6 Things you can do each day to stay organised

Being organised is one of life’s greatest challenges and sometimes it all just feels too overwhelming. Well I am here today to tell you a few secrets that keep me organised each day and how to bring them into your routine. Here at the Eliza Grace Interiors Blog we will be including more home organisation and cleaning posts in the future so let me know if there is anything specific you would like to see! Read on for my top tips for staying organised on a daily basis!

1. Make your bed:

Let’s start off with the most obvious one: Make your bed. It is one of the most simple, easy and quick tasks you can do that actually makes a difference to your day. If you don’t believe me then pick up this New York Times best selling book by a Navy Seal entitled ‘Make Your Bed: The little things you can do to change your life’. There have been countless studies that show making your bed each morning puts you in a better frame of mind in the morning. Not only does it put the wheels in motion for completing tasks but it is also much more inviting to get into a made bed at the end of the day. As Admiral William H. McRaven said ‘If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed’.

2. Put everything back in its place as you go:

A mantra that was ingrained in me when I worked at McDonalds as a 15 year old (glamorous!) was ‘Clean As You Go!’. It is a simple but brilliant strategy and really makes a difference to your daily routine. If you tidy up and put every item you touch/use back in its rightful place as you go, there is little to no mess for you to clean up at the end of the day or week. Examples include putting your clothes straight in the dirty clothes basket, hanging towels and tea-towels up, folding up blankets used in front of TV, putting washing away in drawers immediately after taking it off the line and loading the dishwasher/rinsing items while you’re cooking dinner. Start small and be mindful of every item you use during the day and you will find yourself spending less time doing big cleans each week.

3. Have your meals planned in advance:

Planning your meals in advance can save you time and money. Dedicate a half hour period on a day that suits you to write out a rough plan of meals for the coming week. You can create a spreadsheet on your computer or grab a trendy weekly paper planner like this one to get you started. Write out all your meals including any takeaway or lunch dates, then start preparing your shopping list for everything you will need. By dedicating a small amount of time each week to this activity you will save time and stress on a daily basis. No more stress when you are driving home from work and wondering what on earth you’re going to have for dinner!

4. Create a 'To-do' shelf:

A ‘To-do’ shelf is a space in your home (preferably near the front door) where you place all items that need action. These items can include unpaid bills, unopened mail, clothes you need to return to a friend, items you need to post etc. The shelf is just an example, but other great options are a decorative tray, a woven basket or some dedicated bench space. Make sure the location of the ‘To-do’ space is close to the front door or somewhere you will be prompted into action. Keep the space small and organised so you can easily sort out everything that you place into this area each day.

5. Reply to all your messages:

There are some people in the world that you know are notorious for taking days to reply to a message – don’t be one of these people! There are a couple of strategies that will work for different people with this step. The first strategy is to reply to messages as soon as they come through or as soon as you read them. The second strategy is to dedicate a couple of minutes either on your lunch break, end of the work day or before you go to bed to check your texts, messenger whatsapp etc and reply to everything in one go. Either way it is best to stay on top of your messages each day to avoid waking up in the middle of the night and remembering how many messages you forgot to reply to that day!

6. Tidy your desk at the end of the work day:

It’s the simple things in life that really make a difference. I am a strong believer in a clean space equaling a clean mind. When you walk into your office/desk in the morning it is so refreshing to see everything tidied away and ready for a new workday. There is nothing worse than arriving in the morning to find piles of paper sprawled over the desk and not being able to remember where you were up to! Some may argue that they work too late and just want to get home, but I believe this 30-second trick can make a world of difference to your frame of mind each day.