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Organizing for the Better
Organizing for the Better
When I look around my home, I see quite a bit of clutter that’s probably not conducive to a happier, healthier mindset when I’m at rest within my own shelter. To be honest, I see things piling up on the kitchen table, on the entryway bench, at the foot of our bed, and even in the basement, and it stresses me out to a degree that I’m not really comfortable with.
Ultimately, it all comes down to organizing and cleaning more often.
The bad thing is that it’s so incredibly easy to let things get out of hand if you don’t stay on top of it. The good thing? That it’s SO easy to stay on top of it!
All it really takes is determination, willpower, and some helpful tools for keeping the place tidy. Most of those tools come in the form of containers and various packaging supplies, both of which are cheap enough to warrant buying so that you can keep your place spic and span.
Let’s take a look at some of the most useful items you can include in your home to stay on top of organization and keeping the place clean.
Containers
Containers
As I mentioned above, packaging supplies like cardboard boxes and other plastic bins are perfect for keeping your place in tip top shape. All you need to do is put like items in these containers and label the box so that you know what goes in there and what doesn’t. We suggest using cardboard boxes for storage (such as in your basement or attic) and plastic bins for organizing everyday items around the house.
Labels
Labels
Labels always help to keep things orderly. And while they can seem tacky and “extra” at first, it’s a way to mentally train yourself to put things back where they belong, to keep things in places you can easily find, and to just keep other aspects of your life in order as well. Organizing is an infectious thing.
Weekly chores
Weekly chores
No one likes weekly chores. No one at all likes them. But that’s the best part about it: no one likes them. So you’re not alone in hating to clean the place. It’s so entirely human to put things off and feel like you don’t want to tackle chores. We’ve all been there. But you do have the time, the energy, and the willpower to do it all. It’s just a matter of dedicating one chore a day to your time and getting it out of the way. Within a week or two you’ll be the master at keeping your place nice and tidy!
How to Budget When You Never Have Before
How to Budget When You Never Have Before
As I begin to set my sights on the next year ahead of me, I’ve realized that focusing on the future (and not the present) is far more important for me.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge advocate for living in the moment. In fact, I’ve done so much here and now living in the past 5 years of my life that I can’t hardly remember half of it (which I would suppose is a good problem to have).
The problem is that living in the moment too often, too long can get you in trouble. I’d say that I would attribute 80% of my mistakes and mess ups to carpe diem, if I was being honest with myself.
So, now that I’m engaged and looking to buy a home within a year with my partner, I think taking a shift towards more planning ahead is what’s best for me.
And that all starts with something I always put off and thought was “scary” and hard to do: budgeting.
Really though, our budgeting plan has started off to an amazing beginning. I think having someone else on board with you is what can really solidify your budgeting, much in the same way that having a workout partner can hold you accountable.
Something that has helped us immensely is having a whiteboard hanging in our kitchen. By being able to write down bills we haven’t yet paid, chores to do around the house, and a dedicated grocery list, we’re more likely to 1) stay on top of our bills, 2) buy only what we need to buy at the store, and 3) keep our place tidy, which fills up our time at the apartment while simultaneously keeping us from eating out nearly as much as we used to. So my best advice I can give other budgeters is to have the appropriate office and packaging supplies to have little reminders up around your place.
Budgeting is a mentality more than it is anything, though. Sticking to a schedule is all good and well, but if you’re not in the right head space for it, you won’t ever succeed.
Like I said, the right office and packaging supplies help to indoctrinate that head space within your home. If you can have little reminders around your apartment or house, you’re so much more likely to stick to a plan, a budget, and a healthier financial way of life.
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