NOV 26 - HOW TO - How To Plan A Lovely Day Out

The easier your home is to look after, the less of your life you have to spend looking after it. A few thoughtful changes can mean less cleaning, less maintenance and fewer little jobs quietly waiting for your attention.

LET’S MAKE LIFE A LITTLE EASIER

This isn't about having a perfectly organised home or getting rid of everything you own. It's about noticing the things that repeatedly create work — and seeing whether you can make them just a little easier.

The best place to begin isn't with a room — it's with the jobs you find yourself doing again and again. The surface that's always cluttered. The cupboard that's awkward to reach. The shower that's forever needing a scrub. Make a mental list of the things that regularly make you think, “Oh, not that again.”

01 - START WITH WHAT ANNOYS YOU

If something is constantly being left out, its proper home may simply be in the wrong place. Keep everyday things close to where you actually use them — not where you think they ought to live. A basket, drawer or hook in the right place can save an extraordinary amount of putting away.

02 - KEEP THINGS HANDY

The more things you have to move before you can wipe a surface, the less likely you'll be delighted about cleaning it. Keep frequently cleaned surfaces relatively clear and group smaller items on a tray or in a basket so they can all be moved at once.

03 - KEEP SURFACES SIMPLE

TOP TIP

Follow the one-touch rule.

Where you can, store things so you can reach them in one movement. If you have to move three things, lift a box and take off a lid every time you want something, putting it away will eventually become tomorrow's job.

You don't need to rush out and replace anything. But when something eventually needs changing, make “How easy is this to look after?” part of the decision. Washable covers, wipeable finishes and materials that don't need special treatment can quietly remove work from your future.

04 - CHOOSE EASY-CARE OPTIONS

Heavy things above your head, everyday things at the back of deep cupboards and frequently used items near the floor all make ordinary jobs harder than they need to be. Give the easiest-to-reach spaces to the things you use most.

05 - MAKE THINGS EASY TO REACH

Look for one household task you could stop doing, do less often or make easier. A small change to where something lives or buying a second inexpensive item so you don't carry it between rooms or a change to how intensively you do it could remove one regular job from your list.

06 - REMOVE ONE REPEATING JOB

TRY THIS - THE 10 MINUTE HOME WALK

Take ten minutes and wander through your home — no cleaning, tidying or reorganising allowed. You're simply looking for the little things that make life harder than they need to be.

WHAT AM I ALWAYS PUTTING AWAY?
If something is constantly left out, perhaps it needs a more convenient home.

WHAT AM I ALWAYS CLEANING?
Could you keep less on the surface, move something elsewhere or make it easier to wipe down?

WHAT IS AWKWARD TO REACH OR USE?
Everyday things deserve the easiest spaces. Move anything you use regularly somewhere you can reach without stretching, bending or rummaging.

WHAT JOB DO I KEEP PUTTING OFF?
Ask yourself why. Could you make it smaller, do it less often, change the way you do it — or perhaps stop doing it altogether?

You don't need to change everything. Spotting just one thing that could be easier is enough for today.

GOOD TO KNOW

Your house doesn't know how often you're supposed to clean it.

There is no household rulebook requiring the skirting boards to be dusted every Tuesday or the windows cleaned because the calendar says so. If something still looks perfectly fine, you are entirely allowed to leave it alone.