Do you sometimes feel like the baby in the photo? You’re drowning in a messy house and you just want to throw your hands up and cry? I hear you! Granted, what looks to one person like an orderly space might seem chaotic to someone else (and vice versa), at the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter. You know your personal threshold and can sense when you’ve crossed over into that place where there’s so much mess you don’t know where to start. This is for you!
Here’s how to work through a messy home. We’ve all been there, and we can all climb out! The key is preventing (further) overwhelm by starting small, one task at a time. None of these should take any longer than 10 minutes, with the possible exception of the dishes (but that one is definitely worth it, so get after it!) These can be done in any order, but starting with the kitchen is my recommendation:
Do the dishes. This is the single most impactful thing that contributes to feeling like you’re either relatively under control OR living in an out of control mess.
Clear countertops. Consolidate countertop clutter into one area, as a first step. This process alone has a positive mental impact – even if the same amount of stuff is there. Then, in 10 minute increments of time, chip away at handling the piles. Don’t just shift and relocate clutter. You’re making decisions, item by item. Trash, recycle, donate, sell, or put away where it belongs.
Take out the trash. Going room to room with a trash bag, emptying all the trash cans is a great job for a kiddo.
Clean the floors.
Spend 5 min. per room picking things up and clearing clutter.
Start a load of laundry.
Go through one stack of mail.
Open all delivered packages.
Clear the kitchen table.
Ask for assistance. Enlist help from your family, a cleaner, or an organizer.
Keep perspective. Sometimes a messy home is the aftermath of having fun and building memories. Clutter and mess aren’t permanent. And, you’re NEVER past the point of no return.
What did people do during quarantine? It’s likely that some home improvement projects got checked off the list. How do we approach these projects in a way that doesn’t break the bank or stress us out? Is there a method to the madness?
The principles of organization can absolutely apply to planning out and executing a home improvement project! Whether you’re going the DIY route or bringing in the pros, here are some tips to make the process and experience a smooth one.
1. Make a project list
From the time we moved into our home over 7 years ago, I’ve had a home improvement list. It has evolved over the years, as new priorities come up, and others get checked off. But, it has been a very helpful tool to identify priorities, save, and plan for what’s next. And, keeping a record of updates that were made, when, and how much they cost is helpful if you ever wanted to list your home.
The list is simply a spreadsheet containing projects that each have an assigned priority of 1, 2, or 3, along with an estimated cost. Subscribe at the bottom of this post to receive a project prioritization template!
2. Prioritize your projects
Why is this necessary? Well, it’s helpful because of the pull between time and money. If you have the money, you still can do only so many things at once. And, if you have the time, but not the money for everything, you can focus on making deliberate progress towards accomplishing something from your list.
Be realistic about how much you can do at once. Try to evenly spread out priorities so everything doesn’t get a priority 1.
3. Do some research
Luckily, there’s youtube! And, lots of other online resources to equip you with the knowledge you need for those DIY projects. It’s also great to get a referral from someone you know and trust, so ask around.
Look for reviews, and prioritize quality. If a price seems too good to be true, the quality might not be there. And, if you need supplies or plan to hire some or all of the work out, here are some questions you could ask.
What is the leadtime on X product?
Do you carry X in stock or is it special order?
What is your availability?
Do you offer free estimates?
4. Make a supply list
List everything you need. But, don’t go to the store yet! Check to see what you have, so you don’t rebuy a 4th tube of caulk.
5. Estimate costs
Once you’ve completed your research step and have selected the materials and/or professional you’ll be using, add up all your projected costs. Be thorough! If you need to purchase 12 foot long boards that don’t fit in your car, include the cost of delivery, or renting a truck.
6. Estimate timing
There’s two different components to this. One is how long it takes to actually do the job (how much work is entailed). The other is where you apply some realism, knowing you’re fitting the job into real life. I recommend doubling your initial estimate!
You can also go down your entire list, putting ballpark timing to everything on the list, by quarter, season, or month. Then, as you finish a job, you can tackle the next thing on the list, and fine tune your timing for that project, per above.
7. Finish what you start
Doing this is the single biggest way to stay organized in the midst of projects. We have a tendency to get inspired, have grand plans, get started, then get distracted, or move onto something else when we get tired. We leave a wake of tools and other clutter in our rear view mirror. I recommend tackling something small enough that you can and will finish what you start. Then, move on to the next thing. Having no more than 1 in-process project at a time is a good rule of thumb.
8. Reconcile your list
When a project is completed, I like to go back to my list, and update costs to replace estimates with actuals. Over time, you’ll get better and better at estimating.
It’s amazing the home improvement projects people can tackle. No need to be intimidated – with so many resources at our fingertips, and a little planning, you can do it, too!
Let’s face it. Grocery shopping, meal planning, and cooking consume a large percentage of our time and finances – day after day, week after week. But, luckily, this is an area that we have a lot of say over – where we shop, how much we’ll spend, what meals we’ll make. With some minor changes, we can streamline the whole process and save a buck in the process. Here are 10 ways to simplify groceries:
1.Use a Rewards Program.
I’ve been using the Fetch Rewards app for awhile now, and it’s great! All you do is scan your grocery receipts, which equate to points that turn into savings. I scan the receipt before I even leave the parking lot – just so I don’t forget or lose the receipt. Once you’ve accumulated enough points, you can select from a number of reward options. I always choose some $ toward Amazon. Give it a try!
2. Have a budget.
Groceries is one area of your finances that’s relatively easy to adjust, without feeling deprived. A starting point could be $150/person per month, but depending on cost of groceries where you live, the types of food you like to eat, the stores you prefer, and a number of other factors, your number could be higher or lower. Start with whatever you currently spend, then gradually decrease every week from there until you’ve reached the point where you can’t reasonably decrease further.
The number isn’t the point. The point is finding a budget that works for you, and sticking to it by adopting some habits (from this list of 10) that free up cash to be used for more appealing things than a gallon of milk;)!
3. Plan number of dinners.
I find breakfast and lunch to be easy enough to wing, but, I like to at least estimate the number of dinners per week that will be made at home. Take into account how many times you’ll eat out, get take out, and consume leftovers. Some people meal plan to the nines every week – that’s very aspirational. For the rest of us, it’s a great start to decide on the number of dinners, and ensure you have the ingredients on hand to pull those meals together.
4. Start with what you have.
Where’s the first place we typically turn to when planning meals for the week? Pinterest or the internet, perhaps? I find Pinterest to be a source of inspiration, but find I’m starting from square one when a recipe catches my eye – with a total disregard for what I ALREADY HAVE! Start with your refrigerator instead!
What do you already have that may be hiding in the back needing to be eaten up? See what meals you can make from there, only adding those supplemental ingredients to your grocery list – whatever you need to turn that ground turkey into some mean turkey burgers!
5. Keep a running grocery list.
Throughout the week, you’re continually consuming groceries. You just ran out of eggs….add it to the list right then! Your toothpaste is running low. Add it to the list right away! You get the drift! Have one central place for your list and ask that everyone contributes. Don’t rely on your memory or you’ll be bound to forget things and have to go back to the store again. Bonus tip – if you’re familiar with your store, try writing your list in the order of the aisles so that your shopping will be extra efficient!
6. Bring your list to the store.
We’ve all been there. You somehow end up at the grocery store, famished, and without a plan or list. Not good on the budget or the food choices. Make sure you bring a list to keep you on track.
7. Purchase in bulk strategically.
I have a love/hate relationship with Costco. More of a love relationship, but it’s all too easy to blow your budget there (the Target of the food world).
Also, bulk purchases take up precious space in your home. So, purchase in bulk strategically. This means sticking to your budget and only buying what you have space for! If you have a tiny kitchen/home and no space for 20 paper towel rolls, don’t buy them.
8. Shop weekly.
Weekly seems to be that sweet spot – not so infrequent that food goes bad, yet not so often that you spend unnecessary time and money running to and from the store. It also feels manageable enough to wrap your head around what’s going on for the next week – when you’ll be out for dinner or have other commitments or scenarios that will impact your food prep and consumption.
If you find it challenging to only shop once/week, revisit tips 2-6 and see if you can up your planning and list making to help accommodate a weekly shopping trip. Sure, sometimes things come up and running to the store to get what you need for that spontaneous hosting is fun! But, keep an eye on the frequency from week to week and you’ll likely find that fewer trips to the grocery store is positively correlated with sticking to your budget.
9. Cook extra.
It’s a lot of effort to cook! You’ll save lots of time by doubling recipes and freezing extras or enjoying them as leftovers.
10. Start a garden.
We planted a garden this year, as a family. It’s great because they kids are involved, they learn about food sources, love to eat what they grow, and you save money. Win-win all around.
I think you’ll find that implementing some of these tips to simplify groceries will help you save time and money – without sacrificing nutrition or preferences. And, who doesn’t want that?
