I might be a fan of cleaning, but tidying is a different ball game entirely. I’d love to be the type of person who cleans up while cooking, or someone who puts their laundry away as soon as it's dry.
But no matter how hard I try, these tasks often get left for days on end, leaving areas of my home looking cluttered or messy. In a bid to break this cycle, I came across the 'Visual Clues Trick', which involves leaving Post-it notes around your home as a handy reminder of any chores to get done, and decided to try it out.
I’ve tried many tidying and decluttering tips in my time. But nothing has solved my aversion to tidying like sticking Post-it notes on surfaces around my home. Here I detail how to use these notes as a visual clue, what I use them for and, after speaking to an expert, why it works.
Why I love using Post-it notes as a visual clue to solve my aversion to tidying
I truly believe you’ve either got the ‘tidiness gene’ instilled into every fiber of your being – so clearing away mess is second nature. Or, like me, you don’t possess this power at all.
Don’t get me wrong, I really value having a sanitary space because a clean home makes me happy. Having a spotless space can do wonders for my mental capacity and wellbeing as it can make me feel calm, more productive and in control. That's why I often seek out the best cleaning tips, to take make me and my home feel fresh.
But in midst of a busy working day, where there are deadlines to meet and emails to get back to, I often forget about tidying up certain areas of my home – including my bedroom, workspace and kitchen – until the end of the week. To nip this habit in the bud, I tried leaving myself visual clues, like Post-it notes, available at Amazon, around my home to help me get household jobs done. Two weeks in and this simple trick has stopped my aversion to tidying.
Explaining why this might be helpful, Jamie Hord, founder of Horderly Professional Organizing says, ‘Some people struggle with "out of sight, out of mind", so it can be good to keep certain things visual when organizing your home.
‘Reminders can help you remember what to do when,’ Jamie adds. ‘However, don't go too overboard with these because then it can become something you get too comfortable with and start ignoring them.’
Noted!
The best thing about these bright and beautiful Post-it Notes is that they come with twice the level of staying power, thanks to their super-sticky backing. This means they won't budge or fall off vertical surfaces, so you can use them as visual clues just about anywhere. Coming in a block of 360 notes, if you really wanted to, you can leave yourself a reminder nearly every day of the year.
What you'll need
It's easy to use visual clues, like Post-it notes, around your home. To do so, you'll need:
- Post-it notes: Which pack you pick is entirely up to you. If you plan on using these notes solely for the purpose of a reminder, choose something bright, like these Post-it Super Sticky Notes from Walmart, which come in an orange, powerful pink and neon green colorway. If you intend to use your notes around your home and for work, this Post-it Note collection from Amazon comes in an assortment of sizes and hues.
- Pens: I'm a big fan of using something eye-catching, like these Sharpie Permanent Markers from Walmart, which are down to under $2. As their name suggests, not only will they make a permanent ink mark on your sticky note, but the bold black color won't go unnoticed – which is the whole idea of this visual clues trick.
- A notepad: I used a notepad to help me make a list of all the things I wanted to get done around my home and then put these in priority order, before jotting them down onto sticky notes. I used a small notepad I already had lying around. But this 8-pack of magnetic notepads from Amazon is both fun and functional. The handy magnetic backing means you can keep them on your refrigerator so your to-do list is always in sight.
Super bright (so you won’t be able to ignore them) and super sticky (they come with twice the usual level of stickiness), these Post-it Super Sticky Notes can double up for home life and office work. Plus, if you hurry, you can pick up these household essentials for more than half their usual price.
How I use the visual clues trick in my home
In the kitchen
After learning how to clean a kitchen properly, I make it a goal of mine to have a clean sink and fresh countertops before going to bed every evening. As Hord says, 'It's always nice to wake up to an empty, clean sink.'
So while I've gotten into good cleaning habit, chores like unloading the dishwasher can be left for days on end. Generally speaking, after loading my dishwasher properly, this handy kitchen appliance is ready for a cycle every two-to-three days.
On day three, after placing the dishwasher on a cycle, I place my Post-it note on it, so I know it's ready to be unloaded. After two weeks of trying this trick out, my plates are always unloaded as soon as they're clean, my glasses are in their rightful place and my knives and forks are ready and waiting to be plucked from the draw.
Swipe below to see the before and after images of using this visual clues trick.
In the bedroom
Another sticking point around my home? Putting my clean laundry away after it's finished drying.
I know how to sort clothes for laundry, so have no problem organizing my items into different piles and throwing one heap into the drum. I've also discovered how to make laundry smell better, long after wash day. But I really struggle to hang up all my freshly cleaned clothes after they've been folded. They often sit in a pile in my bedroom for days (if not weeks!).
‘We always say: treat clothes like groceries,' Hord explains. 'As soon as dry cleaning comes into the house, take them out of the packaging, switch out your hangers and put them away just as you would cold food for the fridge. The same thing with clean laundry from the dryer, do it at a time when you have enough time and focus to put it away there and then.'
To avoid having a 'doom pile' in my bedroom for the rest of time and keep me accountable, I stuck a sticky note on my bedroom door.
In my work space
Wires, cables, notepads, pens, you name it. These are just some of the items left on my desk space at the end of the day.
I work from home so my dining table doubles up as my desk. This can work in my favor because it's a large table so has lots of space for my laptop, mouse, keyboard, stand and copious amounts of coffee cups. However, it can look a little worse for wear.
I try to reduce the number of items cluttering my desk space and reducing productivity so try to leave my work items on the table in an orderly fashion. But this can look messy and restrict the amount of space to dine. However, after leaving a sticky note on the back of my laptop, my office-come-dining area has been restored back to its original use come 5pm.
'If you work from home at the dinner table, use organizers and baskets [like these 4.7-star rated Amazon Basics Collapsible Fabric Storage Cubes] to store your work items so that way you can easily transport and move everything when you're done for the day,' Hord suggests. 'Use a closet or cabinet nearby to store your baskets of work materials, along with a plug in for any tech.'
My verdict
The visual clues trick is a mainstay for me, especially in these three areas of my home.
It's nice to have clean plates and cutlery to reach for no matter the day or time. I also really value being able to fully switch off from work and by not having my laptop in plain sight (or reach) I can disconnect more so than before. Plus, for years I've wondered if a messy bedroom affects your sleep and after keeping my 'doom pile' under control, I can confirm it's true.
So all in all? I really recommend setting aside 10 minutes to jot down the household chores you struggle to get done, or areas of your home you're looking to get under control, and trying out this visual clues hack using Post-it notes. You won't regret it!
- Shop sticky notes at Walmart
- Shop sticky notes at Target
- Shop baskets at Anthropologie
- Shop baskets at Amazon
Next up, discover the 90/90 decluttering rule that changed my shopping habits for good.
