I’ve been posting some tiny little organising projects that I’ve done in my home over the last couple of weeks.

I had a few (very polite ) comments and emails about how people couldn’t see much difference in the two pictures, which actually warmed my heart.

Because it means my house IS still running like a well-oiled machine, despite the madness that is the twins!

So I thought I’d write about the most important organising step ever – maintenance.

This is how you know if you have a problem with maintenance:

• you can get a place looking nice and orderly but within days (or weeks) it’s a big mess again
• your space is organised but you can’t remember what’s actually in there so your stuff starts piling up in other areas
• you’re too scared to use the organised space in case it gets messy again
• etc
• etc

Coming back to the posts, actual organising of a space should really only happen once, maybe twice a year, or if circumstances change. Like when we had to convert our guest bedroom to the twins’ bedroom. (Now I actually think they need their own bedrooms but that’s another story altogether!)

But maintenance of a space happens all the time.

And it should happen more often the more people use the space.

Something like my bookshelf is only used by me so really shouldn’t get that disorganised if I’m disciplined enough to keep putting books back where they belong.

And therefore only 5 books were decluttered

But a space like my Tupperware cupboard gets small tweaks of about 10 – 20 seconds a time a couple of times a week because 5 people use that space regularly.

Do you see the difference?

I said all that to say this: your system hasn’t failed if you have to constantly make small tweaks to your organising.

This week’s organising challenge

1. Choose one or two already organised areas in your home (a drawer, surface space, shelf, etc.) and go maintain.
2. It shouldn’t take you more than 10 minutes each.

Which areas are you going to work on?

P.S. Remember I was looking for someone to do a button for me? Check out my gorgeous new Organise your Home button here.

We had a ball with the August Declutter Challenge last month.

Everyone was so motivated but I knew that if we didn’t do something to maintain those beautifully decluttered spaces, 80% of our participants would fall back to their old ways.

It’s nothing against you; it’s just a fact of life.

If you don’t change your lifestyle, you’ll revert to your former ways.

Like with weight loss…you can go on a diet and lose weight because you’ve living on water and rabbit food (salad greens) but the minute you start eating normally again, you pile it all back on.

Remember The Friday Declutter Challenge was created to inspire you to live a decluttered lifestyle.

Even if you’ve decluttered things you can’t really take pictures off (like email), just posting about your progress makes you accountable and gives you the support you need.

Your challenge for this week

1. Decide on your plan of attack – work in one room until done, move around the house as things take your fancy, etc.
2. Get to work – whether it’s from one room, from many rooms, from your computer. Just do something, okay?

And don’t forget to link up!

Now for my menu…oh, and there’s a story to last week’s one too

When The Other Marcia posted about mayonnaise last week, I threw out my menu for that night and made some of this pasta salad and it was soooo good.

I’m still not over the mayonnaise cravings so we had some pastrami, tomato and potato salad rolls for lunch on the weekend – YUM! Those really are a small slice of heaven!

For this week’s menu, here’s the plan…

Monday
Sausage, spinach and potato one pot

Tuesday
Spaghetti bolognaise

Wednesday
Chicken curry, pumpkin and rice

Thursday
Pasta salad – I’m using lentils this time

Friday
Chicken burgers and weigh-less chips

Visit Laura for many more menus. There are now over 300 bloggers who menu plan every week!

And don’t forget to visit on Friday to show off what you decide to declutter this week.