I think I heard someone saying, if you are organized than your kid would a artist of mess and if you are messy then your kid will be organized.
Meaning your kid will be doing the just opposite you want. May be that is true or maybe not.
My kids are my life; I cannot even think life without them. But along with all the happiness they can also sometimes make it impossible to stay organized.
For us who are working moms, often waste energy and time just by cleaning after our kids.
So, how to be organized? and how to do less cleaning and have more fun?
Well, I have some suggestions. But let me tell you with these suggestions your problem will not go away in a jiffy.
You have to maintain them and also get use to them and make your children use to them. I am not an expert in organizing but I have some tips and tricks that might help you.
Here are they-
1. BE A LITTLE PATIENT AND GARCEFUL
I will be completely honest and up front that my house do not look neat and clean all the time.
And I do not try to be, because you can not want your house to be clean all time. It is your house you live there, so a little can be okay. Especially when you have kids in the house. You cannot follow him throughout the house and clean up after him. You will exhaust yourself and you will most likely put fear in your child.
So be a little graceful and let your kid fly solo. But also please eye on them so that they do not hurt him/her.
2. THROW AWAY UNNECESSARY THINGS
Now, that we’re graceful and not expecting our house will be like those that we see in TV, magazine. Then let me tell you the biggest problem that we face when organizing.
Too much stuff.
Yes. You may need that and this, so what it is a little old and has worn out.
If you are like that then you cannot properly organize your home, because your old stuff takes up all the space. I was like that and still is like that.
But when I see it has not been used in days then I throw them out, give it away or donate them. Mostly give to charity.
But I daily notice that. Because keeping those will not do any good.
If you do not do it. Then just organizing your mess.
As in a kids house toys, gifts, other things come and go. So you cannot keep them all. Clean up space and only keep what is needed.
3. MAKE SIMPLE SYSTEMS OR PLANS THAT KIDS CAN MAINTAIN
Make a system or a habit.
Do not plan something over the top. Like, I use a lot of plastic bins and baskets with open on the top for organizing. Cause they are reusable and user-friendly.
And I have installed hooks and an extra basket near the door. So that we can hang coats, school IDs (that we often tend to forget), bags, umbrellas etc. there is also a separate shoe cabinet for kids.
Also there is a small bowl or basket there near the door to keep little things like keys and other.
Organizing is easy if you look out for problems and try to solve them.
4. ORGANIZE TOYS INTO DIFFERENT CATEGORIES
With kids in the house toys piles up. So to organize them, divide them into different categories. It can be of boy toys or girl toys. Or car, dolls, accessories or others.
Separate them and put them in different baskets or box. It will be easy for your kid to look for toys. He/she will not spread sll things up to find one things. And it is also important to teach them that what is where.
5. LABLE STORAGE BOXES/BASKETS
I use label a lot, almost in any boxes or bins. As it make easier to locate anything. Also you can teach your kid about new words. Like if you put label of a car picture with car text in the car basket, then your kid will learn that which basket have car.
They will get use to that. It is a good tip to stay organized.
6. MAKE CLEANING UP FUN OR TEACH THEM TO CLEAN AFTER
Well, this may be tricky but you can include fun in cleaning. Like I go on a race with my kids, to see who gathers everything up and put it into the box.
Have them happily pick up their toys to things. There are lots of other ways to make clean up time a little bit more fun.
Though, my kids have become intelligent now. They do not get fooled easily.
7. HAVE THEM CHOOSE THEIR LITTLE JOBS
Kids have their own little jobs that they are eager to do.
Like brining water, ripping off the covers of anything that is brought new thing, putting things in the freeze etc. so encourage him to do these things.
It will teach them to help you, a small appreciation can go long way.
There are plenty of small jobs that even little kids can do that not only take works off of mom’s plate but get them into the habit of helping.
8. HAVE A SYSTEM FOR THE PAPER AS WELL
School going kids will have a lot of papers here and there.
Basically, the most of the paper wither is thrown away or recycled. I do have an area in our dining room where I display special projects, crafts. This is constantly changes and older pieces get discarded.
I also store some of them as a memory or what he/she did during the year; I keep them in a file system with nametags or date.
9. ORGANIZE HAND-ME-DOWN MIGHT BE USEFUL THINGS
Other than toys and paper, we also have too much of clothes. If you have more than one kid then you can store some good clothes for the younger on, beside that you might want to clear out the old closet. And to store them I keep them in a labeled so that I can see where I put them.
So here are my suggestions. I’ve learned that organization is an ever-growing process. When I think about how I got to this point where I am writing about organizing. I do not think I could do it without having my children. I teach them but they also teach me to.