Today I learned that January is National Get Organized Month. I love organization, and I miss it dearly. I know that there are many parents out there that somehow have it all together, but my house is in a general state of kid-worn chaos. When I only had one child, I prided myself in the fact that she didn’t have many toys, there wasn’t a lot of excess going around. Then baby two came along, and somehow things just started multiplying. In a small space, you need to get organized, get rid of things, or just learn to deal and try to maintain it the best you can. Here’s a few tips that I try to do in my household.
1) You can get a lot done in 5 minutes. For awhile I subscribed to FlyLady - and I probably should again! One of the things that has stuck with me is you can get a lot done in 5 minutes. I think that she actually uses a 15 minute rule (I could be wrong), but for my kiddo’s 15 minutes feels like FOREVER. I set the timer for five minutes, tell them to do their best and it’s OK if it’s not perfect. As long as they’re not just waiting till the timer dings, they are normally finished before the 5 is up.
2) Clean under the beds. You’d be surprised what ends up under the beds. There’s normally a bunch of dusty old toys that your kids won’t care if they ever see again. There’s probably also some stray socks that you’ve blamed the dryer for eating, and at least one special thing that will make your kids eyes light up. If you have the space, keep a box or a bag somewhere for the stray things that you find under the bed or the couch. Once it’s filled drop it off at goodwill, or make a listing on Freecycle.
3) Go through the dressers every few months. If you’re like me, there’s always clothes in the laundry circle – so when I clean the drawers out I always miss some things. Kids grow fast – and depending on your kiddo, they might wear out the clothes faster than they out grow them. I love hand me downs, but it’s made my closets crowded. By cycling out the clothes that no longer fit we have more room – and we can really see what we have (or what we need). If you plan on donating your clothes, please be thoughtful. Don’t give them clothes that you would trash (stains, holes, etc) because most likely they will have to toss it to. I always keep a box in the closets for the clothes that no longer fit. When the box is filled I pull out the stuff in great condition that I’d like to pass onto a friend in need, then I make sure everything else is in good condition to donate.
4) Watch out for schools or churches that are holding rummage sales. Don’t feel comfortable selling your stuff on Craigslist and don’t want to drop it off at Goodwill? Find a place that is holding a rummage sale and donate there. Many schools hold rummage sales to help with funds, and are happy to take a lot of your items.
5) Make a Family Chore List Sit down and have everyone contribute. My four and six-year olds came up with fantastic rules and I just filled in the blanks. Then, do your best to be consistent 
Hope these help – I’d love you to share any tips you have to keep your clutter at a minimum!
I also miss the organization that I imagine could be there if my kids and I did a better job of staying on top of their mess. I sometimes feel like if I only did that, there still wouldn’t be enough time in the day! I like the 5 minute or 15 minute option a lot. I’ll try it out starting today. I just added it to my “to do” list… as a repeating item!
I’m also doing a Simplicity Challenge on my blog that will hopefully help me come out of 2012 with my world more organized and less cluttered. If you want to check it out, here’s the link to my blog (http://twyste.com) and to the post explaining the challenge:
http://twyste.com/2012/01/02/365-days-to-simplicity-or-the-365-day-purging-or-the-quest-for-less/
I feel that way so many times. That’s why in our house we do the 5 minutes in each room. I try to do it daily because otherwise it gets crazy fast. A lot of the time, if the room is almost clean the kids will just stay in and finish it because they like a cleaner house to.
The house rules really helped to because they helped pick the chores. We all signed it, and I hung it up as a reminder. If they’re not doing their part it’s an easy reminder. Good luck on your challenge!