Canadian designer Jillian Harris, known for Love It or List It Vancouver and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, recognizes the process isn’t simple – especially if you’re taking on a significant clean. However, when armed with the right home organizing ideas, you can achieve a tidier home quicker – and it will likely look good for longer. This starts with the correct method, she says. ‘I love to organize – and while at first, I thought I was a little crazy with this mentality, I thought there have to be people out there like me. And for those who are baffled by my ways, I want you to know that there is a method to the madness – and I’m going to share it with you,’ Jillian Harris says in her blog (opens in new tab). Here are her steps.
1. Schedule your clean
When Jillian shared her method, she had just moved into her new home, so she did begin by decluttering her entire space. However, if you’re not new to your home, it is better to begin at the next step – scheduling. ‘I love to schedule everything, including cleaning. I use the notes app on my iPhone for my cleaning checklist,’ she says. The designer assigns chores to either herself or her partner Justin Pasutto and checks them off as they are completed. ‘They disappear from your list, but they also reoccur every single week. You really thought you could get out of chores that easily? Not in this household!’
2. Organize
Whether you’re organizing a living room, bedroom, or entryway – Jillian’s method remains the same. She starts by taking baskets, bins, and storage containers and separating items in her drawers with smaller containers that keep ‘random odds and ends’ in place. ‘It’s the perfect way to keep your home looking neat and tidy,’ Jillian says. ‘You name it, it has a home.’
3. Take it one step at a time
If you like to multitask, you’ll likely bring this ideology into all parts of life, including your home. However, Jillian says that it is better to focus on one room and take it one step at a time. Whether you’re decluttering toys or cleaning windows, you should not take on a new area until each room is entirely complete. ‘Slow and steady wins the race,’ the designer adds.
4. Maintain your clean for 15 minutes
‘If you can get into the habit of cleaning for 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes in the evening every day – you’ll be surprised at just how much you can get done,’ Jillian says. This simple cleaning tip will allow you to maintain order between larger cleans and make deeper cleans feel less daunting (when the time comes). Fraiche Food, Full Hearts shares a glimpse behind Jillian Harris and Tori Wesszer’s lives and the recipes that have fed their families through the years. It includes ideas for birthdays, Valentine’s Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
