As a busy mom it can be super hard to find the time to declutter your home...much less to keep things tidy and organized. So, what's a busy mom to do? When your schedule is packed with errands, doing things for your family, cooking healthy meals...the list goes on and on, how are you supposed to find the time (and energy!) to declutter your home?
Here are a few simple steps you can take. It may seem like too small of a step to make a difference, but trust me...every little step makes a big difference when done consistently.
1. Choose an area to get started in. This doesn't have to be an entire room at a time. It can be one corner, one shelf, one stash of "junk".
2. Set a timer. Set a timer for 15 minutes (but even 5 minutes is a good start). During that time, gather anything that isn't where it belongs and choose if it's toss, donate, or needs to be put away.
3. At the end of the 15 minutes, allow yourself to step away without beating yourself up for not getting it all done. If you are on a roll and want to keep going, then by all means, keep at it! But if you just don't have the time or energy to do more, that's perfectly ok! The key is to do at least a little bit. Some is better than none.
4. It doesn't have to be perfect. There, I said it. As a perfectionist I often find that if I don't have time to get it all done at once or exactly how I want it done, then I don't even get started. This has been a hard one for me. But I have learned that if I just do what I can, when I can, eventually it all gets done and I feel so much better than I did when I just allowed things to pile up simply because I didn't have the time to do it all at once. Game Changer!
5. Have a designated area where you put items to be donated. As often as you can (the sooner the better), take the items and donate them. The longer you let them sit in your home, the more likely you are to want to go back through them again.
6. Make it fun! If you have little kids (this may also work with teens and even husbands! lol) make it a game. Set your timer and see who can find the most items to either trash or donate before the timer goes off. This is a great way to get the whole family involved.
In the end, remember that we are looking for progress over perfection. It's ok to have a house that is lived in. Personally, I feel more at home in a place that isn't so clean you are afraid to touch anything or even sit on the couch. My goal is to have a welcoming home that isn't cluttered. That doesn't mean you won't find a speck of dirt on the floor or even a cozy blanket tossed onto the couch. But I have learned that if I keep my clutter to a minimum, it's so much easier to keep things tidy and not feel embarrassed when someone unexpectedly comes to my door.
Try these tidy-up cards. They are easy to use for the whole family.
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I have struggled for years with being organized. I have tried several different methods, including KonMari, but never was able to really make it stick. Over the past few years I have been on a mission to declutter and have a welcoming home. Since we homeschool, we really do LIVE in our house. The books, blankets, dishes...every thing we use throughout the day tends to stay put where they were last used. I really struggled to find the perfect solution.
Until now! I was browsing the book store one day and came across a book on decluttering and becoming organized. The title really caught my attention, "The Clutter Connection: How your personality type determines why you organize the way you do" by Cassandra Aarssen. Wait a minute! You mean to tell me that organizing has to do with personality? It's not a one-size fits all and if you don't fit that one size, you fail? Now you've got my attention!
I couldn't wait to get started with this book. I kept thinking, wouldn't this make a perfect addition to my coaching program where I help moms find balance among the chaos of daily life? I thought it was a long shot, but the moment I got home I just had to look. Sure enough, the author has a certification course! So I jumped on it. And I'm proud to say that I am now a certified organizational specialist. Hooray!
Finally, a process that makes sense AND allows me to help other moms declutter and finally be organized. Just what is it that clicked? It's actually fairly simple: If you find that something constantly is being used in a certain place, give it a home in that area. That's it. Organize to fit YOUR needs. If your kids do homework at the kitchen table, give their backpacks and school supplies a home near the kitchen table. I know, it seems like such a simple method, but it absolutely blew my mind to realize that this actually IS being organized!
The book and course also go through different organization personalities/types. Basically proving that it's not a one-size fits all. And there IS a way to organize according to your style that can still give you a warm and inviting home for others to visit.
Now that I've said all of that, I'm super excited to announce that I am now ready to help YOU get organized in a way that suits your needs. What's even better? You do NOT have to be local! I can do it via email/text and/or zoom calls. How neat is that?!
So now I leave you with this question: Are you ready to finally be free of the clutter and have an organized home that suits your needs? Good! I'm ready to help!
You can find more information here! I'm looking forward to working with you and helping you find balance among the chaos!
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Having a well-managed home can be tricky and I certainly haven't mastered it yet. However, I have found a few things over the years that have worked well for me and my family. One of them is chore charts. I've tried several different ones, different variations, mom bucks, you name it, I've probably tried it. lol
Even with 3 teens in the house we use chore charts daily. Since I have 3 kids I give them chores Mon-Sat and divide them accordingly. I usually take Sundays for myself so that I can keep up and also be sure they know what I expect. This also teaches them that I don't ask them to do anything that I'm not willing to do myself. Of course, like many moms, I tend to do my fair share (or more than at times) on all of the other days of the week as well.
Now, onto the different charts. First off, we have the pet chart. Other than the bunnies that they each have and care for on their own, we have a cat and a dog. They take turns feeding the cat and making sure she has water as well as cleaning out her litter box. For the dog, they make sure she has food and water. Nothing big, just general daily pet care. When it comes to bathing the pets we all chip in and do it when it needs to be done.
Bathroom chores, my least favorite. lol As soon as the kids were old enough I left their bathroom in their hands. It's up to them to do the daily maintenance and the general cleaning. The bathroom is basically split into 3 parts and each week they move a marker on the board to let them know who has what chore for that week. Any time they want a friend to come over, it's up to them to be sure their bathroom is presentable. It helps establish that extra little bit of responsibility.
As for the rest of the household chores let me start by saying that I'm a bit of a control freak. Therefore I am the main one who does the laundry. However, I do have them sort the clothes and fold the towels time to time. Once their clothes are sorted out it's up to them to hang them and fold them properly to put them away. This is where separate laundry baskets come in quite handy!
On our daily chore chart we have a rotation for setting the dinner table, cleaning up the kitchen, vacuuming the floors, etc. We even have a rotation for who fills our diffusers each night before bed time! Yes, the more we can rotate and share the chores, the better!
I'm working on putting together a printable chore chart similar to the ones we use. If you'd like to have one just sign up for my email list and I'll send it your way once it's ready.
If you would like to be a part of a community of moms who are working together to find their balance in life, join this group and get even more support!
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