How do you feel when you are walking among the Legos, Beanie Boos and never ending craft supplies? As moms, we know these items are just signs of little ones at play. However, the constant clean up and clutter can drive us to insanity. Taking a step back to create some systems and processes can put you on the roadmap to a clutter free home.
We’ve all heard the saying, “Clutter is the death of joy.” As a mama, I feel this deeply. Life with kids is inevitably full of chaos and clutter. There are toys and clothes, papers and books. While I do not consider myself to be overly sentimental, I hate the idea of waste. But it is challenging to balance needs and wants, along with the expectations of the rest of the world.
After spending so much time at home, I find myself craving organization more than ever. We are mid-remodel and life without a kitchen is challenging. So many things don’t have a home currently so it is challenging to clean up or maintain a sense of order. The result is clutter and chaos. Both of which breed anxiety.
My oldest is not the most organized. And she LOVES paper. Her dream of being a teacher means her room often resembles a very chaotic classroom as she tries to make due with the available space.
My second child is beyond neat and organized. She keeps surfaces minimally decorated and everything has its place. She loves to pick out her outfit for the next day and is great at putting away her laundry too.
I know I’m not the only one that struggles to reign in the clutter and chaos. As we move through our remodel and work towards putting our home back together, I’m eager to find intentional places for things and create systems for order and organization. I dream of clean surfaces and ample storage space
I recently reached out to my network to get all the ideas for maintaining order, implementing systems and minimizing anxiety to help the home (and me) run as smoothly as possible. I wanted share the many ideas I received so you can create a process and system of your own. Because a new shortcut might make all the difference and help you to declutter like a mother.
Create a schedule.
For some, this means only doing dishes once a day, but keeping the sink somewhat organized in the meantime. Or one load of laundry a day to avoid the dreaded laundry mountain. Others maintain a cleaning schedule to ensure all the important areas of the home are cared for regularly. The key here is consistency and the belief that it’s better to always be doing something than to feel like everything needs your attention.
A space or home for everything.
Another key takeaway was creating a space for things. This includes all the paper and artwork that comes home, as well as clothes the kids outgrow. Find a system that works for you. That might be a bin of toys for each child or limiting where toys are kept throughout the home. If everyone knows where something goes, the cleanup process is made immensely easier. My children’s favorite excuse… “I don’t know where that goes.” In our current state of chaos, it’s a somewhat valid excuse but I don’t want that to be the case long-term.
Get the kids involved.
A friend from high school had some sage advice. She said, “Don’t do anything for them they can do themselves.” And I love this. As a child, I think I was pretty easy. I did what I was asked, helped around the house, vividly remember summer chores and didn’t complain much about these responsibilities. With a goal of raising helpful, considerate and responsible children, creating healthy habits early is key. That could mean bringing dirty laundry to the laundry room, emptying the dryer and putting their own clothes away. For me, the key here is that caring for your things show respect for your things and family.
Technology is your friend.
While technology has it’s disadvantages, I’ve heard from a lot of people who use their phone to take a photo of artwork or school papers they want to remember. From there, they store away or even order a book that includes all the memories from that year. This is a great way to remember, without having to hold onto every single piece of paper. I’m a pretty ruthless recycler when it comes to school papers. At first, my girls were a bit sentimental but I regularly reiterate that we can’t keep it all and now they get that.
Technology is also helpful for making cleanup fun. The hardest part is often that it feels like it will take forever. And maybe it will. But setting a timer is a great way to set expectations and get everyone involved. It’s always easier to do something for a limited amount of time, especially when it feels like there is just too much work and cleanup left to do.
Manage and maintain.
The process of dealing with the clutter and chaos of the home can feel intense. It’s a lot and the sense of accomplishment at the end is HUGE. Then comes time to manage and maintain so you don’t find yourself in the same situation again. A neighbor mentioned that she cleans out dresser drawers and moves clothes around or removes each quarter. This allows for seasonal adjustments and growth. Whether your system for maintenance is something you do in real time or you have a schedule for reviewing and additional clean out, the key is to do what works for you. But maintenance mode is the ultimate goal.
Clutter and chaos free.
While your life may not feel 100% clutter and chaos free, less stuff is an incredibly freeing feeling. Because if you are like me, there is always more. No matter how much I donate, it doesn’t feel like we have less stuff. In my question for advice, systems and schedules that work, a neighbor shared this simple idea that honestly applies to so many life and work situations. She said, “If it takes less than 5 minutes, do it NOW.” Always better to deal with something immediately than put off for later. Because later never comes. So if you get the mail, sort through it immediately. Actively respond or take action on email messages, instead of filing for another day and time.
A friend shared a similar sentiment. She said she never leaves a room empty handed. Why waste those steps. So if there is a toy on the floor that doesn’t belong and isn’t being played with, take action now. Don’t wait for later when more toys and tasks have piled up. Because the mountain (laundry, toy, clutter, EMAIL) only grows and the climb gets harder.
