Listen, we're not filthy slobs, but the idea of reading a whole book about tidying and then spending one of our designated days off work clearing out a wardrobe because Marie Kondo told us to… no thanks.
But now, thanks to Stacey Solomon’s Instagram and recent book launch, we're starting to become obsessed with tidying. And we're not alone – Loose Women presenter Stacey has 5 million Instagram followers who are all hooked on her daily ‘tap to tidy’ stories and over 8,000 reviews on her Tap to Tidy book rating it an average of 4.8 out of 5 stars. That says it all!
SHOP: Stacey Solomon's Tap To Tidy Book
Filled with daily recipes, craft projects, tidying wins, and uplifting messages, the Tap to Tidy book launched in March 2021 when Stacey said: 'Thanks to your kindness, support, love, and encouragement, I was given the chance to write a book and I said yes. And today this came through the door and my stomach has been doing summersaults ever since. I can hand on my heart say I’ve thought so much for so long about every word, drawing, diagram, craft, snack, tap to tidy, and playlist in it, from cover to cover. It’s taken over my life for the last year.'
And we can totally see how the Tap To Tidy book came to be a favourite.
Stacey Solomon's 'tap to tidy' Instagram stories
Stacey’s original 'tap to tidy' is genius. She takes a picture of a messy room, tidies it, and then takes a picture from the same angle. She then posts the messy room picture on her Instagram Stories and you can ‘tap to tidy’ (TTT) – when you tap, the newly organised room picture appears.
Make sense? If not, just head to Stacey’s Stories for a look. You can thank us later.
It’s not only the usual ‘putting the toys away and shoving the old papers in the bin’ type of tidy (though watching her lounge change from toy-laden to adults only is pretty impressive), Stacey is the queen of organising. She regularly transforms everything from her fridge to her utility room into an oasis of calm.
Stacey has glass bottles for her washing tabs and fabric softener. She has specially marked glass trays to separate the items in her fridge. She bought mason jars to put her craft kit in and labelled them. She unveiled tray things that make a shelf under a shelf just for like, her different types of Sellotape or batteries or something. It’s wild.
But this isn’t a case of ‘bored celeb with too much time on their hands’. Stacey has four children (or 'pickles') that she’s caring for, as well as constantly running around working (we know, because she tells us on her Stories). It’s something that has really chimed with normal people across the country – Stacey’s TTTs have spawned a league of fans (as well as her own TV show) who now do their own TTTs and send them to her. She watches them, tells them she’s proud and has even reposted some of the best ones.
So why is everyone so into it?
Well first, there is something just so satisfying about watching them - it's like Disney magic, but there aren’t even birds and tiny animals helping. All of a sudden, with just a tap (so not even demanding the energy that a click of the fingers takes), everything is ordered. Everything is better. Again, if it sounds ludicrous, we urge you to take a look.
And it’s so simple – it’s something we all have to do. Something that’s so boring – having to pick up the toys every night, tidy the ‘where you chuck the clothes chair’ on a Sunday or getting rid of the 8,706 pans you used to try and make an Ottolenghi salad – suddenly becomes a badge of honour that you can boast about on Instagram and make fun.
On that note, it’s also achievable. Not everyone can afford that pink, velvet kissing seat that your favourite 'grammer probably got given for free. But anyone can tidy, and even buy a few cheap bits to decant things into (it’s also, of course, environmentally friendly to do that and refill).
When everything outside is such a mess, it’s textbook that we’ll turn into ourselves and sort and organise and control where we can.
There’s also the fact that Stacey is so joyful about it all. She just loves it. She geeks out on it. It’s catching – and unashamed.
It’s basically the modern, grown-up equivalent of Mary Poppins singing A Spoon Full of Sugar so the Banks children don’t notice they’re being told to sort out their nursery.
And it gets into your brain. Now as we watch TV in the evenings, we're looking at our IKEA bookshelves, wondering if we’ve got the will to spend a Sunday finally organising the paraphernalia, photo frames, and Save the Dates for weddings that happened three years ago. The ‘chuck everything miscellaneous’ drawer is in danger of being attacked. The underwear drawer definitely could do with a tap to tidy (perhaps not posted on social media though).
It's honestly like ASMR for the eyes. And it makes perfect sense that we’re all so into it. When everything outside is such a mess, it’s textbook that we’ll turn into ourselves and sort and organise and control where we can.
SHOP: Stacey's 'Tap To Tidy' Home Buys
Stacey Solomon Tap To Tidy Inspiration
1 of 16French Cane Shelf Towel Rail, £20
This is technically a towel rail, but Stacey uses these to store toys in Rex's bedroom. These may have been designed for the bathroom, but the stylish rattan design makes it a great storage solution for elsewhere in the home.
2 of 16OikkuHome Glass Kitchen Storage Jars, £9+
Stacey gets her clear containers from All Things Home as a way to help organise her kitchen, but we're also a fan of these glass jars from Etsy. Not only do the clear containers make Stacey's cupboards look beautiful, but they also remove wasted space on packaging and give a clear indication of how much food stuff you have left.
3 of 16Umbra Peggy Kitchen Cupboard, Shelf and Drawer Organiser Tray
Stacey uses the Umbra Peggy Kitchen Cupboard, Shelf, and Drawer Organiser Tray to help store her cookware in her kitchen drawers making it much less of a faff come dinnertime.
4 of 16The Home Edit & iDesign Lazy Susan, £37.50
Stacey got her lazy Susan from eBay, but you can shop this favourite from Mrs Hinch to store make-up, condiments, and more upright for better space-saving – just make sure to measure your cupboard first to make sure it fits.
5 of 16Coideal Silver Curtain Ring Clips with Hook, 30 Pack
Got open packets? Stacey uses these clips and a tension rod to hang her open packets in a cupboard for super neat organisation, and to keep them sealed at the same time. As she shared on Instagram, 'Honestly I'm just sat cracking up at myself for how happy this has made me... why do I love it so much?'
6 of 16Wham Studio Plastic Storage Basket, £4.50
Available in a bunch of shapes, colours, and sizes, Stacey has nabbed the pink containers before to help organise her 'The Pink Room' AKA her utility. She used them to store her cleaning bits, but they'll prove to be super useful across the home.
7 of 16Present Time Perky Mesh Wall-Mounted Iron Memo Board with Wood Shelf, £43
Pegboards are a great accessory for storing all sorts thanks to the added attachments you can use for stationery, jewellery, and so forth. We love the innovative way Stacey uses her; she has one stored in a sideboard to organise the kids' gaming accessories and controllers to prevent everything from getting tangled and/or lost.
8 of 16StylPro Makeup Brush Cleaner And Dryer, WAS £29.99, NOW £19.99
Forever putting off cleaning your make up brushes? We know it's a chore, but the StylPro Makeup Brush Cleaner and Dryer that Stacey uses (alongside the StylPro solution) makes it seriously light work. It'll leave your brushes clean, dry, and ready to reuse in seconds.
9 of 16IKEA 365+ Food Container with Lid, £5
These IKEA food containers are a favourite with 'cleanfluencers', including Stacey and Mrs Hinch. Made from glass with a contemporary bamboo lid, these durable containers provide airtight storage, don't discolour, and won't absorb odours.
10 of 16iDesign Drawers Storage Box With Drawers, Pack of 4
Another fab storage container, these drawers are ideal for storing the smaller things, such as make up, stationery (Stacey used hers to store her kids' crayons, colour coordinated of course), and jewellery. Nice and clear, you can easily find what you need and it's a great way of stopping those small bits and pieces from getting misplaced.
11 of 16LÖNSÅS Mirror, £1
In 'Tap To Tidy', Stacey shares some smart crafting and upcycling ideas too. We love this hack we found on her Insta. Instead of investing a load in a large mirror, you can create your own using these mirrors from IKEA, fitted into frames of the same size. The result? A large, chic, distinctively modern mirror that you can shape to your space for a fraction of the cost.
12 of 16Kath & Kin Clear Plastic Fridge Storage Container, WAS £11.99, NOW £9.59
The Kath & Kin Clear Plastic Fridge Storage Containers is exactly what Stacey uses to store and organise food in her fridge - somewhere we didn't think needed organising, but we do now. Available in small and large, each comes with a handy handle for pulling them out and you can choose the word for the container and colour of the font too.
13 of 16The Label Lady Minimalistic Baking Bundle, £15
Stacey gets all her labels from The Label Lady, who also happens to be her sister – organisation really runs in the family! These minimalist baking labels, just as an example, can be customised with a choice of colour and font and will make sure everything stays where it belongs (or so we hope).
14 of 16KINGRACK Rolling Cart
We'd definitely recommend a rolling cart if you need additional storage, whether that be in the bedroom, bathroom, or kitchen. Easy to assemble, the wheels make it easy to move around and the whole thing can store a whopping 60kg of stuff. Stacey has the pink version but there's also a grey and white version that you can pick to suit your home decor.
15 of 16SOULWIT Cable Holder Clips
No doubt in your miscellaneous 'stuff drawer' you've got way too many cables tangled together that, frankly, is the reason you don't want to look in that drawer in the first place. Stacey uses these cable holders to keep hers divided and the results are envious.
£6.95
- Rrp: £9.95
16 of 16STUK Box With Compartments, £6
You can divide up your bedroom drawer space with the IKEA STUK Box, a favourite of Stacey's and used to organise the drawers in her children's bedrooms. Perfect for making good use of the space you have and keeping it under control.
READ MORE:
Stacey Solomon: You Think I'm "Thick" Because Of What I Look Like And Where I'm From? You're Wrong.
Stacey Solomon Gets Brutally Honest On Instagram About Experiencing ‘Mum Guilt’
The Home Edit's Clea Shearer And Joanna Teplin Give Us Their Top Organising Tips
9 Shoe Storage Ideas, So You Never Trip Over Your Shoe Pile Again