If you make this simple change to your daily habits, your home will achieve neatness nirvana – and remain there.

Seriously, this one tip will rock your personal organization world.

Are you ready? Here it is…

My Very Best Life-Changing Tip For A Clutter-Free Home

Include cleaning up as part of every single task.

Think of it as expanding your task definition. Whatever you use, take out, or work on, you put away as part of that activity.

What this means is that ‘cleaning up’ ceases to be a separate action – you no longer think of it as distinct from the task and able to be done later.

Rather, each task expands to include whatever is needed to restore order to the space. As a result, you leave everything at least as tidy as you found it.

Here Are Some Examples:

• Having dinner? That includes stacking the dishwasher when you’re done.
• Working on a craft? Returning your craft supplies to their home is part of the project.
• Watching a DVD? Put all remotes, DVDs and cases back where they belong before you move on.
• Getting home from work? Include as ‘getting home’ the acts of hanging up your coat, placing keys on the hall table and putting your purse or briefcase in the study (or wherever they live).
• Wrapping a gift? Replace the sticky tape and gift wrap, and put the gift in a spot that will prompt you to take it to the party.
• Getting ready to go out? Return discarded outfits to the closet and put away make-up, hair products and the hairdryer.
• Waking up? Open blinds and windows, make the bed, and leave the bedroom looking tranquil.

You get the idea.

This Works For The Kids, Too:

• Playing with toys? Playing includes returning every toy to the toybox, bin or drawer where it belongs.
• Changing out of school clothes? That means putting new clothes on and placing old clothes in the hamper or wherever they need to go.
• Doing homework? Return books, pencil cases and school stuff to the backpack as part of the homework. (Bonus: This one might help avoid the dreaded homework-left-at-home drama, too.)

Home Organization Is Easier Than You Think

If your home is in a disorganized state right now, this lifestyle change will also help to reduce the clutter. How? As you pick up after yourself you’ll pick up bits that aren’t related to the present task as well as those that are. Over time, the clutter will lessen. It’s the opposite of entropy.

Of course, you could always start with a nice clutter-free home by

• Filling a Huge Trash Bag (Get Organized Mission #1) or
• Decluttering 50 Items (Get Organized Mission #8)

and then use My Very Best Life-Changing Tip to maintain the lovely order you create.

Try this organizing strategy for a week and your home will start to become transformed. Please let me know how you go.

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Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/higashitori/ / CC BY-ND 2.0

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3. Getting Organized: How To Schedule Personal Organization Reminders