‘I tried a seven-word rule for keeping clutter under control for one week, and it’s transforming my home’
When clutter starts to accumulate around my home, I know it’s time for a rethink of my habits because they really are the secret to making the home easier to clean and tidy overall.
And the time to try building a new habit has come, because between work and managing chronic health issues, stuff has been piling up in areas like my dining table, by the kitchen sink and in the bathroom.
The dining table had become a collection of things that I was planning to sort out ‘later’. Rachael Gavin
I’ve also gotten lax on putting away the washing, which was sitting on the floor so long I was just getting clean clothes straight from the basket – at least it was already folded.
So I started implementing the ‘don’t put it down, put it away’ rule, which is as simple as it sounds, and let me tell you, it’s actually very effective.
At the start it was hard to remember I was following this protocol because I had to break the habit of just putting things down wherever I was. But soon enough, anytime I started to put something down, I said to myself ‘no, don’t put it down – put it away’.
I can fold the washing straight into the basket, but I can’t seem to put it away once it’s inside. Rachael Gavin
I found this rule worked best when it came to recycling and rubbish, especially things like toilet paper tubes, which I was putting in the random niche that exists behind my toilet and then removing a week or two’s worth in one go. Just not looking at that collection of clutter makes me feel like the room is tidier than it is.
It also felt good to put the washing away as soon as I brought it in from the line, rather than have a large basket taking up space in my small bedroom or kitchen. I think because I feel like the washing just needs to be brought inside before it gets dark, and the putting away part can be done anytime, I’ve separated the tasks in my mind – but not with my new mantra.
There are times when the rule can’t be followed, like if I’m not feeling well enough to do anything at all, there’s no time before heading out or the dishwasher is full and running. I just accept these situations and put away whatever it is when I can.
Other things that hinder following the rule, like there being no bag in the bin when I have rubbish, might feel like a barrier, but they really aren’t because if I just replaced the bag when I took the full one out I wouldn’t have a bigger task later. So ‘don’t put it down, put it away’ should be extended to ‘replace it straight away’.
Living by this rule for a week reminded me of when I tried the ‘one-minute rule’; which means doing any task that takes less than a minute then and there. As you can probably guess by the fact I’ve had to try another rule, I haven’t kept the ‘one-minute rule’ up. I think it’s because you need to stop for a moment to consider the task rather than instantly taking action.
The ‘don’t put it down, put it away’ rule instantly felt like something I could keep up for the long term because it is so quick and straightforward. Any time I go to put something down, the saying pops into my head and I put it where it needs to go.
Admittedly, I’m not practicing this 100 per cent of the time, and it’s not perfect, but it has been helping, and it is easy to implement. It also feels like something I can continue to develop into a habit that will hopefully help keep my home tidier and easier to clean in the long term.
