The First 6 Steps to Getting Organized at Home

Well, it’s here, isn’t it? The First 6 Steps to Getting Organized at Home and before you know it you’ll be feeling better about yourself, less ill, and happier!

Here’s the thing, before we jump into a big, long post we want you to know that you’re doing better than you think you are. Are your children fed? Have you said something kind or helped someone out lately? Heck, have you showered in the past 3 days? Yep, you’re good! Don’t stress about having your home a certain way, just try the first 6 steps to getting organized at home.

I think the best part about having a discussion is one person can offer their point of view and we each take from it what we need to learn and grow in while others may do exactly what was said and that’s the best choice for them. The most important thing is to get control of our lives so that we get to live and not be ruled by the endless mess.

We can say we are ok with the mess because we are choosing family or life over chores, but the truth is, your house rules you, and I’m not interested in a life like that. I want to feel peace, snuggle up instead of yelling because no one can find their shoes. Am I right? The First 6 Steps to Getting Organized at Home are seriously the best things ever for our family.

Is Keeping a Clean Home Important?

I’ve heard it too many times that people need to relax and they are tired, but guess what, waking up to chores has a negative impact on mental health whether or not one chooses to recognize that. A job that’s never done can mentally and physically make you feel depressed and tired.

So tell us, is keeping a clean home important to you? And if so, how has it been a positive thing in your life?

Kids and Cleaning

Just as important as that, kids need to see you care for your home, how to organize themselves for a more productive life and how to pitch in and help. Rowdy, disobedient children benefit from cleaning so much. Teach them to respect and care for their things, their home and the mother that’s doing even more work and you’d be surprised how much more respectful and helpful they are in general.

Before we say how the cleaning goes down there are a few household rules that help our 2 hours be the most effective.

OK! Let’s get this show on the road and chat about the Frist 6 Steps to Getting Organized at Home.

Household Rules

1. All dishes and meals get cleaned up while cooking or after the meal is eaten.

   We don’t leave dishes in the sink. Period. We are as busy and as tired as the next person, but still, clean up while you cook and everyone puts their dishes away after a meal. It will take 5 minutes working together and it’s important for your kids to see that happen.

Plus, scrubbing dishes from the day after is shown to take longer than those who get it done, start the dishwasher and unload it the next day. You’re really just making it harder on yourself. 🙂

     2. Beds are Made by Who Slept in it.

That’s really not asking too much, it’s a simple pulling up of the covers and even as babies we hold the child while we make the bed and set a pattern. That’s what cleaning is about, setting a standard or pattern. Kids make a messy bed at first but continue praising and occasionally correcting, but otherwise let them be. If it’s made it’s made. In 3 years you’d be shocked by how much better they’ve gotten.

Beds are easier made if you started our correctly, put the sheets on the right way and tuck the corners and sides under the mattress and you’d be surprised how much less work making the bed is.

     3. If You Played with it You Put it Away Before Getting Out Something New

We have a basement that is getting destroyed lately and that’s partially my fault because I’m not reminding them that just because it’s their space (it’s unfinished) doesn’t mean they can leave everything out. You played with it, put it away before moving on.

This goes for the adults too. If you opened the mail, take care of it. If you got out blankets to watch a movie, fold them up before heading to bed. 15 seconds is all it takes and you’ll feel more peaceful when you feel waking up to a house that doesn’t need your attention.

4.Stop Putting Kids to Bed and Then Cleaning

That goes for friends being over as well. Before everyone heads home everyone should help clean up the mess that was made. Kids have to learn responsibility and I don’t want a selfish kid that thinks everything should be done for them. Stop putting the kids to bed and then tidying up all of their messes. They will one day be adults and you don’t want them to be that employee or roommate that destroys the microwave and just walks away from the explosion.

We start off with the first 6 Steps to Getting Organized at Home before ever jumping into a real cleaning schedule because it’s the habits that create the best or the worst people. Kids need these steps just like you do.

     5. Laundry is a Team Effort

During the school year I fold the laundry and lay it at the ends of their beds to be put away. During the summer we quickly do each load together unless they are out playing and then I place it on the end of the bed. They are still young enough that it’s a team effort.

     6. A Home is Cared for by All of Us

We all live together and having a home is a privilege. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but not taking care of your home shows disrespect for what you’ve been blessed with. We all live here, so we all pitch in. When Mom is cleaning the house and kids aren’t in school they are expected to do it with me. Cade pitches in even more than they do. We all take care of the place we live.

The First 6 Steps to Getting Organized at Home

You are not saving their childhood by allowing every moment to be about them living it up and playing all day. Learning to work hard is actually related to good self esteem, higher paying jobs and grades and overall mental health than those who are lazy and expect things done for them. The first 6 steps to getting organized at home aren’t anything you haven’t heard before, but the small habits you create will help you to realize your goal of keeping a clean house.

Alright, I think that’s enough for today. Next week we are going to tackle exactly what our kids are expected to do, how our chores work and what to do if they aren’t helping and it’s becoming a fight. We would love to hear what questions or comments you have in the meantime, so leave a comment below and let’s get a real conversation going so we can help each other!

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