A Place For Everything and Everything In It's Place

This is from Clancy's "Tue Pose A Question" blog, but I started to comment on her question, and it was a big long novel...so, I figured I'd post it over here. Her question was "What do you do to stay on top of things...is there a certain day or time that you clean certain things...etc"

I used to have everything together and in it's place. I have panic attacks about people being in my house if it isn't perfect...and seriously, it's not anywhere near perfect lately, so, yep, I'm basically one big panic attack. As I said in my "random post" #4, I don't have people over enough because I'm too busy focusing on what I have to do "first".
When I had fewer children, I was more on top of things. I loved cleaning. Seriously. I just didn't like people to mess it up. I'm still battling the "people messing it up" part. I can clean and clean all day and the weekend just messes it all up.
I've decided that part of the problem is that everybody wants their stuff out and accessible. Nobody wants to walk to their room to put their stuff away. They all want it in the LR or kitchen.

The only way to stay on top of things is to ENLIST THE WHOLE FAMILY. If everyone leaves their books, toys, socks, shoes all over the house and mom is the only one picking it all up, you are going to lose the battle. In the beginning, it feels like so much less work to just do everything yourself. Trying to get the kids to fold laundry or do dishes or even picking up can seem so frustrating. But...you can't always do it all. Plus, part of our job as parents is to teach our children these basic skills. So, taking the time early on will save time and frustration in the long run.
Kitchen counters are almost sacred to me. I feel smothered if I have cluttered counters. I can't cook in a messy kitchen and HATE papers and toys all over the counter. My wonderful husband and children don't feel the same way. They want the counter to be the place they put everything...and then mom will "take care of it."

To some degree, I like a house to look and feel usable and lived in. I don't want it to be a museum, but I also want everyone to feel comfortable. FIND THE BALANCE BETWEEN MUSEUM AND TRASHED...THAT'S LIVED IN.

I checked out flylady a while ago, but it wasn't for me. I liked some of the ideas...vacuuming the "middle of the room" helped me because sometimes, I would get too focused on getting everything picked up before I could vacuum...this helped me to get done whatever was possible. But, some of the structure wasn't something I could do. In my opinion, flylady is good for taking some of the ideas that work for you and ignoring the others. http://www.flylady.net/

So...the things that are most important to me to keep things together...

HOOKS!!! I don't think anyone can have enough hooks. I use not only hook rails, but individual hooks as well, both screw in and self adhesive. The command hooks even have a silver variety now, so they are all over my house. The kids have hooks on the inside of their closet doors, because, let's face it, they aren't going to hang stuff up on a hanger every time. There are hooks on the inside of bedroom doors, on the inside of the coat closet door and also on the wall of the coat closet...kids can't reach the rod, so how are they supposed to hang their backpack and jacket up? They hang it on hooks. We also have silver command hooks on the bathroom doors...clothes, towels, whatever. I use the hook rails on the wall behind the door into the house from the garage....one up high, and one down low.

KEEPING THE KITCHEN COUNTER DECLUTTERED... which means having a file drawer or box, with properly labeled files and a shredder. I'm missing something right now that I had in my last house and I'm getting it very soon...it is essential, in my opinion... "folders" that hang on the wall...either in the office, by the back door, whatever. This is for all the kids papers that we can't file away, can't throw away, can't hang up...

STORAGE AND SHELVES

If something doesn't have a place, it's going to be in the way.

As far as a SCHEDULE for day to day cleaning, I try to tidy daily (or multiple times a day.) When everyone is done getting ready for the day, I want the bathroom counter cleared off...I shove it all back into the cupboards or drawers. I have told the kids that they should never leave the toothpaste out because they should never set it down except back into the drawer...open the drawer, use the toothpaste, put it back in THEN close the drawer. So far, I still have to tell them to put it away, but they do actually remember that sometimes.

Vacuuming in my house is usually Monday morning for sure. I don't usually vacuum on Sunday, so Monday is the day to clean up all the junk off the carpets from the busy weekend. Then, I vacuum the main parts of rooms or entryways as they need it. I vacuum again on Thursday or Friday so that if people are over on the weekend, the carpets are clean.

I sweep daily. With kids, it's pretty much necessary. Dirt, food, crumbs, crayon tips, papers, and who-knows-what-else. Sometimes it's just "spot-sweeping" but it usually just keeps going. I like my broom, but also love my floor duster (this isn't the exact one I have, but similar). It has a wide head, so it goes quickly and picks up everything along the way.

I'm always behind and there is always more to do, but I don't usually feel like I'm drowning in housework. My current focus is getting the wall folders and also entry storage for the back door. When I feel organized, I feel like I can stay on top of things a lot easier and I don't feel like I'm just treading water.

(How's that for a comment on your post...lol)