put your house in order

put (one's) (own) house in order

To resolve one's own personal problems or business affairs (especially before criticizing those of others). The president and his administration sorely need to put their house in order or they may not live to see a second term in office. Jim should go about putting his own house in order before he starts criticizing how I live my life!See also: house, order, put

put your house in order

or

get your house in order

COMMON If you put your house in order or get your house in order, you make sure that all your affairs are arranged properly and that all your problems are dealt with. The government has given the newspaper industry a twelve-month deadline to put its house in order or face tough new controls. As with individuals, no company can be successful until it has got its own internal house in order. Note: Verbs such as keep or set can be used instead of put or get. She claimed the high street banks were incapable of keeping their house in order.See also: house, order, put

put (or set or get) your house in order

make necessary reforms. 2002 New York Times There will be no moral credibility for the bishops to speak about justice, truth, racial equality, war or immigration if they can't get their own house in order. See also: house, order, put

put/set your (own) ˈhouse in order

organize your own business or improve your own behaviour before you try to criticize somebody else: A government official warned the newspaper industry to put its own house in order before it started to tell other industries how they should be run.See also: house, order, put, set