All habits take a repetition of about 21 repeats for them to take hold and become a new routine. So try adding this one to your repertoire.
Every evening before I retire I do what I refer to as the 15 Minute Miracle Dash. Do a quick clear and straighten of my living area, any item that doesn’t belong in that room gets moved to the room it does belongs to. Quick jobs such as straightening lounge cushions and magazine or book piles; newspapers to the recycling box ready to be put out next time; coffee cups and any other kitchen items returned to the kitchen or put in the dishwasher; kid’s stuff returned to their rooms and put in their catch-all baskets ready for them to attend; any socks or other items of clothing for the wash put in the laundry; anything for the ‘to-do’ list, including little bits of paper with phone messages go to the ‘family central command centre’ to enable them to be attended to; mobile phones to their charging stations and cordless phones back to their base station; keys near the door or in the bag or briefcase; wallets in a safe place, I think you get the idea.
Believe me there is nothing nicer than waking up to a house that feels under control. This sort of thing can also be done in TV ad-breaks. Train yourself to do this and the kids and the partner should hopefully learn from you.
This tip is not only done to help keep you tidy and clutter-free, but also to help you in case of emergency. Think about what needs to be where for a quick evacuation in case of fire, or if someone in the house falls ill through the night and you suddenly need to either go to a hospital fast or call an ambulance. Being organised could save your life.
Your challenge this month dear readers is to do the 15 Minute Miracle Dash for 21 days. See if it makes a difference to the start of your next day each week, and helps to make you feel safer and more organised. I’d love to hear your feedback, especially if this has had a flow-on affect with the rest of the family.
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