The Most Unromantic Gift Is A Home Full Of Chores
Declutter your home to invite more romance into your life.
Rido / shutterstock No one ever thinks about giving an unromantic gift for Valentine’s Day, do they? The answer is, of course not! However, let’s think about the message a home full of chores sends your love interest, partner, or spouse.
Chores that are left undone shout at us by virtue of the fact they are there staring us in the face. It’s hard to relax when we are surrounded by clutter, piles of papers, and obvious chores left undone. It’s even harder to feel romantic in such a setting.
When you think about Valentine’s Day, you probably picture soft lighting and music playing in the background. Maybe there is a vase full of long-stemmed red roses and a box of chocolates nearby.
You might imagine a delicious aroma coming from the kitchen and perhaps snacks set out with your favorite beverage ready to pour. Your spouse, partner, or love interest is there ready to pay attention to you.
If you have children, the two of you may have decided to either go out or order in after the children have gone to bed so you can have an evening to yourselves.
If you want to inspire romance in your partner, spouse or love interest, declutter and organize your home so the clutter isn’t attracting all the attention.
Be honest with yourself. As you look around your home, specifically your living room, dining table, and bedroom, is it warm and welcoming? Can you see yourself being romantic or is yours a home full of chores shouting at you?
No one wants to come home and face piles of things just waiting to be addressed. In particular, no one feels inclined toward romance when the honey-do list is a mile long.
Set yourself up for romance and tackle that home full of chores.
Start now at the beginning of February to prepare your home for romance so that you are only attending to a few chores at a time.
1. Declutter your entry first.
Look at what gets left there. Do you kick off your shoes, plop your purse, tote bag, or backpack down wherever?
Add hooks to the inside of the coat closet door so it’s easy to hang up tote bags and backpacks. If you have room near the front door, put a tray on the floor to corral the shoes everyone kicks off as they walk through the door.
Clearing the way into your home is the first step to creating a romantic ambiance. It makes a person feel welcome when there is nothing blocking their way.
2. Make the living room a priority.
Are there stacks of papers covering every horizontal surface? Maybe there are magazines and catalogs piled about.
Go through the piles. Determine the next action with each piece of paper. Does it require payment, a phone call, a follow-up email, or can it be recycled or shredded? Sort the piles according to the next action then assign a day and time to follow through.
Look at the magazines and catalogs and decide if they can be recycled or if there is an article you want to read. If there is, find a place to put those magazines or catalogs. Better yet, tear out the article you want to read and put it in your tote bag, purse, or backpack. When you find yourself somewhere waiting with nothing to do, pull out the article and read it!
Do you fold your laundry in the living room? Once it is folded, the next step in the laundry process is to put it away. Create the habit of putting the laundry away so it isn’t staring at you in the family room demanding to be put away.
3. Look at the dining room.
Maybe the dining table is where all those papers are lurking. Follow the procedure outlined above to tackle any papers on your dining table.
Create a romantic atmosphere and clean off the table. Make it a lovely, available spot to have a delicious dinner with interesting conversation. Be sure to put away your cell phone.
If you have boxes or piles of things to return stashed in the corners of either the living room or dining room, deal with them before Valentine’s Day. Cut down the boxes and recycle them. Schedule time to take the items back to the store. Get these things out of the corners and out of your house.
4. Spend extra time on your bedroom.
Make your bed. Declutter your bedside table. Hang up, fold or put away any clothes laying about. Dust and vacuum the room and you're done! None of these tasks will take you very long if you work on them a little at a time.
Decide where you want to work first. Gather the things you need to have with you to complete the task. This may be cleaning supplies, trash bags, or containers. Set your timer for 10 minutes or put on a playlist 10–15 minutes long.
You will be amazed by how much you can accomplish in a short length of time. Celebrate your progress and then schedule time to work in another area on another day.
Your home will be Valentine’s Day ready in no time at all!
Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia.