It seems like one of the toughest and least exciting chores to organize and plan. This is why many of us fail at it miserably and blame our characters or personalities for the lack of organization. However, the truth is that although we may not be good at something, there is always a scope for improvement and doing better.
[Image: Rebekah Zaveloff | KitchenLab]
It all starts with building muscles and training your body to do the work rather than relying on external help. It is possible that you are not physically fit to undertake extraneous activity. However, experts suggest that by slowly training your body, you would be able to make huge changes without consciously making an effort.
The main idea behind this article is our inability to keep the house structured. As much as we would like to see things well organized, it may be a fact that you are just not good at it. Instead of feeling the pinch, it is better to hit the root cause of the problem and begin working on it, one step at a time. Here are a list of few suggestions that will help you build the muscle that you need to stay fit and keep your home in shape and order.
Accept the fact that it is difficult
As they say, the first step, to solving any problem, is to acknowledge that there is one. The same rule applies here. If it is naturally difficult for you to organize and clean, then it is better to accept the shortcomings and look for a solution than living in denial. Just consciously acknowledge “it is difficult for me and I am not good at it”.
The main concept behind this whole self-acknowledgment is to accept the difficulty so that you can work towards it. All you need to do from here is be stronger and strive to improve. From here onwards, you need to make a conscious effort to be better at the task at hand and perform to your best ability.
Make a promise to yourself
To make large progress, you need to start small. Just pick one or two small habits that you can establish over a period of time. Remember to keep the changes or habits small so that you are not putting in too much effort. Just take a look around and pick a thing or place from where you would like to begin. Just add on to an existing habit so that it becomes easy for you to form a new one. For instance, make a habit of cleaning your kitchen right after your meals, and if you like, take help from the other family members when doing. Slowly add another small habit like sweeping the floor. Soon you would be able to work that into a routine without much trouble.
If you are at a brink of cultivating a new habit, just pick one or two simple things to begin with. This can be straitening your bed before you sleep or putting away the clothes in the laundry bag than the floor. You make a choice!
Commit doing it every day
[Image: Rebekah Zaveloff | KitchenLab]
If you commit yourself to do that small thing every day, you would soon be able to notice how easy it is to make it a habit. If you are one of those people that are not naturally organized, it is always “all or nothing” with them when it comes to home keeping. We keep ignoring that one spot for days until it becomes intolerable and we hit the cleaning spree button. The problem with most of us is that we oscillate between perfection and filth, there is no in-between.
This is the reason we need to channel ourselves into building one or two small habits that can be done every day. You need to pick one such small activity and finish it every day without fail.
Think of Simplifying the Cleaning Process
[Image: Andra Birkerts Design]
If you are someone who is suffering from disability and movement around the house may not be that easy, then you can consider building ramps so that you can carry out your daily tasks with relative ease. Also, pay close attention to all the things that are obstructing the aim of keeping your house orderly. For example, if you struggle to make your bed each morning, then take a look to see what is causing the disruption. Consider getting a duvet for your bed, which can be straightened each morning and with a simple nip and tuck makes the bed look neat.
To support a new habit, you need to eliminate several steps between thought and action and only strive to include one so that the transition is easier. When you are establishing a practice, keep things as simple as possible. If you think it is becoming tough and painstaking, then you can introduce a step more and simplify further until you attain the habit that you have been aiming for.
Keep up the momentum
[Image: Feldman Architecture, Inc.]
Once the habit has been successfully cultivated, the trick is to keep the momentum going. When you are in a habit of keeping one part of the house neat then take the same steps to attain the same success with other parts of the house too. Soon you would keep the entire house in order without even knowing about. It would be deeply ingrained in your schedule, and you will be amazed to see how easily you are able to maintain that section of the house.
Celebrate your success
Recognize the progress that you have made and reward yourself for the achievement. Just notice your behaviour and recognize the times you are able to do things routinely and without thinking about it. When you realize that the change has happened, it will give you the strength to keep going and energy to continue forming new and constructive habits.
Training yourself is not difficult, but all it requires is a bit of patience. You need to take one small step at a time to be able to make new habits and also make them a permanent one. Following this will also enhance the interior decor of your house becoming an inspiration to others.
