Organizing My Home-A Daily Struggle

"If my kids were just a little older, my home would be much more organized." How many times have you thought that? And in the next thought, "I shouldn't wish the time away."

It's  funny to think about how many people tell me I am SO organized. I wish! I do have a place for everything (of the kids) and it is labeled, but I haven't found the trick to get them to put their things in said baskets. There are many wonderful quotes that should be painted in huge letters across my walls, "Cleaning the house while your children are young is like shoveling snow in a blizzard!" I struggle y'all! EVERY day. Some days I am okay thinking that time spent with the kids is more important than a tidy house, other days I am near tears wondering where I have failed.

As my kids get older I add a little more responsibility to their chore lists. I now have the 9, 8, and 6 year olds folding/hanging their own laundry. I don't criticize how they fold. I try to have mini-lessons and then I leave the room. What does it look like? When I take all the clean laundry to my room, I have 4 baskets on my bed. I sort the clean laundry into each child's basket and if it needs to be hung up, I make a pile in front of their basket. I also make a separate pile of my husband's clothes that need to be ironed. It works like clockwork!

I decided to have my children take baby-steps every day this summer to try to make the house look a little better every day. They wake up, have breakfast and a little screen time (since they all wake up at different times) and  then I announce that  when the timer rings, it is time to start chores. I also worked in that if chores are done WITHOUT COMPLAINING, we will have a little treat each day. These are treats my kids don't get during the school year like snow cones, 1/2 price shakes at Sonic, an item at the dollar store, etc....

And here are their chores:
Day 1: Make your bed neatly. Fold jammies. All dirty clothes to hamper. Floor cleaned. Laundry folded/hung and put away. All personal belongings out of living room, dining room, and off of stairs. Read ____ minutes.  

Day 2: Same as day 1, add "Dresser cleaned off."

Day 3: Same as day 2, add "Drawers organized…all clothes folded neatly and in the right place."

Day 4: Add "Bookshelf cleared shelf by shelf and items put back neatly."

Day 5: Add " Closet cleaned COMPLETELY."

Day 6: Add "Van cleaned out"

Day 7: Add "All trash out of back yard."

Day 8: Add "Playroom cleaned."

Day : "Playroom odds ands ends put in place."

Day 10: "Change sheets"

Day 11: "Get all your things out of Mommy and daddy's room."

Day 12: "Clean out your backpack."


That's as far as I've gotten. If you have some other trouble spots, let me know so I can add them.

My house still isn't the way I want it, but honestly, will it ever be? I can't compare myself to one of my best friends, Rochelle. Her home IS ALWAYS perfect, She will not go to bed with anything out of place and she wakes up extra early to unload the dishwasher. She is a professional organizer, check out her Facebook page, A Simplified Space. That is her God-given gift and not mine. I can learn a little from her each time we stay at her house, but my home will never be like hers. Her path is not mine!

Just stop beating yourself up and while you are on your path, don't forget to stop and smell the roses.

Snack Time- Time Saver

For the first week of school, I found myself arguing with the kids about which snacks they could have. I wasted so much time trying to explain what was healthy and what was not, so I made a list of acceptable snacks. Then I made this picture "menu" so the kids could choose for themselves. The first few days we used it, they tried to ask me if they could have Oreos or candy. I just pointed them over to the pictures and told them if it isn't there, they can't have it. Now they take care of their own snacks and I have more time to get the smaller kids theirs.

This list comes in handy when I am making my grocery list as well.

Costume Organization

There are 2 little girls in our family and both of them LOVE dressing up. Our little boy likes to dress up in his old Halloween costumes, too. We used to put their costumes in a basket, but we just ran out of room. This is my solution.

Organizing my arts and crafts supplies

I have seen this idea on several blogs and in the Lowe's magazine. I decided to organize my arts and crafts supplies, but now I want to buy another shoe organizer to hang in the pantry and keep all my pasta bags, seasoning packets, chocolate chip morsels, etc.... anything that comes in a bag.