We all have inherently lazy tendencies. Well, at least everyone I've ever met does. It's not necessarily a bad thing or something to be ashamed of. It just is what it is We all want to do less work with better results. And I think that's a really good thing. It is actually what drives my whole business: the philosophy of working smarter and not harder.
Do Less Work
Why would I want to complete ten steps in order to achieve the same result in five? This is how I approach the organizing problems I face in the lives of my clients and in my own life as well. How can we make this easier? How can we simplify the process to make it work for you?
Just look at almost any busy household's front entrance. Chances are, on a given day, you'll find a jacket (or two!) crumpled up, the shoes strewn about and a random bag on the floor. And why is that? Because when we get home from work or school we're tired and just want to dump it and go.
The process of opening the front closet, finding a hanger, putting the jacket on the hanger, putting it back on the rod and closing the door is just too much. And for good reason! Why go through all five of those steps when you can simply throw it on the floor? Insanity, right? Annnnd this is where I come in. Stop fighting that instinct to go the easier route. You just need to tweak it a bit. Why not install a few sturdy hooks next to the door and hang your items there? It's still just one step and now you can see the floor again.
You can apply the same logic to the shoes. Save the closet for the the footwear that doesn't get used daily. Put a small mat next to the door and everyone keeps one pair out. The mat offers a contained space, looks neater and as an extra bonus you won't fall on your face tripping over your kids' shoes.
Embrace The Lazy
How often do you find dishes next to the sink but not actually in the sink (or heaven forbid in the actual dishwasher?). Or trash left on the floor because the garbage can in the next room was just too far? No one seems to want to go those extra steps and just get 'er done. So embrace the lazy instead.
For instance, put a small trash bin in nearly every room in the house. It really is the little tweaks that make the biggest difference. I can't even tell you how long it took me to figure that one out. It seems so obvious and simple, but WOW did it make a big impact.
I've also placed a small laundry bucket in the bathroom and the kitchen. The washcloths that we use to wipe all those tiny hands and faces kept ending up on the counter, on the floor or in the sink (which was believe it or not, actually the worst of the three places as they would just stay wet all the time and get stinky). But by taking a trip to the dollar store for a few brightly colored buckets and throwing a cute 'Dirty' chalkboard label on it, everyone now has a designated space to put them and also an easy way for me to bring them to the laundry room.
Streamline Your Routine
Any coffee drinkers out there? If you answered no, we probably can't be friends and you should just stop reading this.
Just kidding, you can apply this to tea as well.
We love coffee in our house (in all fairness we love our tea too and my husband likely keeps David's Tea afloat with his consumption) and I feel that it is really important to look at the things you do everyday and find a way to streamline it. Coffee making is a perfect example. We keep it all in one place. The cupboard that houses our coffee, the filters, and the mugs sits right above the actual coffee maker. And the whole thing is spitting distance away from the sink. Easy. Simple. Uncomplicated.
What daily routines could you streamline? Are there any areas of your home where embracing your laziness would help?
Follow HuffPost Canada Blogs on Facebook