Organization
None of this is expert advice. It's what people worked out for themselves, usually the hard way — what actually helped, and what they'd tell someone standing where you are. Take what fits and leave the rest.
If you only read a few
Adopt the mantra 'Don't put it down - put it away' whenever you are holding an item.
It helps prevent leaving things scattered around.
3 people, independently
Buy products made with or containing recycled content to create market demand for recycling.
Buying recycled products creates a market signal; without this demand, there is no point in recycling.
- Products with recycled content may be more expensive than regular items, which can be difficult on a tight budget.
2 people, independently
Time yourself while tidying to realize it takes less time than expected.
It often takes way less time than we think.
one person who lived it
Clean as you go by leaving things as you found them or better.
A thousand micro cleans feels like a smaller time investment.
one person who lived it
Host people regularly or pretend you are hosting someone to motivate yourself to clean and tidy your home.
Caring about others' opinions forces you to speed clean; one person found this kept their apartment clean weekly.
3 people, independently
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Keep a dedicated bag or container in your car to collect trash as it accumulates.
Give every object in your home a specific, easy-to-reach spot.
Lacking assigned locations leads to items being dropped on the floor and turning into lasting clutter.
3 people, independently
- Ensure every object has an assigned place to keep floors and surfaces clear.1
Apply the 'take one item out' habit to other spaces like apartments to manage massive decluttering jobs.
It is less overwhelming than doing the entire job at once.
one person who lived it
Establish zones for different types of items, such as keeping food in the kitchen and toys in the bedroom, to reduce clutter.
One person found this helped enormously.
- Not everyone sets the best example, but trying helps.
one person who lived it
Reduce clutter by removing unnecessary items, such as unused clothes, junk, and excess furniture, to make your space less messy.
Most messiness comes from having too much stuff in a space.
- This may not help if you have too little living space rather than too much stuff.
2 people, independently
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Limit yourself to one set of daily-use items to force regular cleaning.
It prevents items from stacking up.
one person who lived it
Discard items that have not been used or seen within a specific timeframe, such as 6 or 12 months.
3 people, independently
Apply a binary rule to clothes: if they are not clean enough for the closet, they are dirty enough to wash.
There is no in-between state.
one person who lived it
Tuck your pajamas under the pillow to keep the bed looking neat.
It creates a clean appearance all day and can bring a smile when you return home.
one person who lived it
Carry at least one item out of a room when you leave it.
There is always something that needs to be moved.
one person who lived it
Give children specific tasks (e.g., 'clothes in the laundry basket') rather than vague commands like 'clean your room'.
Specific tasks lead to exponentially more success than vague instructions.
one person who lived it
Keep a dedicated bag or container in your car to collect trash as it accumulates.
It helps consolidate trash for the meantime and keeps the car less cluttered.
9 people, independently
Use grocery sacks to hold car trash because they are the right size and sit easily in the passenger footwell.
They leave room for the passenger's feet.
one person who lived it
Stop folding socks and underwear; put them away unfolded.
There is no point in folding them.
one person who lived it
Leave the dishwasher open while cooking and place used items directly into it instead of setting them down.
The kitchen stays clean; only rubbish needs binning and worktops need wiping at the end.
one person who lived it
Use 'doom boxes' to contain clutter in specific areas, emptying them only when they overflow.
It helps contain clutter in set spaces.
one person who lived it
Create incentives for cleaning, such as earning a short break after every 20 minutes of work.
It serves as a great motivator and reframes cleaning from a punishment to an activity with rewards.
one person who lived it
Assign a fixed spot for each item and return it there right after use, rather than dropping it or tossing it on the floor.
3 people, independently
- Return items to their original spots right after using them instead of setting them on nearby surfaces.4
Place the recycling bin in a more accessible location than the trash can, such as directly in front of it.
This encourages the thought process before discarding items.
one person who lived it
Focus on plumbing, floor/wall work, and drilling over buying a better TV when moving in.
These tasks provide necessary infrastructure and are burdensome to do later.
one person who lived it
Reduce visual clutter such as clothes, trash, cups, and dishes.
Visual clutter prevents your eyes from resting because items constantly call out for attention.
one person who lived it
Limit cleaning sessions to three minutes for one category (e.g., trash) to reduce emotional overwhelm.
It makes the task more manageable emotionally.
one person who lived it
Wash your car regularly to protect paint and make glass and cameras easier to clean.
Washing saves your paint, allows dirt to release more easily from glass and cameras, and teaches a new skill.
one person who lived it
Combine your organizing efforts with the KonMari method.
It sounds weird but works.
one person who lived it
Organize clutter into neat piles when there isn't enough time to fully clean.
An orderly pile looks purposeful and better than a mess.
one person who lived it
Acknowledge that cleaning your car may be difficult if you have young children or mobility issues that make carrying items burdensome.
Managing babies, toddlers, diaper bags, and other baggage makes bringing extra items in a chore.
- Applies specifically to those with young children or significant baggage loads.
one person who lived it
Schedule specific cleaning tasks rather than attempting them at random times.
Forcing yourself at random times typically leads to struggling to complete the task.
one person who lived it
Do not expect Goodwill to accept broken appliances.
Goodwill recommends against it.
one person who lived it
Spend fifteen minutes tidying immediately upon arriving home before sitting down.
Sitting down after work can lead to the apartment becoming cluttered.
one person who lived it
Use closed-off storage instead of open-plan shelving to hide clutter.
Open plan shelving becomes difficult to live with when cluttered.
one person who lived it
Keep TV and monitor packaging with styrofoam for future moves or resale to protect items and increase value.
It makes moving easier and helps you get more money when upgrading or selling.
one person who lived it
Take pictures of donated items because organizations may ask for proof of what was donated.
It has happened that they asked for what was donated.
one person who lived it
Pretend you are a maid when cleaning to change how the task feels.
one person who lived it
Focus on finishing tasks over making them perfect.
Perfection hinders completion.
one person who lived it
Place a bin nearby to catch leftover wrappers, napkins, and trash immediately.
It prevents leaving leftovers around.
one person who lived it
Attach toilet brushes to a cordless power drill to scrub stains, labeling each brush for its specific surface to prevent cross-contamination.
one person who lived it
Give every item a designated spot, preferably concealed in a drawer or cupboard, to reduce visual clutter.
Concealing items prevents visual clutter.
one person who lived it
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Do not wet cardboard boxes to fit more in recycling bins.
Wet or moldy cardboard is rejected because it can cause the recycled paper to smell.
one person who lived it
Keep the cap on crushed milk jugs to maintain their shape and contain odors.
Keeping the screw shape intact helps keep the jug crushed and stops milky smells from leaking out.
one person who lived it
Buy a single trash can that holds both trash and recycling compartments.
It reduces space usage and has been reported to greatly increase the amount recycled.
one person who lived it
Use paper towels or tissues to absorb oil from containers before disposal if you cannot pour it down the sink.
Oil should not be emptied into the sink, and trash bags do not hold liquid well.
one person who lived it
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Add water to nearly empty shampoo or liquid soap bottles and shake them to retrieve the remaining product.
It is less hassle than cutting the tubes.
one person who lived it
Use public garbage bins for personal trash instead of dumpsters to avoid illegal dumping fines.
Loading dumpsters with your own garbage can result in fines for illegal dumping.
one person who lived it
Obscure addresses on packages in case they are lost during recycling and end up in the hands of strangers.
If a box flies out of a recycling truck, someone could find two pieces of information (name and address) that they wouldn't otherwise have.
one person who lived it
Do not cap plastic bottles after crushing them to prevent workers from having to manually uncap them and to avoid bottles blowing out during compaction.
Capping crushed bottles forces manual uncapping at the center and causes them to blow out when compacted.
one person who lived it
- Remove the lid from plastic bottles before crushing them, then replace the lid.1
Unscrew caps from plastic bottles before recycling them so the bottles can compress and fit more efficiently.
Compressed bottles allow you to fit many more into the bin.
one person who lived it
Read your city's official recycling policies instead of following social media trends.
Recycling rules differ by municipality.
one person who lived it
Use laundry detergent bottles for sharps disposal.
Some cities specifically list them as acceptable containers.
one person who lived it