Free up space in your home, natural surroundings and your mind to create a more calm and serene environment. This way you (and your kids) can get more things done and appreciate the space you are in. Bring order and tranquility to these five spaces in your life and you’ll immediately feel the difference:
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1. Kids’ workspace desk
– Take things up: Free up desktop space by stashing essentials (from scissors to sticky tape) on a shelf or pegboard.
– Establish order: Want your kids to take more responsibility for their lives? Set up a system – a tray for paper, a folder for to-dos and a wall-mounted calendar for events.
– Big ideas: Choose a desk and shelving setup that will still suit them as their needs grow, and get them to do a purge of paper and unnecessary clutter twice a year.
2. E-mails
– Commit to spending some time every week unsubscribing from unwanted newsletters or spam, or use Unroll.Me, the app that scans your inbox and suggests which contacts to unfollow.
– Slow down on cc-ing everyone about everything. Just this small shift can help reduce your incoming mail.
– Set aside two daily e-mail response times, rather than responding throughout the day.
– In between work tasks? Just 10 minutes can make a notable dent in your inbox.
– Inbox a shambles? Set up rules for instant filing, folders for must-save information and flags for to-dos – and use them!
3. Power cords
– Many gadgets, like external hard drives and camera battery packs, use the same cords. Get rid of multiples and keep a primary and a spare.
– Five minutes to spare? Do a clean-out of outdated cords and tech, and take them to recyclers. (Woolies has bins for batteries in its stores.)
– Cord managers are every desktop worker’s friend. Secure to the underside of your desk to reduce clutter.
4. First-aid kit
– Things you’ll need: plastic bank bags/small ziplock bags and elastic bands.
– Sort medicines into ‘themes’, for example bites and allergies = antihistamine, anti-itch cream and anti-mosquito wipes; headaches, fever and pain = thermometer, paracetamol and ibuprofen. And don’t forget Burnshield!
– Now package themes in different bags. Remember to remove blister packs of pills from boxes and trim half-used packs with scissors. You’ll need a package for cotton-wool pads, gauze pads, plasters, latex gloves, cotton buds and antiseptic wipes.
– Don’t forget to tape a piece of card with all emergency numbers – plus first-aid know-how – to the inside of your kit.
– Wrap all the packages together with elastic bands.
5. Car
– Keep an empty shopping bag looped over your gear lever for inevitable car clutter.
– Next time you’re stuck in traffic, wipe down your steering wheel and dashboard with a wet wipe.
– A once-weekly clean with a hand-held vacuum will mean fewer trips to the carwash down the road.
PHOTO: iStock/Pinkypills
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