It's all nice and perfect when you get your home freshly decorated, new furniture in, everything is just as you dreamed of. Until... day-by-day kicks in. And it brings kids, dogs, muddy paws, yogurt spoons and endless toys. And husbands too, with shoes, jackets, gloves and lots more stuff that they place somewhere to never be found by themselves again - only that you know exactly where they left everything and keep it recorded in your memory until 3 days later they'll ask 'where did I leave my this and that' and you'll say 'it's in the bottom left drawer where you left it'.
With all that going on, how do you keep your home tidy?
That's where house rules come in, with the aim making your home feel lived in but still organised. They will also help you not have a meltdown every time you have exactly 22 seconds to find the exact pair of shoes that'll match your outfit.
A home that looks lived in but still boasts style and character, and looks tidy is the most rewarding home. Less with the show-homey unattainable tidiness and more with the lived in homes! They show that a family lives and loves their time spent there. And that is the ultimate goal of a designer.
Here I share my top 5 rules for a house that's lived in, loved, and of course, practical!
1- The Hallway Shoe Rule
If you've got a no-shoe policy at home, it means more shoes get left in the hallway. Along with bags, jackets, hats, keys. You should have a designated area for them, a coat rack and bench storage if you have the space, or a slim shoe cupboard may do it for you. You can have a key & letter box as well. Now here's the key to making it work: limit the hallway storage to one or two pairs of shoes per person at a time (depending on the space available) and it should always stay nice and tidy! For more shoe storage solutions check out this post.
2- The Year Rule
Storage is one of the main issues in every home (unless you live in a massive condo with walk in closets in every room). It's good practice to go through your cupboards, drawers and wardrobes once to twice a year. If you see anything that you haven't used in a whole year, bin it/donate it/pass it on! You won't miss it and you'll be thankful for the extra space.
3- The Putting Toys Away Game Rule
If you have kids this is a big one. The little people that bring so much joy into our lives also come with so many toys. So it is super necessary to make putting toys away a fun game. At the end of the day, get them to play 'who can tidy up faster' and voila, you'll have a toy-free adult space to enjoy after they go to bed.
4- The Make It Pretty Rule
If you know there'll be a lot of things on your coffee table or bedside table - things that you know you'll use everyday such as coasters for mugs, reading glasses, note pads - then you can group them together on a tray or cute basket and make them look like part of your décor. Have you though of having a tray on your coffee table ready with cool coasters that will not clash with your décor but will complement it. If you can't get rid of it, make it pretty.
5- The Drawer Dividing Rule
Just because you can't immediately see inside drawers doesn't mean they shouldn't be organised. A practical home is also about finding things you need as quick as you can. Having recently moved home, I seriously need to get some dividers and get organising. So here is the rule. A drawer divider is a time saver! Ah, and make sure everyone knows to put things back where they belong.
Do you currently have any of these rules in place? What house rules do you have? Say Hi and leave a comment below, I'd love to hear from you! x
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