Okay - those that have lived with me know this - I am a horrible housekeeper. It's not disgustingly messy, but there is clutter. I'm not totally prepared to purge all of it, but I need change. I want it mostly neat. I also need to be organized about the chores that need to be done around here. I hate doing them, but they have to be done and if I have a schedule, I'm more likely to stick to it. When I have to do everything all on the same day, I get exhausted just thinking about it.
So - how do you guys divide it up? Bathrooms one day, etc.? I know there are things that have to be done every day - laundry, vacuuming, kitchen - and I'd like to enlist my children in this as much. How do you get them to help?
Advice, advice! I need advice!
I think if everything has a place to go, it's easier. So getting more shelves and bins, etc. might help. I need to sort through clothes again. Our complex is having a yard sale in May - I think I'll participate and get rid of some stuff. Aaron hates "stuff" around the house.
So hit me with your best advice. I've got to get this organized!
Oh Jennie if you get some good advice please pass it along! I'm laughing because it sounds so much like my life. Erghh! I know how you are feeling! As I've been slowly working through the "stuff" I've found that getting rid of clothing helps (and gets me excited to shop again) and also organizing toys and "stuff" in rubbermaid clear bins. I have two sets of plastic drawers that have 3 wide drawers(cheap but I keep them in the closet)for some of the kids toys. This seems to be easier for them to clean up-- one drawer for cars, one for polly pockets and princesses, etc. Also I like it better than open-(no-lid)-bins, because we can close it up. At this point, I'm honestly excited to move again for another chance to organize! The cleaning routine, well, I'm still trying to figure that out as well. It's neverending!!
ReplyDeleteI'm not a great organizer by any means. My organizing is generally piles of stuff which I know exactly what is there, but doesn't look too pretty. lol All the organizing stuff I've read says you've got to get rid of lots of your stuff first--another thing I'm not great at, but not as bad as I used to be.
ReplyDeleteAs for cleaning...I used to do this "program" I guess you'd call it where I had daily chores, then a weekly chore, and then a monthly chore. The weekly ones were like clean out and organize one cupboard/drawer in your kitchen (or other room) The monthly things were more deep cleaning things. The daily things were what you'd expect. It worked great while I did it and it's supposed to eliminate "spring cleaning". good luck finding something that works for you!!
I'm really learning some new things from the tape I bought and buried. It's How to Organize your Life and Get Rid of Clutter. I've listened to the whole tape and thought I could apply lots of it. Even at 61 I still struggle with piles. My two worse rooms are my computer room and the storage/laundry room. Both collect what I don't have time to sort.
ReplyDeleteThis is what I remember from the tape so far. I don't remember much from what I read or listen to.
1)Take a project and set a timer. 5 mins and quit. I tried that before listening, it really works. It's all about eating an elephant a bite at a time.
2)Empty the mail over the trash can and throw away the envelopes, only keep the bill.
3)Write permission slips on your computer and save - that way when you need one all you have to is print it out and sign it. This aplies to a note, if parent's babysit while you are out of town and they need a slip to take kids to the doctor.
4) Closet, tall in back, short in front, low for kids.
5) boxes - Box (1)route it box (goes to another room)Continue until the room you are in is done. Ransom: have kids etc. pay a ransom for their piece back.
Box 2) Giveway box. Give away or at parties (White Elephant gifts) Box 3) Store it box, label the box with what in it - today's date, plus date to toss it.
4) Toss it box - broken and torn.
Create a master list for the interuptions you will get while you are working, e.g. you need to call someone back,(write it on the list so that you can get BACK to the person), an idea comes to you, write it on the master list and keep working.
More later, I can't remember more. Grin.
My ideas that really worked AFTER I had kids and I didn't apply, then had stepkids and did apply.
Only wash once a week except for baby's clothes. Only buy clothes for 7 days. 7 shirts, 3- 5 pairs of jeans and 7 pairs of socks for boys, all the same kind. Don't hand down too many clothes that they don't or can't wear. That does not include Sunday clothes and of course little kids spill so they need extra. Everything goes in their own laundry basket. They all bring it to the laundry room on Friday or it doesn't get washed (unless they wash it by hand). By the next week they have their stuff to the laundry room/area.With little kids adaptions have to be made. Laundry: Garments - men's, don't fold, just throw in their drawer. Socks (all the same) don't fold, just create a section in the drawer for socks (to toss them in). T shirts - hang -saves the kids messing up the drawer.
Bathroom: Clorox wipes to freshen bathroom until it's cleaned.
Kitchen: everyone put dishes in dishwasher after dinner - no dishes to do - just pans
Kids, make beds and pick up toys before bed or before school. End of the week there is one kid chore left, like vacumming their room and mom just does the rest while they are in school - dust and pick up the other stuff. My greatest struggle is MY stuff.