We all have items lying around the house – the projects you mean to start or finish, the clean washing that you keep meaning to take upstairs, the magazines that could be recycled. Each individual group of things on its own seems quite harmless, but as you walk from room to room looking at things that are, quite simply, in the wrong place, it can all feel like an overwhelming mess.
All of us are capable of cleaning and tiding – we know what we need to do. After all, everything was actually put away once upon a time. But then we start to leave keys and loose change on the table in the hall, clothes will get hung on the newel post Jenga-style, shoes will get kicked off by the back door and you have completely lost track of what is in the junk drawer in the kitchen.
Somehow, the things you promised yourself you’d deal with later have now grown out of control, leaving you lacking the motivation to sort it all out. Well sit back and carry on reading – we have found the person who can help you make room in your home for the things that matter most. Her organising tips and tidying tricks will help you regain that sense of control, giving you the motivation you need to tackle those clutter hotspots. Allow us to introduce The Tidy Company. We had some questions for business owner, Sarah Broadbent, and this is what she had to say:
What inspired you to create The Tidy Company?
I think I’ve always loved tidying. Growing up I always had a tidy bedroom – my Mum never had to nag me to tidy it. I spent 17 years in the Navy and that definitely encouraged me to be tidy and organised. Planning and thinking ahead became almost second nature. However, family life has been a whole different ball game.
For waaay too long, I felt as if I wasn’t doing any of the things I wanted to do. I felt that my home was permanently cluttered – as if I was on the ‘Hamster Wheel of Life’ and couldn’t get off. Same old every day, every week. The same things to do, the same routines, same meals to cook, the same piles of clutter sitting there – winking at me. I found it so overwhelming – so I often put it off. I tried to ignore it – but it was still there winking & getting inside my head.
I so wanted to come home to a house that didn’t need tidying ALL THE TIME; to have more time enjoying being in my home, more time with my favourite people – my family. I wanted to have more ‘me’ time, to actually read a whole magazine, to paint my nails, to enjoy putting on a face mask. I loved life but didn’t love my life. And I hid it well.
Then last year I decided I had a choice. I knew that it was up to me to take charge of myself – to just get on and do the decluttering and find ways to make tidying up easier. I changed my mindset I realised that I could choose to carry on with all the piles winking at me, or I could get rid of them once and for all. I could start doing the things I want to do, start enjoying life more and love being in my home.
What can The Tidy Company do for me?
The Tidy Company can help busy women open the door to a tidy home and a tidy mind. I offer 1-2-1 virtual sessions to help you transform your home and routines, such as a messy and cluttered wardrobe, a particular room or a particular problem you would like help with. I also have a FREE Facebook Group which is full of motivational tips and fun stuff to help banish that feeling of overwhelm.
It’s not just about the decluttering – it’s about creating time for the things that matter and reconnecting to the joy that is your home. I really do believe that tidying is a form of self-care and should be part of our self-care routine.
What if I’m just too busy and don’t have time to tidy up?
Heehee…being too busy is often our reason for not doing things. I have a ‘15 Minute Thing’ which I talk about a lot in my Facebook Group.
I have also created a ‘15 Minute Tidy Checklist’ to help get people started. Choose a drawer (or anything) and set a timer on your phone and tidy/declutter it in 15 minutes. It’s amazing what you can do in 15 minutes.
If you are feeling extra busy and stressed try my ‘15 Minute TIDY BLITZ’ (or do it in 10 minutes if that feels better). Grab a basket (like the one you use for doing laundry) and go round your home picking up all the things that have strayed from where they belong, then put them back in their ‘Tidy Place’. You can make it fun and play some music and dance while you do it. Get the children to join in too and race each other.
Tackling the house leaves me feeling overwhelmed especially with so little time to do it and everything else to worry about. Have you got any tips for making it easier?
If you don’t know where to start and feel overwhelmed, start with something easy like your cups and mugs. Do it in 15 minutes. Get rid of any ‘ugly mugs’. Only keep the ones you use regularly and that make you feel happy. The ones you reach for every day 🙂
What’s your favourite tidying quick-win?
My favourite tidying quick win? Hmmm, I have a few. Well, the secret to less clutter is of course less stuff. It’s good to remember that. I think a great quick win is to find a TIDY PLACE for everything in your home – that is really key to successful tidying. It could also be that you don’t know where to tidy it to.
Once you find a ‘home’ or TIDY PLACE for everything in your home you will know where it goes when you tidy up, and where to find it when you need it again. It could be a cupboard, a drawer, a shelf. It could be a basket kept in one of those places. It could be a jar for loose change to stop it being plonked on the kitchen side or the bedside table.
If I get the ‘tidy bug’, where can I find you online to get some more tips?
You can find me on Instagram and I also have a FREE Facebook Group which anyone is welcome to join.
Thank you so much to The Tidy Company – it’s been great finding out a bit more about you. You have certainly given us some inspiration with your great tips and ideas. We are going to nip off for 15 minutes and sort out the ‘man drawer’ in the kitchen for our first quick and easy win!
SJB
So Just Be 