Creating an Organized Home

It can be hard to create an organized home. But don’t let it stress you out! Count to 10, take deep breaths and relax. All you need is a plan.

Your plan, at a glance is:

▪Chore chart (for kids)

I love the saying: "If you want children to keep their feet on the ground, put some responsibility on their shoulders." ~Abigail Van Buren

Children that are 2-years-old (and sometimes younger) can learn to clean up after themselves. My 19-month-old loves to take her diapers to the trash and her clothes to the hamper. She smiles the whole way – feeling so big!

One of the beginning chores at our house, starting at age 2 or 3, is taking care of the bathroom trash. They pull the full trash bag out of the trash can and carry it to the big trash in the kitchen. Then they get a new bag (recycling grocery bags) and replace it in the trash can. This job is soon mastered and they are ready to move on!

I have just moved my 3-year-old (almost 4 now) into the chore rotation with my bigger boys.

He can make his bed, set the table, unload the dishwasher, help me with the dishes, dust (where he can reach) and vacuum. (Um, don't worry, I don't make him do all of these chores each day!)Of course, these chores aren’t done to the perfection I would desire. But you have to let that go!

HOUSEWORK

It’s hard, after I’ve mopped the floor, to not come un-glued when my children walk across the floor with dirty shoes.

I have to remind myself – “They’re just living life. They didn’t sit and think, ‘Mom just mopped, here I go!!’” Don’t get so obsessed with having the picture-perfect clean home, that you make your family unable to relax or walk across the room without catching your wrath.

I watched a Pink Panther episode with one of my boys today where Pink Panther was walking across an army mine field, pausing after each careful step until he’d made it across safely. This is my children when I’ve been cleaning!

If you are a “homemaker,” your “job” is to take care of the kids AND the house. It’s a tall order and no one expects you to have it all together all the time. So don’t stress out about it.

Your priority is, of course, the kids. And you’ve been told to “sleep when the baby sleeps.” OK, so you’ve had a nap – now get to work!

What’s your priority as far as house-cleaning goes? Does it drive you crazy if you’re dishes aren’t washed? Start there.

Do you lose sleep at night if your floors aren’t mopped? Start there.

Take it a step at a time. Make yourself a schedule , such as laundry on Tuesdays and Fridays, vacuuming on Wednesdays and Saturdays (whenever the kids aren’t), you get the idea.

ORGANIZED HOME

If decluttering and orderliness is important to you, I highly recommend this book.

My favorite definition of organize is “To arrange in a desired pattern or structure.” DESIRED is the keyword here. There’s not a right and wrong way to organize your home. It’s all about what works for you and your family.

Don’t compare yourself to Sally next door, who seems to have it all together. Work on the areas that matter to YOU and you’ll feel better.

Just like our children, learning to dress themselves and do chores, we learn step-by-step and as we master each step, we can move on to the next.

Good luck as you work towards creating YOUR organized home.