Sometimes there just isn't any time to buy bins, racks, and other things to get a room in order quickly. As much as you would like a closet, drawer or something else to look quite nice, when there is little time and money to make your home look neat and smell great, you have to do what you can. So here are a few tips.
1. Look around, items that are out in the open that don't make desks, counters, tables, and other surface areas charming, you are going to remove them.
2. Seek a place to store these things temporarily until guests have left. (Note: if you have empty bins, containers, or something similar use them, then tuck a way, read more below.)
3. Sort items only if you have time. Take those items that belong somewhere and add them to the rest such as: pens, papers, and other little things.
4. Now prepare to stack and/or pack any items that need to be put away.
5. Place items in those open spaces you found earlier. For instance, an open floor space in a closet, behind furniture, under a table, or inside a cabinet might be available for you to squeeze a few more things.
6. Ditch the dirty dishes in the dishwasher or cover them up with a towel if they are sitting in the sink. (NOTE: If you have no time to remove the clean ones, make room for the dirty ones and turn back on. Better to run the machine again then to have a guest walk into your kitchen and want to run back out.)
7. Dirty laundry is stored away in a far corner of a room or placed in a garbage bag (if you have no basket) and put in a closet.
Remember, these are temporary spots, so make yourself a note where you placed these things, so you can retrieve them later and put them in better spots.
Nicholl McGuire is a wife, mother of four and enjoys being neat and tidy. Check out her blogs:
Laboring to Love an Abusive Mate and
When Mothers Cry.
