Here’s the thing –
I’m a mom and I HATE clutter. I hate dishes in the sink. I hate clothes on the floor. I hate random crap left on the counter. And don’t even get me started on TOYS!
I’m also very messy. Yeah, I know… it makes no sense. I’ve been trying to figure myself out my whole life (good luck). Also, stop judging me. We’re all a little crazy at least some of the time, am I right? You know you’re guilty of feeding your child cereal for dinner at least once. I see you, Becky, always posting on Facebook about how your precious offspring only eats organically.
But, I digress. This is a blog about clutter, after all, not Becky and her organic-eating child.
If I haven’t offended you yet, please consider reading on to find out how I made my home a livable environment for my family. I promise, there’s a method to my madness. Mostly, to share my craziness with you so you can be less crazy than me.
Knowing how much I hate clutter and knowing that I am the main source of the clutter I find myself surrounded by, I came up with a solution. I remember standing in my room and yelling, “I can’t stand looking at all of this junk!” For me, that was a light bulb moment! First thing’s first…
Get Rid of All the Junk
Purging was the most satisfying part of the decluttering process–and the most necessary. Why on Earth was I holding on to a choir t-shirt from tenth grade? Don’t answer that. Also, a curling iron that hasn’t worked in, like, five years? What was I really holding on to?
It all had to go. My son’s room was the worst. I saved every single binky. (What do YOU call it, a Pacifier? Yea, whatever!) I hadn’t given away ONE single onesie or blanket since he was born. He’s five now, ladies and gentleman. As I write this blog, I’m realizing how lucky I am that my husband didn’t bring in A&E’s Hoarders to save us all.
Donate If You Can
Once I had boxed and bagged all of the things, we donated what we could to local charities. If you’re in a position to, PLEASE donate your unwanted goods instead of selling them. There are so many people in need. We donate our stuff to the Women’s Resource Center in Tampa, Florida. Do your research to make sure you’re giving to a non-profit that is really invested in helping those in need in your community. (SEE! I AM a good person.)
A Place for Everything
Now that my house was basically bare bones it was time to find a way to organize what was left. The Container Store was a lifesaver! They have everything from drawer organizers to toy storage. It makes it so easy and a lot if it is super cute.
Labeling Isn’t Always A Bad Thing
This goes where? Labeling was another big deal. For me now, it’s impossible NOT to know where something belongs in my house because I’m so addicted to my P-Touch label maker. But, if you’re one of those creative moms that have impeccable handwriting, you can always use chalk, markers, or even Sharpies. The point is, Lable It!
Time Is On My Side
This may sound crazy but as I said at the beginning of this blog, I’m sort of a cluttery mess. What I have found is that scheduling time during the week to keep myself on task greatly helps. Lots of people have chore days but if you don’t follow them it doesn’t do a whole lot of good. Put it on a calendar, leave a post-it, or tell Google! “Hey, Google – remind me not to be a slob!”
Now we do Sunday Fundays and cleaning. It sounds crazy, but it’s how we’re able to maintain our Maison de Cleanliness.
Finally, everything has its place. It’s glorious! If I’ve done my job, I’ve hopefully turned all the stress into action. Now, get out there and make it happen!
I’ve been able to keep it this way for months now. Mostly due to bribery and a healthy amount of yelling. But, if you’re into peaceful parenting and you value your spouse’s feelings, you may try taking a gentler approach. Or, whatever.