When it comes to decluttering, we often think only of our indoor spaces. However, cleaning and maintaining your outside spaces like your patio area, shed and gardens are also important! Not only does a regular edit help you stay on top of the clutter, but it also helps you stay on top of maintenance and repairs. And let’s face it – a clean and well-maintained outdoor area and garden means you are more likely to spend time there and not just let it become an overgrown dumping ground!
Here are some jobs to consider for your next outdoor edit:
- Get rid of old garden organics that are out of date – half bags of dried-up soil, old bottles of fertiliser and chemicals. Dispose of thoughtfully and carefully.
- Refresh pot plants with some new soil and a good feed. Trim back bushes and shrubs, edge your lawns and test your reticulation systems regularly. Add pea hay, mulch, or pebbles to keep everything tidy.
- Sheds are often a dumping spot for odds and sods – grab your big bin and throw out anything you haven’t used recently or have been storing for too long. Are those rusted tools worth keeping? If so, give them a good clean and oil and store correctly so they stay functional.
- Wash your outdoor soft furnishings and consider moving things around for a fresh look. A couple of bright outdoor cushions or an outdoor rug can really transform a space, and using covers in the winter will help protect your furniture from the rain and inclement weather.
- Give your patio or paving a good clean! Being exposed to the elements and traffic 365 days a year can create a lot of mess and build up. Declutter the general area and sweep away weeds, dirt, and dried leaves. Choose a environmentally friendly patio cleaner solution and a stiff bristled broom for a good scrub or go for ease and use a high-pressure hose.
- Pop an old sock over your outdoor broom and use it to clear cobwebs from your walls and eaves – such a simple way to make everything look much fresher.
While you are outside in ‘declutter’ mode – take a visual audit of areas like gutters, paving, reticulation, and pools (if you have one) and whether they need extra attention or repairs as well. Maintaining outdoor areas can become a lot of work if you let things go too long – so remember the rule of ‘little and often’ and
You’ll soon have your outdoor areas in top shape and ready for your next get together!
An option is to create a “waiting” folder at the top of your inbox where you store emails that are pending a response, however as with all good systems, you must remember to check this on a regular basis.
The focus is to start and set something up to get that inbox to a manageable level, the goal is not to have to scroll so you can see all your pending emails on one page, you can always tweak folders later as needs change.
There are many automations you can set up within Outlook or other email platforms which will further streamline your inbox, however getting things to a manageable level is no. 1 priority.
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