How well you organize your day can make all the difference in getting through your to-do list and sticking to your schedule. But while adding certain tools can help you stay on top of everything, it usually requires taking something away to really streamline your habits. But how hard is it to actually make the change? In a recent video, TikTok user and home organization expert @neat.caroline laid out exactly which easy things she quit using and doing to help simplify her life.
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1 | Ironing
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Transitioning out of working from home has meant a big reinvestment in office outfits. But if you’re looking to save some time getting ready, you don’t have to rely on traditional methods for getting wrinkles and creases out of your clothes.
“I rarely break out the ironing board and iron anymore,” @neat.caroline says in her video. Instead, she says she picked up a handy steamer from Nori.
“It’s kind of like a hair-straightening iron but for your clothes,” she explains. “You can alter your settings. You don’t have to whip out the ironing board, the iron, and you can also bring this on your travels.”
2 | Hair Straightening
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Hair and makeup will always take some time to do right. But similar to ironing your clothes, @neat.caroline says she rarely uses a hair iron to straighten her locks anymore.
“Instead, I focus on getting rid of the flyaways on top of my head,” she says. “I use this fly-away attachment with the Dyson hair dryer, and it’s kind of like a two-in-one hair straightener [and] blow dyer, and I’m obsessed.”
3 | Checking Your Phone First Thing in the Morning
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There’s no denying that your phone can be a distraction throughout the day, but it can be especially bad when you roll out of bed and immediately start scrolling.
“I found that when I check my phone first thing in the morning, I am always more distracted throughout the day,” says @neat.caroline.
Instead of scanning texts, emails, and social media before she even gets out from under the covers, she says her routine involves waking up, getting dressed, brushing her teeth, making herself a coffee, and feeding her cat before so much as looking at a notification.
“And then I’ll sit down, read the news, and I find that I’m much more clear-headed throughout the day,” she says.
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4 | Folding Socks, Bras, and Underwear
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Keeping your clothes folded and organized has always been the hardest part of the laundry process. But if you’re spending a lot of energy on your undergarments, you might be able to save yourself some time.
“I no longer meticulously fold my socks KonMari style,” @neat.caroline says. “I just roll them up into a ball—that’s good enough for me!”
She adds that she does the same with bras and underwear. “I toss them in their little compartment, and there you go,” she says in her video, pointing to an in-drawer compartment organizer.
5 | Dry Cleaning Delicate Garments
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The dry cleaner may be a necessary part of maintaining parts of your wardrobe, but that doesn’t make the trip any less time-consuming. Fortunately, you can save some time (and money) by literally taking matters into your own hands.
“I now hand wash a lot of my items with this detergent from The Laundress, and now I can skip the dry cleaners so much more often,” she explains.
6 | Holding Onto Clothes and Shoes You Don’t Love
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We’re all guilty of holding onto clothing items and accessories we think we can make work. But if your wardrobe is gathering more dust than your bookshelf, it might be time to get serious about regularly curating what’s on your hangers.
“My new thing lately is if it’s not a ‘hell yes,’ it’s a ‘hell no,’” she says. “This keeps my closet clutter-free. I’ll send it back and not think a second more of it.”