Something I have realised over time is that mess inherently attracts mess. If there are dirty dishes in the sink, clothes on the floor etc, you are significantl

Something I have realised over time is that mess inherently attracts mess. If there are dirty dishes in the sink, clothes on the floor etc, you are significantly more likely to add to said mess (often it's unconscious). With the above in mind, take a look at everything you own, every single item in your apartment. Do you really need all of them? Don't fool yourself by holding on to random crap thinking it will be of use one day - it won't. Either throw it out or give what you can to Salvation Army. Less is more. > How do I efficiently clean up an area and keep it clean while still using it? When cooking dinner, for example, I have the sink filled with hot water & detergent & I go back & forth between cooking & washing what is finished with. As you're waiting for something to boil, do some dishes etc. TIPS: .Rinse all dishes in VERY hot water & they dry very quickly by themselves, so you can simply put them away after you've eaten. If you've just fried/cooked something on the stove, scrub the pan immediately after you drain the food out (while the pan is still hot) with detergent. Don't give any food/oil a chance to solidify - it will take you 4 times a long to clean if you leave it until tomorrow. In certain situations, it's better to leave a pot/pan to soak overnight (e.g. after cooking rice). > How do I put away a large number of miscellaneous items in a manner that I know where they are and can easily be found again? Create themes of storage areas for the items that go in them. Garage for tools, cleaning supplies. Study for stationary, printing ink etc. Basically, keep things that are related to each other in the same place. > How do I put away bowls and food storage containers such that they don't avalanche on me when I open the cabinet? How many food storage containers do you have? How many do you need? You know the deal.. > How do I organize important documents such that I never lose them and can retrieve them after several years? Take screenshots with your phone - archive everything in folders via email (bills, tax, receipts etc) so that you can always refer back to it. > About how much time should I expect to be devoted to house chores each day/week? Hard to say without knowing exactly how messy you are. In a general sense, dinner dishes & hanging clothes in your room are a daily chore. Do a big vacuum/sweep, mop & clean toilets on Sunday morning each week with some fun music on. Do a big bathroom clean (bleach, glass cleaner etc) once a month. Perhaps create a schedule/calendar for yourself to hold yourself accountable. Start thinking about Saturday or Sunday as "chores day". And when you've done your chores, make sure to reward yourself in the afternoon/evening to reinforce the habit.