A Constant Mess!

I feel like my house is a constant mess and it's driving me batty. I feel like cleaning up is pointless as it just gets messy again and I also feel like I'm moving one pile of random clutter to another all day long. :gah: I have cute bins from The Land of Nod and shelves from Target--all the tools one needs to be organized--but their bins have different small pieces in every bin and I get so frustrated just looking at them (Little People mixed with cars mixed with blocks, etc...) I think, "Why take the time to separate it all again when it will just get all mixed up-the kids don't care so why should I?!) :BDH: I am by no means a Type A personality in terms of organization...I don't mind a little clutter and at the end of the day I'd rather enjoy my kids and live in the moment than stress out about it...but I also want some semblance of organization. My house is clean but it's disorganized. This is now carrying over to my bedroom and other rooms in the house--I just think at the end of the day that I don't have the time or energy to organize my crap. I clearly care-it bothers me-but I can't find the drive to want to do anything about it.

So my question is: How do you all deal with the clutter in your home, or if you've mastered the art of organization, spill your secrets, please! I do try to get my kids in on the act but they aren't the most helpful right now. I've tried making it a game as someone in the past suggested-and is a great idea-but they aren't interested in this point.

 

It was a disaster before we moved to be honest... but now it's much, much better. We have different kinds of bins and everything has a specific place, and I was on their back all the time the first weeks to get them to clean up when they stopped playing with something... it's paid off mostly, as it takes 5 minutes to clean up at night instead of the old 30 minutes, but yeah we pick up toys all day too.

They have some bins in their room where all the small toys are mixed up but there aren't too many of them so it's not really a big deal, it's still easy to find stuff.

 

if i see them leave a pile of toys to play with something else, i stop them and send them back to put the toys away! i help them, but as they get older i help less and less. i sing the Barney "clean up" song, and at the end, whoever put in most effort gets a stamp... in our house a stamp is enough to motivate them to do more!

 

We used to pick up repeatedly throughout the day, but now we just try to have them help us pick up their toys before bedtime. It doesn't totally drive me crazy and I feel like I can't breath from the clutter, but I am learning to let it go. I am just looking forward to the day when I can see what color our carpet is again :laughing: .

 

I try to periodically weed through toys that the kids don't play with anymore to cut down on clutter. Right now I am going through all of the clutter that DH and I have collected through the years and I am trying to get rid of that and then my next step is to go through the kids stuff again. I feel like I do well with it and then a whole new batch of clutter comes through the house :faint:

 

When you've had bins for different types of toys, did you include a picture on the bin of what should go inside? I've seen that done a lot in preschools and church nurseries. I think the visual cue can really help a young child grasp the concept of sorting and categorizing toys.

We've gone through periods where we've been really good about having "clean up time" before baths at night. Everyone helps (mom, dad and the kids), and we pick up all the toys in the living room and their bedrooms and put them away. Then we do baths and carryon with the bedtime routine. I'm like a PP where I don't mind the clutter throughout the day, but once the kids are in bed, I don't want to see all their crap everywhere.

(Right now, we've gotten away from the clean up time, and I'm picking the toys up after they go to bed. Hmmm, I think we need to start that back up!)

 

My kids have all been taught (and I enforce) that if they finish with something it must be put away before getting out something else (with a few exceptions... Lego creations that they want to show Dad when he gets home, etc). At the end of the day, everything is put away. About once a month I go through all the toys & separate them back into their respective bins & boxes. I find that the kids really do play with their toys more if they are organized & I am definitely the type that can't relax if there is a lot of clutter around!

 

Yes it's my experience as well, they play much more with the organized toys than with the ones that are just thrown in a big bin.

 

I'm working on it! LOL My house used to be a picture perfect model home - BEFORE the kids were born! Now I just look at all the clutter - and sigh. That's all I can do. I get exhausted just thinking about all the stuff that needs to be cleaned up and put away.

Little by little, I'm adding multi-functional furniture to my house. A coffee table that has drawers in it for instance - to hide blankets and books - instead of the pretty glass one I used to have. A Triple Bunk (the twins are 3 and a little tag-along that's 2) with dressers built in - so we're using vertical space instead of floor space...

We too have all the tools required to have a nice, neat and organized home - yet we STILL have a battle of the clutters every single day. If I didn't have a MIL that saw the need to buy clothes every 5 minutes - that would reduce HALF the clutter we do have! LOL

Other than that, I try to go through every couple of months and clear out old toys/clothes and make a run by the salvation Army. Right before the the holidays I'll do a full house sweep to get rid of old toys and no longer fitting clothes - but that only lasts long enough for the new wave to come in and take over!



Good luck - if you find a solution please let me know!

 

Clutter makes me sweat.

It literally does.

I am constantly following PEOPLE around. PICKING UP. I am. I cannot help it. I'm like Kate on Jon and Kate. I am her. Sorry, but I AM.

I don't care.

The mess makes me crazy as he**.

Anyway, I agree. So, I pick it up. All you can do is pick it up and tell your kids the mess drives you insane in the membrane and that they need to keep stuff orderly and PRAY that they will catch on one day.

That's what i'm doing.

Good luck!