Many people find themselves stuck in the Organizing Loop of doing a big home declutter and organizing session, only for the home to become disorganized and cluttered a short time later. Without small maintenance habits, this cycle repeats itself over and over, resulting in frustration.
If you’ve ever fallen into this cycle, you may feel that there’s no way out. But a few simple home organizational habits can help you keep your home organized. One of our favourites is the Sunday reset routine.
The Sunday reset is a great method to implement because it’s quick, manageable and produces results. You no longer need to dread dedicating an entire weekend to getting your home organized. An hour is all you need to set you on the right path for the week ahead.
To break it down, the Sunday reset is a one-hour block that you split into six 10-minute tasks. It can easily be adapted to your home, family, and schedule, and will look something like this:
Minutes 0 – 10: Do a Quick Whole-Home Reset
This is not a deep decluttering session, and you’re not trying to declutter every drawer or closet. Focus on high-traffic areas, such as your kitchen and entryway. Take a quick walk through all the main living spaces, replacing items that have migrated from their ‘homes’, putting them back in their places, and clearing obvious surface clutter.
Minutes 10 – 20: Reset the Kitchen
The kitchen is the heart and often the nerve-centre of every home. It is the busiest place for families. A clutter-free, organized kitchen makes the rest of your home feel more organized.
Spend these 10 minutes:
- Putting away food and miscellaneous items
- Checking the refrigerator for expired or forgotten food
- Clearing and wiping down all countertops
- Organizing your pantry
- Refilling and organizing your snack cupboard/drawer (great for school-aged children)
Minutes 20 – 30: Laundry & Bedrooms
Unfinished tasks result in disorganization and clutter. Finishing small tasks (like putting away folded laundry) instead of allowing them to pile up will help you stay ahead.
- Finish up weekly laundry
- Put away clean laundry
- Ensure shoes and personal items are where they belong
- Tidy up nightstand, getting rid of any clutter
- Ensure anything that may be needed for the week (backpacks, bags, etc.) is easily accessible for the upcoming week
Minutes 30 – 40: Mail, Papers & Random Clutter
Even though many of us have gone digital, there is still an influx of junk mail and random paperwork that makes its way into our homes, which can easily pile up, creating a cluttered environment. Stay ahead by:
- Sorting the week’s mail
- Recycling junk mail immediately
- Creating a designated place for bills or paperwork that need actioning
- Emptying bags and backpacks
- Sorting through receipts, school papers and other loose documents and filing, shredding, or recycling as needed
Minutes 40 – 50: Prepare for the Week Ahead
Look at your family’s schedule for the upcoming week to help with your prep. Swimming Lessons? Baseball Practice? Hockey Practice? Have each member check that what they need for the upcoming week is ready to go (uniforms are clean, and bags are packed and easy to grab). Remind everyone to put away anything that is not needed for the week.
Check through your fridge and pantry to create a shopping list for the week’s meals and snacks.
Minutes 50 – 60: The Final Reset
Take one final walk through the house, putting away anything that might still be out of place. Empty garbage and recycling, give a quick dusting or vacuum, and you’re done!
And remember, you’re not going for perfection, but rather maintenance. If you implement smaller habits throughout the week, like doing evening resets, dealing with mail as soon as it comes in, and getting everyone in the house on board, you will find that your Sunday reset may even be done in half the time.
By creating small, maintainable habits, you’ll soon find it will be easy to maintain an organized home.
