Now that our family has expanded to four, it feels at times as if the things in our home grown exponentially. I’m careful not to buy things we don’t need, but somehow we continue to accumulate more and in a tiny space, it takes discipline to stay organized.
This weekend, I spent an afternoon organizing my dishes in the kitchen. It’s something I have to do often, since they are all on open shelving. It felt good to go through the things I use frequently and keep them out, while placing others inside my tonsu in easy reach.
TIPS TO KEEP THE HOUSE IN RELATIVE ORDER
When you have kiddos, the toy situation can get out of control quickly. I try to be disciplined about not buying too much to begin with. I also try to get rid of a toy not being used before adding another. There are the essentials – in my home it’s trains and trucks – and other toys are used less.
Tidy up often. I try to go through each closet once a month. When I clean it up, I also have a discerning eye for things that are simply taking up space.
Try to come up with a system that actually works for you. For example, I had all of the baby bottles and cups in one drawer but I could never find what I was looking for. By simply getting two large bins, the drawer is now divided between toddler cups and the baby bottles.
Before doing anything in the morning, I always make my bed. Things can get crazy trying to get my son to preschool and all of us out the door, but coming home to the beds made, give me peace of mind.
Before going to bed, I spend 15 minutes putting things in place. This makes our morning a bit easier to handle.
I’m not perfect. When my guard is down and I’m exhausted, things seem to get out from under me. I try not to beat myself up and to start again the next day!
Photo of our living room cabinet
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