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Bringing Order to the Out of Control Home

Tue 10 Jul 2007 - 08:07

Bringing Order to the Out of Control Home
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Kathryn_Weber]Kathryn Weber

If your house is messy, disorganized, smelly, dirty, it's not functional, it makes you uptight, you actively avoid visitors, and it's cluttered, then you have an "out of control" (OOCH) home. Of course, not all homes have all these symptoms, nor do you have to have all eight signs to have an OOCH.

Most homes have a combination of symptoms and/or they have out of control areas (OOCA), such as the garage that no one can park in. An OOCH can make you tense, frustrated, and embarrassed. In fact, when I began writing this article, I tried to find someone - anyone-who would let me interview them or just photograph their homes. Absolutely no one would consent to having their home photographed and were mortified at the thought of someone seeing the way they lived.

Obviously, this subject is something about which people have strong feelings. That's also the point of getting your home under control -- because of how good it would make you feel if you did. Think of it this way: How would you feel if you walked into your home and it was clean, decluttered, and organized so that you could find what you were looking for? Did you just breathe a sigh of relief? That's the feeling to focus on instead of the dread of getting in there and doing the work.

Remember, your home should be a respite from the outside world and not another source of tension. You should also remember that almost everyone today is struggling to keep some kind of order and cleanliness in their homes. So, it's not just you. We're all in this together. Now, let's get to work.

1. Declutter and straighten first. Take a trash bag with you to each room, throwing away anything you no longer want or that doesn't work. Take another box with you from room to room for items you want to donate.

If you have paper bombs, clothes bombs, and toy bombs that have gone off in your house, get these under control. Handle the paper by throwing it away, recycling it, or filing it. Get the clothes picked up and put in the wash, folded or hung up. Next, corral the toys, throwing away what's broken. And practice saying "When in doubt, throw it out."

Next, don't forget to contain yourself. It's easy to work in the living room, pick a toy for your child and wander into that room and then start working there. This is important: Stay focused on the task and the room at hand or you won't get anything done.

2. Clean second. Now that the clutter is handled and everything is picked up, it's time to get down to serious cleaning. [http://www.kathryn-weber.com/Cleanliving.html target=_self]Thoroughly clean each room, including the kitchen and laundry room, and don't forget to sweep porches and walkways outside. [http://www.kathryn-weber.com/Cleanliving_kidsclean.html target=_self]Get kids to clean the baseboards, windowsills, and clear the cobwebs from the corners of ceilings. Go from one room to the next and don't leave until each room is completely cleaned.

Lastly, schedule some hired help and have your carpets and upholstery steam cleaned. Steam cleaning does not use soap, which can make carpets get dirtier faster and actually attract more dirt. This will also make your home smell better, too. Schedule this at least once every year. If your house still smells musty, air it out or consider having your heating and air conditioning vents cleaned.

3. Repair what's broken. The house is decluttered, clean, and now it needs to work. Fix broken panes of glass, leaking faucets, or repaint water stains on the ceiling. Put your husband on the job while you're cleaning or decluttering.

4. Edit your stuff. Collections and knick knacks everywhere is what's classified as clutter. Clutter is a problem because of the emotions associated with it. For instance, many people feel guilty about getting rid of things because certain items were gifts or were inherited.

But the first rule of clutter-busting is that you have to absolutely drop-dead love something in order to keep it. If you just can't part with something, then don't. Put all the items you can in a box and then put it into storage. Then once you've forgotten about all those guilty feelings, you can put the items in a garage sale, donate them, or just throw them away.

In short, if your house is overrun with family pictures on every inch of wall space, an explosion of sports memorabilia, or a porcelain pig collection that won't end, for example, pare them down and then find one central spot to display these items rather than spreading them all over the house where they can make you feel overrun.

5. Create visual space. Clear as many items as possible off the floor, off the tops of dressers, countertops and nightstands so your home will have plenty of clear space. You know how a hotel room makes you immediately want to go flop on the bed? That's because it's clean and clear. Clearing away excess stuff will give your eyes and your mind a rest.

6. Get pets under control. If possible, evaluate your pet's impact on your home. Do what you can to create a living situation where both you and your pets are happy, but not where one of you is at the expense of the other. Many homes are controlled by pets to the point that woodwork is scratched, the home is damaged, every surface is covered with hair, and there is an unpleasant odor in the home.

7. Organize your home. Create areas for coming and going where keys, backpacks, purses, wallets, mail, and other needed items can be placed. This area should have a trashcan where you can sort mail, and a small hanging basket where bills that need immediate attention can be placed.

Then, work on organizing bill-paying, files, warranty booklets, and all the little areas of your home that get cluttered, such as medicine cabinets, home offices, desk areas, pantries, laundry rooms, garages, spice cabinets, and so on.

8. Keep at it and involve everyone. This is probably the most important step for getting - and keeping - a home under control. A home that's under control is not something that happens once and then it's done, like taxes. Keeping your home in order is more like exercise or taking vitamins. You have to keep at it. Keeping a home in control is a process, not an event. I have to tell myself all the time don't put it down, put it away.

It also takes commitment on everyone's part. My pantry is an OOCA in my home mostly because an orderly pantry is important only to me. But, a family meeting is going to be called so that everyone does their part at keeping the pantry orderly. It will also keep us from having five boxes of raisin bran or three bags of marshmallows.

Bringing your home into control is a wonderful way of bringing a sense of accomplishment and order back into your life. It will also save you money because you won't purchase multiple items because you can find what you're looking for. It will also help you create a home that is your refuge and where you enjoy spending your time. And, it will make you proud to live there and have guests over.

Kathryn Weber is the publisher of the Red Lotus Letter feng shui e-zine and is dedicated to helping her readers develop successful, prosperous, and supportive environments with feng shui. To subscribe, logon to <A target="_new" HREF="http://www.redlotusletter.com">www.redlotusletter.com /A> and receive this Special Report FREE "16 Feng Shui Secrets for Greater Prosperity."

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kathryn_Weber http://EzineArticles.com/?Bringing-Order-to-the-Out-of-Control-Home&id=634931


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