Having a family of five makes for a challenge in many ways, and getting and staying organized is really up there in priorities — it makes for a much smoother transition from one event to the next, from the morning rush out the door, backpacks and lunches flying, to the evening romp from dinner to homework, to bath and bed. All these things would be so much easier if we could just get everyone in the house on the same page. How hard could it be? I know it sounds like an arduous task, but maybe not if you can follow some simple guidelines:
1st — Realize that everyone in your home has a different idea of what “clean” or “organized” is and it’s important to sit down and discuss plans for how you will keep things together once put together. This is the first step — discuss, plan and execute.
2nd — Whatever kind of space you have in your home, you can keep clutter to a minimum and contain items cleverly. The important thing to remember is you want to keep like items together — hats and gloves go one place — maybe stored in a bench that you can also sit on to put your boots on. And coats can be hung on hooks low enough for the little guys and girls to reach. It all must be made a habit — until they don’t even think about it anymore, they just do it. It might take a couple weeks, but it is well worth the effort in the beginning.
3rd — Peruse websites and stores for great ideas on storage and organizational materials. There is so much information out there these days that it’s almost impossible to not stumble across a good idea here and there to make things easier for ourselves in our busy lives.
Throughout all of it, remember that these things do not just fix themselves, especially after you have done the work to start something. You must actually change your habits in order to really benefit from your ingenuity to create a positive change.
Kristin McClellan is a professional home stager and redesigner who runs her business, HomeCharmers, with her husband, Nathaniel, a flooring expert and furniture craftsman. They work together to make people’s homes more buyer friendly and help homeowners who are staying enjoy it more. You can reach her at 899-1239 or www.homecharmers.net.