How to Avoid the Dread of the Ding Dong

You hear it wherever you go. “We must catch up.” For some of you that little sentence will fill you with dread. Does panic take hold at the suggestion someone may actually turn up at your doorstep, gift in hand, to celebrate the season? Have you ever toyed with the idea of feigning absence just so you don’t have to let them in? Are you under the illusion that everyone else has a perfectly organised and tidy home, and you alone do not? Do you imagine every visitor will judge the dishes on the sink and deem you unfit to hold the keys to your own home? Are you beating yourself up, asking how everyone else seems to keep it together while you struggle? Allow me to bust some myths

• Many people find juggling work, home and family a challenge and feel just the way you do
• Most visitors will see dishes on your sink and think, “thank goodness someone else is just like me”
• Those others may have learned a trick or two along the way, and you can too
• And besides, do you really want to invite people into your home who will judge you?

So my gift to you is a few of those tricks and I’ll let you in on a secret as well. Trick No. 1 Get help. I always say D is for Delegate. And that is all the more true in this busy month. Whether it’s a cleaner to give the guest room or whole house a once over, or a personal concierge to do some shopping and wrapping, a gardener to spruce up the outdoor entertainment area, or the rest of the household members to pitch where required, think about what tasks could be passed on to someone else. Trick No. 2 Take control of your schedule. It’s hard for people to drop by unexpectedly if you’ve already invited them for a specific day and time that suits you. Be sure to leave yourself breathing space and transition time, so that when the doorbell rings you are the serene goddess you wish to be. Trick No. 3 Pick your battles. So you have visitors coming and the whole house is a mess? The visitors don’t need to see the whole house, do they? Limit your efforts to those areas the visitors will have access to. And make use of the doors to the other rooms. Trick No. 4 Think ahead. If you do resort to sweeping the carefully piled contents of the dining room table into one big box till after the New Year, be sure to “bookmark” where you were up to. You may think you’ll remember the contents of the box and what they meant, and that you’ll have ample time later to deal with those papers/clothes/etc. The reality is it’s likely life will continue at sonic speed and by the time you get back to that box, you will have missed a deadline or two, and will struggle to remember why those things were piled just so. You’ll be wondering what on earth to do with them now. Take the time to make some notes on scrap paper, and label the box, and even separate those piles and label those as well. Then make a date in your diary to get back to the box. Or before you know it, there will be the next box and the next, waiting for attention. Believe me, I’ve seen it. Trick No. 5 Keep it simple. Unless you really enjoy cooking, keep your celebration menu simple. Have plenty of delicious quick cheat treats at hand so you can spend time in the tub where every serene goddess should be, instead of slaving in the kitchen. There are some tips for just such treats in previous articles – 5 Ways to Reduce Stress and Make Celebrating a Joy and The Gracious Host. And now, the secret to having the house ready for visitors at any moment is … Invite them more often. One great big motivation to get your home in order is to invite friends to visit. And it’s far easier to stay organised than it is to get organised. Set a date, extend the invitation and work toward an organised home you’ll love and be proud to share with friends. And then do it again. And if it’s all too much, remember D is for Delegate and hire a Professional Organiser.

About our Organising Space Writer

Professional Organiser Angela Esnouf, from Creating Order from Chaos, helps people reclaim their lives. Her personal motto is "Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much". She believes getting organised and living clutter-free helps her live that motto every day. She is dedicated to helping others find a way through the chaos of life to live their personal mottos as well.