Daily routines
Would you put brushing your teeth, showering or combing your hair on a 'To Do List' or checklist? Probably not :-).We do it automatically without thinking about it. When we do something daily, it becomes a routine and we don't have to expend much energy to get it done. Routines help us avoid stress and make our day more productive. The morning routine in particular is hugely important. If you start the day positively and with good habits, (almost) nothing can upset you. Every person, home and lifestyle is different, so routines can vary greatly. In the end, your routine has to fit you and your rhythm of life, and most importantly, your priorities. Here are a few tips and ideas...
Bedroom
Morning: The bed is the largest piece of furniture here and is usually the eye-catcher in the centre of the room. Every morning after getting up, pull back the covers, air the room for about 5 minutes and then make the bed. This will immediately upgrade your bedroom to an extremely high standard.
Evening: When you undress in the evening, throw the dirty clothes straight into the laundry. What you put on again, you always put or hang in the same place. If you have your own washing machine, start a machine in the evening if you have enough laundry. Set the timer for early in the morning so that when you get up you can take a fresh load of laundry out of the machine.
Bathroom
Keep a cloth near the sink so you can wipe the sink and shelf dry daily or even after each use. If you use a toilet paper to briefly pick up any hair and dust lying on the shelf and/or floor, it will look much cleaner. It doesn't have to be perfect. Just briefly wipe off the roughest...
Kitchen
Morning: Empty the dishwasher first thing every morning when you come into the kitchen. Don't do it for more than 5 minutes. (Feel free to time it if you don't believe me ;-)...) This way you can fill the empty machine right after breakfast, i.e. other family members can do it too. Get into the habit of putting the dishes in the dishwasher or washing them by hand after every meal.
Tip: change towels, dishcloths, rags and sponges regularly. You should do this several times a week or even daily.
Evening: clear the table in the evening. A messy dining table is stressful. Many things are stored here: keys, mail, children's homework, toys... find a fixed place for these things, but not on the dining table. If you like, you can already prepare breakfast for the next morning. This will save you a few precious minutes in the morning if you or your children have to leave the house early.
Always leave the dishwasher running overnight. As you have already read, this way you can empty the clean dishes the next morning.
Get into the habit of cleaning the cooker and shelves briefly after cooking. This can be done quickly if it has not dried out completely.
Living room
Evening: take 5 minutes every night before going to bed to put everything in order. Fold the blankets, fluff the pillows, put the remote control in its designated place, put glasses and plates in the dishwasher, put books and newspapers in their place and take care of toys that are lying around.
Tip: I recommend a nice basket or box for the toys - in the evening on your walk you collect everything that is lying around.
When you enter the living room the next morning, you will immediately feel in a good mood and balanced if you don't find chaos but an orderly environment.
Entrance area / hallway
In general: find a fixed place or a home for every thing. You always put your bag, jacket, keys, shoes, hat, etc. in the same place when you come home. In the morning you have everything at hand and don't waste time looking for your things.
Tip: Hooks on the wall are good organisers. The floor remains free and you have a permanent home for bags, umbrellas, backpacks, etc.
Shoes should not just be lying around in the hallway. If you don't have a closed shoe cupboard, I recommend getting one that has enough space for the shoes that you and your family members regularly need.
