We all know that spring is here and the time for cleaning out the junk and organizing the house has come. And we all dread this annual tradition. It doesn’t have to be a horrible chore, if we can organize effectively and keep things that way all year.
Planning the Household Organization
Firstly you will have to prioritize what is most important in your household’s traffic and organization. Most of us live through the kitchen, so this is a must for being straightened out and organized. As well, we need to look at the high traffic areas, such as the entries and the living room. Make a plan as which room you want done first, and go down the list. Within each room’s section make a smaller list of what are the priorities for the room and how keeping it organized will assist in making your life easier.
Once you have it all sorted as to what has to get done, then you can look at the how. Are there things that simply need to be moved and cleared out? If so, you should examine why these have accumulated. Is there a way that you can change how you handle such items coming in for the future so you won’t have to do a major overhaul again? Being on top of things right from the start is one tool that can help you keep organized and make your home easier to manage.
Get the Whole Family Involved
It is important that the whole family understand the why and how of your home organization efforts. Without their support, you will not be able to maintain an organized home. Let each member know about your desire to get organized and stay organized. Perhaps they can offer suggestions on how you can achieve the goal together. Each person can have an area of the house that s/he is responsible for.
Certainly kids can take care of their own rooms. But who takes care of the living room, kitchen, front hallway, or main bathroom (which everybody shares)? Let each family member choose a common area to be responsible for. And if there are arguments, such as neither teenager wanting the bathroom and both saying they’ll do some other area, have them rotate. One week it’s one person’s, the next the other’s. And if everybody makes sure to clean up after themselves and organize and keep things in their proper place (this is most important!), then there will be less problems with clutter or dirt from this point on.
Everything in its Place, and a Place for Everything
You will have to find a place for everything. This means that you will have to assign places to put certain papers, school projects, and perhaps even some knick-knacks that are lying around. Toys are to be in their drawers or toy boxes, clothes in their assigned spots, and so forth. This may mean that you will have to buy some containers or at least get some temporary boxes to store things in. That’s okay, as long as you actually come back and move them from the temporary boxes to a more permanent location.
Once you establish the rules for where everything goes, you must follow the rules yourself and make sure that the entire household is on board for this in order to stay organized. It’s worth it in the long run, and it really can help you keep your sanity.
Read more in the article Fighting Clutter: the Rule of Two
