Fighting chaos

11 Jun, 2026

The other day I mentioned rules for myself, that are really more guidelines. Principles. Then I wrote a hundred extremely personally specific rules (guidelines) for how I attempt to keep the chaos at bay.

Most important general stuff

1. Write it down. Straight away. Before I forget it
2. Make a list
3. Have a list of things to do when I’m feeling bad or sad
4. Just do it manually, unoptimised. If it's unbearable then change but I shouldn’t get caught up in the quest for the optimal thing
5. Don't sweat the small stuff
6. Write down systems, or make an faq
7. Index cards. My perfect size for notes on the go, for brainstorming, and so on
8. Do not be tempted by the demons that say “just do it tomorrow.” Do it now
9. But do procrastinate productively

Home stuff

10. Is it worth the time? Invariably yes (xkcd)
11. Half an hour tidying scheduled on a Thursday or Friday specifically to get things nice for the weekend
12. Periodic purging of tupperware, bags, the junk drawer, the bowl by the front door, the desk drawer, the pocket by the driver's seat, the glove compartment, the bottom of the shopping bag where all the receipts and vouchers sink
13. Things should live in the place I instinctively look for them
14. A basket on top of the washing machine for all the individual tea towels, napkins, whatevers to sit in until there's enough to wash rather than being piled on the floor
15. An extra recycling bin upstairs
16. A Roomba
17. I'm always impressed by how big a hole can just be polyfillaed
18. Three smaller nested coffee tables for a completely configurable and expandable coffee table
19. Those little bags to wash washing in seem silly… but they work. I should use them more
20. Clarifying shampoo once in a while (the chaos in this case being my hair)
21. Balsam tissues are worth it
22. All my clothes are the same clothes - a uniform, essentially
23. If I find something (clothes, tools, similar) I like, get more

DIY-ish stuff

24. Design around arm or thumbs reach as the case may be
25. Velcro, command strips, double sided sticky tape are my friends
26. If at all possible design and then build stuff to standard sizes (lengths of wood etc)
27. Cable holders and tidies. Everywhere
28. The same, stackable boxes for everything
29. Label plugs in the wall. A bit of washi tape on the back usually
30. Grouped smart bulbs/plugs to turn all the lights off at once
31. A tiny robot to switch switches if they can't be smart plugged
32. Prop up, blutak, or hang rechargeable motion sensor lights in the understair cupboard, pantry, regular cupboards, attic, wherever. And/or put torches there
33. Keep a head torch in the DIY box and with the cleaning supplies
34. Rechargeable batteries with a proper box and a tester. Not in the same box as the washi tape, ideally
35. Bag and label screws, extra fixings, attachments, whatever. I will forget what the heck it is and what it's for otherwise

Kitchen stuff

36. Meal planning
37. Vitamins live next to the breakfast smoothie station
38. Having a tap high enough to fit the biggest tray / pan under is a game changer
39. Three rolling shopping lists: Big shop, Little shop, Other shop
40. ‘Recycle with bags at larger stores’ stuff goes in the shopping bag
41. Freeze stuff in the tupperware then pop it out like an ice cube and put it in a bag
42. Much larger ice cubes than the standard tray are great. I use a baby food tray
43. Most doughs can be frozen at some point in the baking process
44. Tupperware the right size and shape for what actually goes in it
45. Baskets, trays, racks in the freezer
46. A pizza shelf in the fridge, the exact height of a pizza box
47. Mise en place - set it up before cooking
48. Burn gel. Works wonders
49. Get milk delivered. In nice glass returnable bottles. Subscribe to loo roll delivery at least 48 at a time
50. Use the timer on food to clean and tidy, rather than just sit down
51. Only put as many Pepsi Maxs in the fridge as I am allowed to have that day

Digital stuff

52. Anything that can be templated is templated
53. Label and filter voucher or discount code type emails. Label and filter receipt or invoice emails
54. Filters on email so only unexpected stuff gets to the inbox
55. Keep the email inbox and the downloads folder at zero
56. Screenshot loyalty card QR codes and the like rather than having the app. Keep them all together in a folder or a notes page
57. Go to what might be viewed as extreme lengths to keep minimal apps, tracking online, the like
58. Use the Whatsapp widget to preview messages before triggering read receipts
59. Syncing tabs is amazing
60. Choose a different font to proofread in
61. Remap your keyboard to suit how you actually use it (link)
62. On Bearblog I changed the post template to the date of the beginning of the month and the time 20:00. I also add a 'placeholder' meta description and tag to remind myself to fill them out if necessary
63. Create a draft links post and just paste stuff in there as I find it until there’s enough to hit publish

Out and about stuff

64. The phone goes in one pocket, the wallet and keys in the other. Same pocket every time
65. Anything that needs to leave the house gets hung on the door or put directly in front of the door so the door can't physically be opened without engaging with it
66. Each coat gets its own pair of gloves in the pocket
67. A dedicated spot for all the 'come back free any time in a year' tickets
68. The trolley pound is sacrosanct. Do not borrow the trolley pound for anything else
69. A pair of sunglasses that are only used in the car and do not leave the car so there is always a pair of sunglasses in the car
70. A little bag of paracetamols, sanitary towels, that sort of thing, in the car glove compartment
71. Duct tape in the car. Duct tape in the greenhouse. Duct tape holds my life together
72. Check the route even if I know where I am going - I do not know closures, accidents, delays
73. Before heading anywhere to see anyone ask if there's any errands to do / shopping to get / things they need
74. Battery packs. Charged and ready to go
75. Spare sanitary products in every bag, pocket, crevice
76. Anything I need for swimming is in the swimming bag ready to go

Doing stuff

77. Weekly diary meetings. Weekly schedules
78. On my schedule put the time I need to leave, then the time of the event: ‘1545 leave for appt at 1630’. Scans better and tells me what I actually need to be doing
79. Arrange the next meet up / game night / writing session / whatever during the current one
80. Make use of the all-day calendar slot and question mark for potential events
81. Check events at venues every three months. Exhibitions, concerts, and so on
82. Make a note of upcoming stuff that I want to do or for next year if I found out about it too late this year
83. A dedicated spot in the house for all Christmas presents, birthday cards, and whatnot
84. Buy next year’s Christmas cards in the January sale
85. Batch buy birthday and other annual cards quarterly at least. If there might be confusion later about who they are for I should label / mark / write them
86. Write down what gifts I got people each year so I’m not worried about duplicates
87. Write down what I do during the year so I’m not trying to remember it all at the end
88. Make notes on restaurants: what we ate, what to avoid, how best to book, and so on
89. Make notes on places we go: good shops, restaurants, things to do, and so on

Outdoorsy stuff

90. Log what is happening in the garden each year for comparison purposes
91. Hose plants down under the shower for a combined watering and dusting
92. A roll of dog poop bags in the greenhouse for picking up cat or fox poop from the garden
93. Compost but also know there will never be enough homemade compost
94. Put more brown in the compost. More. More than that. Keep going
95. When buying compost remember cheap compost is cheap for obvious reasons. The expensive compost is expensive for no good reason. Somewhere in the middle
96. A little tripod stool for the garden
97. Buy better tent pegs than the ones that come as standard
98. Tarp for the tent. Everyone has them and I can see why
99. First aid kits with the stuff we actually need and most use, like bite cream and antacid
100. Standard sun cream bottles are way too big. Decant or get travel sized to put in every bag, by every door, in the car. Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen)

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