Mom Seeking Other Moms Ideas on Cheap Easy House Organizing and Cleaning!

My husband actually came up with this idea. It is fabulous. We (well he) made a list of each room in the house and labeled them with 5 minutes or 10 minutes. EVERY day we pick a room and set a timer. It is everyone's job to spend that entire 10 minutes cleaning, organizing, sweeping, dusting, washing etc that room. We have found that if we stay on top of it the rooms stay pretty organized because everything is typically in its own spot! Doing it every day is pretty easy too since it is a focused 10 minutes and when the timer goes off we are done, even if we are not quite finished cleaning. We will get to it next time. good luck

Hi mom about 5yrs ago I realize that my house was to small and that I had made this problem I kept everything but it was very organize in totes, boxes, in attic ect. so I decided that I could not move and all the stuff had to go. Do you know I had my very first lease from my very first apartment lol Listen I shreded all that stuff and threw away stuff. Someone told me if you have not seen it in six months you do not need it and with that my life is free of stuff. Just let go, and as stuff come in the door this is what I do shred it or give it away. Good Luck

When my kids were growing up we had a "Saturday Box". I would go around each night and pick up everything left laying around and it went into the box. The reason it was called the "Saturday Box" was because you could not retrieve any item from it until Saturday. It didn't matter if it was your ball or your winter coat (you could wear your brother's coat-and my daughter did one time) you just had to wait. It was the most effective rule I ever used to get everyone to pick up after themselves. Trust me, there is nothing like not having a book for school or wearing your old shoes to school to motivate you to pick up after yourself.

We too live in a house that's around 900 sq. feet- 3 BR, 1 and a half bath, but there's only 2 kids on top of my husband and I. We have no basement. Here are some of the things that I have done:

- purge frequently and give away. As they grow out of clothes, they get put in a box and sent to their cousin
- put hanging organizers or storage on the backs of doors. There are inexpensive shoe holders, towel racks, pockets that attatch to doors that can be used to store things.
- O.H.I.O.- only handle it once. If you use it, put it away. Set a timer for 10 minutes every day and have everyone pick up. When the timer goes off, you're done and you move on to the next thing.
-I rearrange closets 1-2 times per year. Getting rid of things that we haven't used recently or aren't likely to use again. Don't save it for "someday we MIGHT..."
-In our cupboards, I use additional racks or pull-outs to add space. There's one that attaches to the underside of a shelf to hang mugs on, one that is a wire rack for additional storage, a spice rack, etc.

These require a little bit of equipment, but it could be purchased one at a time and add as you can.

I laughed at your coment about removing furniture! We have a loveseat couch in our garage loft because we wanted more space for the kids to be able to play! I know how you feel!

Good luck!
E.

I agree with the flylady suggestions! I no longer subscribe, but the tips I learned from when I did have transformed my thinking. Some other ideas I think may not have been mentioned.

Assess how long it's been since something's been used. If it's been awhile or you can't remember, get rid of it.

Family garage sale: Encourage everyone to gather things to contribute to a sale, and allow each child to keep the profit from their selections. Once I mentioned this to my kids, suddenly they wanted to get rid of a LOT more!

Stuff In, Stuff Out: When my kids get something new, or at Christmas or birthday time, they need to get rid of one item for each item they receive. This keeps their things new and interesting, and it doesn't increase the volume of possessions. At Christmas they'll do this ahead of time in anticipation, and also donate it to a worthy cause for kids less fortunate.

hey M.,
One of the things we do for the closets is I keep a container and we put anything in it that they kids have outgrown or want to sell. We have an awesome MOPS group that we have a BIG sale twice a year to help raise money for the group. I just take my containers and lable them and bring them up to our church and it's usually gone. If it's not gone they usually have a box that you can use to donate stuff.
I like the comments about the back of the doors and how you use the organizers. That would work for me to put thier hats and gloves in.
We also have a container for the kids to put thier shoes in and a basket to put thier backpacks in when they get home. My kids to a better job with this than my husband.
it does help if you can stay on top of a room, but there are some days where that is just impossible. Especially when you have 5 kids like you do.
Hope that helps for some of you. Thanks for your suggestions.

Start reading unclutterer.com. It's got GREAT suggestions! You can also search through the archives for solutions to issues you're currently dealing with. Reading that blog has changed my life.

Try flylady.net. She has a great system that doesn't take a lot of time and she'll even send you reminders.

I also live in a small house and constantly purge. I don't put it into storage, unless it's seasonal and I know exactly when I'm going to use it again. I donate any purged stuff because it makes me feel good, teaches my kids to give back and I don't have to ever sort through it again.

I watched an episode of Clean House where they cut old cereal boxes up to make drawer organizers. I like stackable boxes... I usually buy the clear plastic kind they sell at Big Lots or Wal-Mart for a couple of dollars, but you could use regular shoe boxes as long as you label them clearly.

The people we bought our house from had mail bins hanging on the wall next to the back door where they put all their kids' papers for school (and one for Mom and Dad too) -- it looked like a great way to keep school papers straight. My daughter came home from preschool with a big portfolio folder (11x14 or bigger) to keep her stuff in each year, and it was great to have a place to put the really good stuff and an excuse to pick and choose -- if it didn't fit in the folder it was time to weed some of it out.

Good luck... can't wait to see what other people suggest!

Ikea. I've found great cubbies there and they have inexpensive bins.

Get on the list of those who do not want to receive junk mail and phone calls. Only go thru mail once and handle it as you go through it. When you purge, do you store it, or throw it away? Rule of thumb, if it hasn't been worn for over a year, you don't need it. Buying in bulk can be cheaper, but in your case, weekly shopping for the week's needs only could pay off. "A place for everything and everything in its place" pretty idealistic, but good to keep in mind and shoot for, have kids put away after using something. Do laundry a couple times a week and don't fold what doesn't need it, underwear, pajamas. Change half the beds with each laundry, put on sheets that were laundered in previous laundry, that way you only need to have and store half as many sheets. Don't buy anything you don't really need. Find out where you can recycle shoes, don't they just pile up so fast? Organize closets and drawers, throw out things you don't need, socks without mates, old puzzles and games with missing pieces, have a bag for used batteries and use it each time old ones are replaced. never leave a used battery lying around, find out where to recycle those batteries. If something cheap breaks, throw it out, don't tell yourself you will fix it someday. Pass on used paperback books after they are read. Throw out catalogs when they come unless they are really going to be used. Buy IKEA furniture that has storage in it.

Hi M.,
Another Mom got me started on a free web site that gives ideas on how to organize clutter - www.flylady.com
C.
mom of 3

The Dollar Tree has great bins and baskets for only $1.

I was just going to recommend Flylady! I see someone else did, too. Check out the website, it's great, and helps you organize your home in easy steps. There is meal planning stuff, too, and if you are like me and it's easier for you to have a book to look at, she has books! :)

Wow! You've got your hands full! My suggestion is to try to take advantage of the vertical space you have. Stackable storage boxes (they can just be shoeboxes with a little art work on them to spruce them up) in a corner will utilize some of that vertical area. Those old fashioned shoe storage cloths that you hang on a door (the ones with the little pouches for shoes) can be used for all sorts of items: toys, stuffed animals, socks, shoes (obviously) and other small items. A shelf placed high up the wall can be for items that are not used everyday. If the shelf is high, it won't be so noticeable. Also you could hang a pretty sheet or tablecloth from it and cover up an additional storage area so that it would be prettier to look at. As for how to get everything in its place, I'm sure you'll get some good ideas from the other moms. Good luck!

I have four children and watch my niece full time and this week I was feeling very overwhelmed by all the stuff in my house. I feel like my mental list of things that need to be done is neverending. Plus some of the kids have been sick. It was so nice to read the responses to your request. I did go to the website, Flylady, it looks so great. I am looking forward to starting her system next week! Just wanted to thank you for the question, it made my day!

Just today I decided I am going to get some nice wicker baskets for each of the rooms downstairs, and it will be the box were everything that does not belong in that room will go at the end of the day. Then I will assign someone the job of putting all the items away the next day. I hope that that will at least keep the rooms clutter free.

I am a SPED Mom too. I will keep you in my good thoughts. Go to the Fly Lady website.. It is an entire, free system on how to declutter and keep your home clean. Lace up your shoes an get started. I am not sure of the website, but google Fly Lady.
Happy Day
J.

Hi M., we live in 900 sq ft with 3 kids. We just recently gave up our dog because it was getting too crowded with the dog running around...
I'm one of those people that hates being disorganized.
I like to know where everything is.

I have bins/baskets for all the toys, they each have their own space and kids are tought from the start to put them where they found them.

All their clothes are organized in a dresser, they each have their drawers for clothes separated by warm/ cold weather and then socks, underwear and pajamas.
All the clothes that are too big - hand me downs etc for future use are in bins, labeled by size. I bought some plastic bins at Walmart for $2.00 last week.

There are shoe racks by the front door closet, where all the shoes are organized by kid, mom, dad....

I have a small filing cabinet for hanging folders, where I keep all my paperwork - I have the folders alphabetized and all items have their separate folder - like insurance, cars, banks etc.

I throw away old bills and bank statements right after they are paid. Bank statements go right away - some I don't receive - just access online.

Go to http://www.catalogchoice.org/ and enter all the junk magazines you get in the mail to stop them from coming.

I have all my photos organized in albums and the digital ones stored and organized online at shutterfly.com

As far as cleaning goes, I try to keep up with it daily.
Kids know to put their dirty clothes in the loundry basket right away after they change into their pajamas at night. I do a load almost daily. Toys, art supplies etc, get cleaned out by the kids either after they are done plaing with them or at night before we go to sleep.
I sweep the floors (we have hardwood floors) every couple of days and wash the floors once a week or so.

Put the dirty dishes in the dishwasher right away after we're done with them. If can't get to it right after dinner, then for sure before bed time.

Clean out closets/storage areas a couple times a year and get rid of stuff you don't need. I started selling all my "junk" on Ebay recently. It's great, I can get rid of stuff and make a couple of buck doing it too.

I'm not sure what else to mention. I'm sure you'll get some great advice from other moms.

Have a great day and good luck
YVette

Go to Flylady.net It is awesome and free!!!

Hi M.. That is so ironic, I am going through the same thing!!! I also have 5 kids almost the same ages as yours, and with school starting it seems the chores are being put onto the backburner! Which means I am ALWAYS cleaning... and we put a peice of the couch out even...what to do?! I guess my only solution which I have found to work so far is to clean AFTER THEY GO TO SLEEP which is so frustrating, but it really does work...then when I wake up there are no dishes and no messes...Good luck. I'm eager to see your responses.