30 Dec

how do YOU get your home organized?

Author: admin  |  Category: home organizing

i have four kids, i’m a single mom. i am ALWAYS cleaning. and i feel like my life is made up of constant cleaning. i homeschool my kids, and we have scouts on tuesdays and folklorico on mon or wed. besides being in desperate need of a vacation i would like to know how you keep your home clean. i was raised that the home has to be spotless. but my house is wall to wall toys, clean clothes still needed to be put up and floors needing CONSTANT vacuuming, sweeping and mopping!! i’m so exhausted! any tips???

Start with one room or even one area of a room and get it neat and clean. Don’t allow anything that doesn’t belong there back into that area. Get 3 boxes to carry with you as you clean each area. One for items that may need to be discarded, one for items that can be donated and one for items that belong somewhere else in your home. As time permits, move to other areas doing the same thing, until you have the entire home in order. Devoting even a few minutes each day to doing this will eventually get your entire home in order.
Give each child a space for his or her toys. Any items not returned to that area before going to bed is taken away for a predetermined length of time. If they have too many toys, only allow a certain number to be available to them and store the rest in a tote or box. Switch items every couple of weeks. There will be less clutter and they will have renewed interest in the toys that have been unavailable for awhile.
Since you are involved in Scouting, take a look at the Scout Oath and Scout Law. Use those points to encourage your children to participate in keeping their home neat and clean.


That pertains to Boy Scouts. I am not familiar with Girl Scouting but suspect they have similar standards which could be used.
Assign your children chores which they are responsible for. Make a chart to help them keep track of their duties. Children need to feel they are participating members of the family unit.
It is not necessary for your home to be spotless but it does need to be clean enough to be healthy and orderly enough to be enjoyable. Make each child responsible for cleaning up after himself or herself within the limits of their age.
Begin now to teach your children that the family must function as a unit, with each person doing their part and with RESPECT for EACH person as an individual. This means that YOU are a person with rights and interests of your own and deserve the time and environment to enjoy those interests as well as being their mother. This is important not only for your own well being but for theirs as they become adults.
Depending on the age of your children, they can be taught to clean up spills, reducing overall mopping. Even young children can learn to sweep and slightly older children can use a vacuum cleaner.
Divide and conquer the chores of maintaining your home!
Unite as a family to maintain a pleasing environment in your home!
If your children are accustomed to clutter and having you do all the housework, this may take some time to institute. Be patient and be consistent and persistent!

5 Responses to “how do YOU get your home organized?”

  1. Ash c Says:
    December 30th, 2009 at 8:44 pm

    Step one throw all the uncessary things. 2. downsize. Reward if they do keep the house good. Bring approriate boxes and catogoeires all the stuff . Once organised maintian it
    References :

  2. candleinthewind7579 Says:
    December 30th, 2009 at 8:56 pm

    If you live in a house with a basement, spare bedroom or sunroom, section off this area for the kids to play…they must keep their toys in this area. Get each kid one of those plastic drawer carts on wheels to organize home-school projects, papers, and supplies (put names on each cart. It;s tough to manage everything with 4 kids…but can be done. If they are old enough for school they are old enough for responsibilities at home…like chores, and picking up their toys. Once your organized the vacuuming and mopping will be easier and faster because you won’t have to waste time and energy cleaning up toys.
    References :

  3. fabulous13 Says:
    December 30th, 2009 at 9:04 pm

    avoid taking something (example clean clothes) and putting them in a place other than where they go. Avoid the ‘middleman spot’ by directly putting things away when you see they are misplaced. it will be less convienant but easier than moving the toys from the kitchen then to the living room then clean the living room, and when your finished with that finally moved again to the basket where they belong. Does this make sense? haha. its helped me to stay organized. in other words, think long term clean instead of ‘clean enough for today’. Find places for things that can stay permanant.
    References :

  4. swimmminfool Says:
    December 30th, 2009 at 9:24 pm

    Well, I got a housekeeper to come once a week so I can focus on the organizing and not so much the cleaning. If you can afford it, do it. If not, you have four kids, at least one or maybe two should be old enough to be helping out with a good deal of chores, certainly they could help keep their toys put up and their clothes put away. If you alone are trying to take on house organization, daily pickup, house cleaning, and educating four children, odds are you won’t do them all perfectly. Give yourself a break, let others help you.
    References :

  5. w i Says:
    December 30th, 2009 at 10:05 pm

    Start with one room or even one area of a room and get it neat and clean. Don’t allow anything that doesn’t belong there back into that area. Get 3 boxes to carry with you as you clean each area. One for items that may need to be discarded, one for items that can be donated and one for items that belong somewhere else in your home. As time permits, move to other areas doing the same thing, until you have the entire home in order. Devoting even a few minutes each day to doing this will eventually get your entire home in order.
    Give each child a space for his or her toys. Any items not returned to that area before going to bed is taken away for a predetermined length of time. If they have too many toys, only allow a certain number to be available to them and store the rest in a tote or box. Switch items every couple of weeks. There will be less clutter and they will have renewed interest in the toys that have been unavailable for awhile.
    Since you are involved in Scouting, take a look at the Scout Oath and Scout Law. Use those points to encourage your children to participate in keeping their home neat and clean.
    That pertains to Boy Scouts. I am not familiar with Girl Scouting but suspect they have similar standards which could be used.
    Assign your children chores which they are responsible for. Make a chart to help them keep track of their duties. Children need to feel they are participating members of the family unit.
    It is not necessary for your home to be spotless but it does need to be clean enough to be healthy and orderly enough to be enjoyable. Make each child responsible for cleaning up after himself or herself within the limits of their age.
    Begin now to teach your children that the family must function as a unit, with each person doing their part and with RESPECT for EACH person as an individual. This means that YOU are a person with rights and interests of your own and deserve the time and environment to enjoy those interests as well as being their mother. This is important not only for your own well being but for theirs as they become adults.
    Depending on the age of your children, they can be taught to clean up spills, reducing overall mopping. Even young children can learn to sweep and slightly older children can use a vacuum cleaner.
    Divide and conquer the chores of maintaining your home!
    Unite as a family to maintain a pleasing environment in your home!
    If your children are accustomed to clutter and having you do all the housework, this may take some time to institute. Be patient and be consistent and persistent!
    References :

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