How organised is your house? Take the test.

I’ve recently connected with Lesley Spellman who owns the Clutter Fairy and I will be including some of her articles here from time to time. Lesley, who provides her services throughout Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Cheshire has very kindly offered a discount to Silver Concierge clients and website members. See below for more details.

How organised is your house? Take the test.

Studies suggest as a nation we waste up to thirty minutes a day looking for things, quite often frantically and turning the house upside down in the process.

Does that ten minutes before the school run sound familiar? The key to an organised home is knowing where everything is. It doesn’t matter what your style of living is, your belongings should be somewhere you can easily find them. So how in control are you?

Here’s a test to work it out. See how long it takes you to find the following.
Your spare car keys, your birth certificate, a full PE kit for your child (if you have one), the sellotape, your February credit card statement, the charger for your digital camera.

If thirty minutes goes by and you’re still looking, you’ve got some steps to take if you want an organised home.

If you manage to find everything in fifteen minutes, you’re doing well but there is still time being wasted that you could be spending doing something much more enjoyable.

Under ten minutes and you are totally in control and efficient. Well done!

So, if you’re in the first two categories, what can you do to change?

Take ten minutes out a couple of times a day to get things back to their rightful places.

In my house, I have a basket in my hall and anything that finds its way downstairs that shouldn’t be goes into the basket and the kids’ job is to empty it into the room it belongs in. That way, everything is where it should be. If it isn’t, there is a fair chance it will be in the basket. And finally, the kids have a good idea at least what room something should be in. It’s that easy!! A place for everything and everything in its place.

Is clutter taking over your life?

You really want to live clutter free - in fact you would give anything to have a calmer, more organised home, but you just don't know where or how to get started. Don't despair, help is at hand. The Clutter Fairy offers a confidential, hands-on decluttering service. Together, you will decide what stays and what goes and organise your belongings into a sensible system which works for you. After even just one session of decluttering, you can learn to love the home you live in again. For more info visit http://www.clutterfairy.co.uk

The Clutter Fairy is offering Silver Concierge customers a discount off their normal rates. To access the discount code you just need to join as a member on Silver Concierge's website and they will then send you the code you need to claim your discount from us.

Spring Cleaning

The days are getting longer and the urge to do some spring cleaning around the garden is now passing onto the house. It's time to declutter somewhere - a cupboard, the wardrobes or my office.

It can be hard going through your own clutter but you feel a sense of freedom when the clothes are hung neatly together or the shelves, cupboards or your office are all tidy and you know that you will use the items you have kept and those that are going will be useful to others. Such a time saver having things that you need easily to hand. This article which appeared in the Daily Express - "Wave goodbye to bad clutter habits forever" includes useful tips on decluttering.

If you are pressed for time or need a hand or are even overfaced by the thought of decluttering then contact us for a free, no obligation consultation if you live in the North Cheshire or South Manchester area. If you live elsewhere we may be able to help you with a local contact .... please ask and we will do our best to help.

I am organised around the house but I've chosen my wardrobe for it's annual review. What haven't I worn over the past 12 months? Does it suit me or fit me? Does it need repairing - a button to be sewn back on or does a hem need attention - the small sewing jobs I can do myself otherwise I'll take it to the alterations service I use. Does that pair of shoes need re-heeling? If so they're taken to the cobblers. Is there really another reason for the item to be kept ? If not then it's off for recycling.

I use the local charity shops of which there are many but I also use sites such as Freegle or Freecyle and these links take you to the North West region. I also use The Furniture Station which provides a great public service. If you have any bedding or towels for recyling your local pet sanctuary might find them useful but best to ring and check what they need before you drop any items off.

When Spring cleaning and decluttering be tough with your decisions .... do you really need it, are you really going to use it ever again? ... otherwise the place you are decluttering will remain just as full/untidy when you have finished as when you started.