I read this article and wanted to pass it on to you! This mom is implementing concepts that we use every single day. If you follow these steps, you will be able to stay ahead of the chaios and confusion of clutter!
http://www.shelterpop.com/2011/02/23/make-my-life-easy-the-happiests-moms-guide-to-cleaning/
1. Determine 'Stress Triggers'
When it comes to cleanliness, what spirals us into a frenzied mess – and consequently invites chaos – is different for each person. For some, a sink filled with dirty dishes might invite a panic attack. Others might stress out about stacks of unopened mail. "Focus on the things that give you stress," advises Francis. Throw pillows and blankets strewn across the living room floor drive her bonkers. So does a bathroom counter cluttered with toiletries. "If those two things aren't done right I feel really chaotic and can't relax." Dust and cobwebs? She could care less – and often does not even notice they are there.
2. Clean Daily
When the option to clean all day – or even a half day – is on the table, most of us probably find a way to get out of it. Francis can totally relate. Instead, she does a little bit of cleaning each day. "If doesn't have to be a chore if you stay on top of it," she says. She also avoids a Saturday-morning argument before a scheduled cleaning marathon by locking the kids into a routine ahead of time. Because the older boys in her family take out the trash and also do the dishes, there isn't a discussion or fight about doing so -- it's just expected behavior.
3. Make It Better
The rule in Francis' house is to never walk out of a room without first making it better. Don't leave dirty dishes on the table or books spread open on the couch or your sweatshirt in a pile on the bathroom floor. Sticking to this mantra eliminates little messes that can pile up around the home while doing normal tasks –- reading, eating or playing, for example.
4. The After-School Shuffle
When Francis' four oldest kids come home from school they dump their backpacks down and immediately begin to snack, play games, read or do homework. It's easy for them to forget, until later that night, about important paperwork sent home by the teacher that needs her attention. Now, Francis goes through each backpack within minutes of them barreling through the door. All of it goes in a designated "in-box" on her desk. This way she's aware of what needs to be done and can make the time to do it.
5. Teach Kids to Clean
It might be tempting to avoid giving your kids a detailed show about how to clean the house – and just clean it from top to bottom on your own. But the time you invest now can pay off big-time in the long run. "Take the time to make sure they do it correctly," says Francis. "Even though that might take time, it's going to be worth it." When she was pregnant with her fifth child she patiently taught the older kids how to load and unload the dishwasher, as well as operate the washing machine and dryer. This way she could recapture that time for feedings or much-needed rest.
6. Rearrange Décor for Happiness
When Francis noticed that her kids weren't reading much -- she looked to her home's layout for answers. Because there wasn't a central storage area for books, paperbacks and hardbound books were collecting underneath each child's bed and in spots throughout the house. So she set up a reading area with comfortable chairs and all of their books on one shelf. "Also, it makes it easy for me to keep an eye on it," she says.
She also relocated the board games from an upstairs closet, which was difficult for a small child to reach and often resulted in game pieces falling onto the floor. Now they are visible and within reach. "I want to set up the rooms in the way they want to be used," she says.
7. Purge, Purge, Purge
Even though Francis is not a recreational shopper, she's amazed at how quickly the rooms in her house can fill up, just from day-to-day activities. "Each time I go through the house I'm amazed at all the stuff I find," she says. Twice a week she searches for rarely-used items to donate, whether it's a book, sweater or bowl. Every little bit counts. And because she has realized that she's happiest in a home that's minimally decorated, it's an important habit to keep.
(From Meagan Francis, author of "The Happiest Mom: Ten Secrets to Enjoying Motherhood")
I spent several hours last week sorting and organizing the boys' books. Since we home school, I am always on the hunt for good books. Sometimes I will buy duplicates of certain books, because I forget what we have at home. After hours of organizing, I now know which topics we have covered and it's more fun to look for new books. Here are a few ideas to get you started.