Tidy up better: Here's how to create order without stress

Proper tidying up is good for your mental health

Our home is the reflection of our soul—tidying up is not an exception. Psychology states that an orderly environment calms inner chaos, promotes concentration, and lifts the mood. What is more, when you tidy up, you often get to know your home in a new way. You will discover long-forgotten treasures or get inspiration for creating a fresh new look. And nothing is better than relaxing on the couch after a hard day's work and admiring the results of your creativity.

Systematic tidying up: 5 golden rules

Tidying up properly means tidying up cleverly. It’s best to start with the rooms where order is absolutely essential: In the home office, it creates a perfect working atmosphere; in the living room, it provides relaxation after a long day.

You don't have to become a minimalist when tidying up and decluttering, or spend hours tidying every room. On the contrary: If you approach tidying up systematically and follow these five golden rules in your daily life, a tidy home will become a child's play:

1. Always proceed step by step. Whether it's a room, a chest of drawers, or just a drawer: Set yourself specific goals when tidying up.
2. Looks are (almost) everything. Empty surfaces, a made bed, and neatly draped blankets or cushions on the couch create an instant impression of order.
3. Each step brings order. Do you want to quickly go into the bedroom or get something from the kitchen? Check if you can take something with you directly to put it in its place.
4. More storage space is often not necessary. If your drawers are overflowing, you should declutter before buying a larger chest of drawers. Always.
5. Do it immediately. If something can be cleaned up in a minute, do it immediately. This saves you hours of work on weekend projects.

Tidying up the living room: relaxed coziness

A little bit of chaos is allowed in the living room. Ultimately, you should be completely yourself here. Therefore, tidying up is not about rigorous order, but creating a feel good atmosphere. Furniture plays a major role in this:

Lowboards or chests of drawers with closed fronts create a calm impression—regardless of whether there is disorder behind the doors. If you love open shelves, knick-knacks simply disappear into pretty storage boxes and baskets with a textile look.

Baskets are truly versatile and perfect for a tidy home. Toys, blankets or hobby supplies are perfectly stored in baskets next to the couch or armchair—and always within easy reach.

You can also create a tidy look through the room design. A carpet in the seating area creates a haven of peace and stimulates the sense of order: We want to fully enjoy the soft surface and perfectly showcase its beautiful appearance. So we almost automatically put away things that don't belong there.

Tidying-up tip: Do you love books? Sort them by color! Especially in small living rooms, color-coded bookshelves create a much calmer atmosphere.

Tidying up your home office: Get to work!

Is your desk buried under mountains of paper, and does the search for important documents take forever? Let’s change that. A tidy office increases productivity and saves you a lot of time. The most important tidying-up tip? Everything has its place—and is immediately put back there after use.

Create an organizational system using file folders, rolling containers and desk organizers, where everything from pens to important invoices can be kept within easy reach. Furthermore, the following applies:

1. Start each workday in a tidy office. At the end of the day, tidy up your desk, file documents, put folders back in the filing cabinet, etc. If your home office greets you in a “functional state”, you immediately switch to a work mode.
2. Record your thoughts clearly. Ideas, project sketches, dates, etc. should not be written down on scattered scraps of paper, it is better to place them on a flip chart, a magnetic board or a wall calendar. This way you always keep an eye on deadlines, while your mind is free for the next steps.
3. Label everything. From storage boxes to file folders, every organizational aid receives a label. Now you don't have to remember where you've put things, and you can find everything with one easy reach. Thermal label printers are handy, ready to use immediately and do not require extra ink.

Extra tip: Your laptop, as a digital desk, also needs to be organized. Your desktop should only contain materials and documents that you currently need. Everything else is neatly sorted and indexed in storage. You should also regularly declutter your email inbox and your cloud storage.