De-clutter With Your Tidying-up Army

I discovered a great TV show here in the UK for moms and homemakers called “Houses Behaving Badly”. It is hosted by a gentleman and a pretty lady. Viewers nominate houses that are seriously cluttered and dirty, which the hosts visit to tidy up and fix (at least the minor problems). The intention is to help the homeowners start on a clean slate, so to speak, but they have the responsibility to maintain the tidiness.

My initial reaction to the title of the show is that the houses are unfairly blamed for being cluttered and untidy, when in fact, the homeowners should be considered the guilty party. The houses are just the shells within which the inhabitants create their own space, defining it with their own tastes and preferences – including their tidiness or their total lack of it.

While the hosts and their crew are at work, the lady of the house is sent away to someplace they have always wanted to visit. Aren’t they too lucky? They receive spring cleaning services for free and get to have the day to themselves as well. On the other hand, I wouldn’t want to be in their shoes, as their problems with tidiness and cleanliness get viewed and scrutinized by the viewing public – and I can tell you that theirs are really serious problems. I personally would not want others to see how poorly I perform in the tidying department.

Tidiness should be the general theme of any home – whether it be a palatial structure or a simple abode. Generally, with kids around, this is quite a tall order. But on the brighter side, kids are extra hands to keep the place tidy – given that they are properly trained. Therefore, it is important to train them as early as possible to appreciate tidiness and cleanliness around the house and to help maintain it that way.

If they grow up in an organized and generally clutter-free home, they will take it as the normal state of things, and will eventually practice it for as long as they live. If they are enlisted in the tidying army at an early age, being organized becomes a habit and they will naturally be more responsible for the whole house and their own respective space.

De-clutter you home – Tips

Here are a few tips on how you can work with your children to maintain a clutter-free home:

1. Organize. Put things in storage boxes that are properly labeled and regularly checked for any misplaced objects. Shoes and books should have their own places and toys properly sorted according to their owners.

2. Enlist the kids. The children should be properly oriented about your expectations from them in this department. Lay down the ground rules so that there will be no misunderstandings. Show them where to put away things, including their trash or rubbish. If possible, post reminders or labels for their benefit, which you can eventually take away once they know their own tidying responsibilities.

3. Reward system. Launch a reward system where you recognize the week’s tidiest room or space and the most responsible member of the tidying army. Regularly check their own cupboards/cabinets, books, beds, toys or rooms to arrive at the most deserving awardee/s. Putting up a reward system gives them the message that this is a serious matter. Of course, you make it more exciting this way, too.

4. Avoid hoarding. Hoarding is a serious problem of many wealthy nations. I can say that it is a side-effect of retail therapy. People buy things they don’t need. As much as possible, avoid holding on to things you no longer need. Kids grow up fast and they outgrow a lot of things – from toys to books to clothes and shoes. Keep those that can be hand-me-downs but donate to charity or give away those that no one needs anymore. Reserve those precious storage spaces for the essentials. If you are up to organizing a garage sale, you can also make extra profit out of the items that you do not need any longer.

5. De-clutter regularly. Keep your tidying account short. Before bedtime, do a five-minute tidying up session, assigning each kid his or her own space to de-clutter. During weekends or whenever they are in the house for the whole day, do quick de-cluttering sessions at least three times each day.

If you follow these simple tips you will learn that maintaining a tidy, organized and sane living space with kids is indeed possible.

De-clutter your home – Advantages

Avoid accidents. A lot of accidents that happen in the house can be prevented if everything is tidy and organized. If you have very little children, the older kids should be taught to keep away small toys from them like marbles, or Lego pieces. A misplaced toy car on the stairs is a big disaster just waiting to happen. And what about those spills and trips caused by ropes or clothes on the floor? Anticipate problems like these and prevent them from happening.

Avoid stress. Every weekday morning, madness is not uncommon in homes where kids are preparing to go to school. Avoid hearing complaints about missing socks or shoes by teaching the kids where to keep them or find them. A lot of the stress generated within that short span of time when the kids are getting ready for school will be avoided if your house is organized and clutter-free. This applies also when the whole family is getting ready for church, for a trip or for whatever event that requires everyone to be dressed to go out.

Avoid health problems. A dirty house is a breeding ground for all sorts of molds, fungi and bacteria. A clean house is a healthy space, both for the body and the mind. Chose which one you want, what kind of place you want your family to go home to at the end of each day.