How to Keep Your House Organized

INSIDE: HOW TO KEEP YOUR HOUSE ORGANIZED BECAUSE IT IS A JOURNEY

I figured something out yesterday, my organizational journey needs careful follow up. WHAT? It doesn’t just STAY this way? I can’t just organize and hope that everyone follows every rule every day?

NOPE.

You have to maintain the organization. You have to put forth the effort, a little each day.

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When I started in January, I took one room and cleared the clutter. Over time, this room became lived in again. Now that it was clean, people wanted to spend time in there. Well, people leave things behind. Coffee cups, toys, clothing….NOW I have to take the time to maintain this room.

I also don’t want to spend every weekend cleaning my house. It would take up my whole Saturday. So….I enlisted help. I have someone come to my house every other week to clean. She cleans the bathrooms, kitchen, runs the vacuum, dusts, and makes the beds. Every other week, she cleans the blinds, windows, and fans. Occasionally, she cleans the refrigerator and will even sweep the front and back porch.

I have noticed several things since hiring my house cleaner – she doesn’t do as good a job as me, but it saves me so much time that I don’t mind going behind her sometimes. The other thing is I have so much more time to do the things I WANT to do. Sacrifice is well worth the reward!

The thing she doesn’t – and CAN’T do – is keep up with my organization. She puts everything in her way into a giant pile. BUT….what if I kept up the organization so she didn’t have anything to put into a pile? That would lessen my eye rolling when I see the pile….

Let’s refocus today….

1 – List of rooms that need attention every day

These are the rooms that are lived in every day and need to have the clutter cleared daily or it can get out of control. Make a list of your own rooms.

• Kitchen
• Front room
• Living room
• Stairwell

2 – List of rooms that need attention once per week

Not so lived in, but still gather “things” that don’t belong.

• Dining room
• Office
• Bedrooms
• Bathrooms

3 – Today, start by picking your first room

I will start in my dining room today. Not so lived in, but it gathers a TON of things….that DO NOT belong!

Current situation:

4 – Organize your plan of attack

Do a quick scan…what does not belong? Where should it be? Start there!

• Blanket – fold and place in bin for smallest to bring to her room.
• Purses – YES you see 3….and none are MINE! Place in bin to have girls bring to their rooms.
• Easter – Yes…..I took down the decor and didn’t put it away? Why? The box is literally 4 steps away….do that now.
• Jackets – we are pretty much beyond the point of needing them. So they will be hung in the shoe closet.
• Pile of papers – place them in the appropriate memory box.

Ok – roughly 10 minutes…only because I stopped to pet a pup….would have been 5.

4 – Keep going!!!!

Move from one room to the next. It took me 20 minutes to do 6 rooms. Quick, nothing major, and BOOM! I feel like I have accomplished so much! I know….the kids are going to DESTROY it when they get home but….that’s ok, we are making memories!

Remember, sometimes it is just about starting somewhere! I will remind myself of this as I move my way to the bedrooms. I can tell you that making the kids help me clean up has improved and I get much less of a fight these days.

Happy tidying,