hampers, and a cleaning caddy to help tidy up and maintain a cleaner home.
- Cars can be organized as well—create storage solutions by removing clutter and installing organizers to keep items in their place, making it easier to stick to new habits.
