5 Easy Ways to Organize the Post-Christmas Crazy with Your Boys via The MOB Society
It’s over. Another year of Christmas is done and over with. Maybe you realized that your kids got WAY too much. Now, where is it all going to go? How are you going to fit all their new toys in your house? How are you going to start getting YOUR things organized in your home? Well, it’s not too late. You can get organized and set up your New Year’s Resolution to get things organized in 2015, with yourself and your whole family.
Typically, I recommend having your kids go through ALL their toys and clothes before Christmas and birthdays — getting rid of everything that is outgrown, broken, no longer used, or is just plain too big! But, Christmas has now passed and you’re in that state of possible freaking out about where to put it. I know…we have grandparents who like to give the biggest, most grand-sized gifts to our kids too. But, it’s not too late. The first thing you do, start going through your kids’ toys. I tell my kids this every Christmas and birthday “If you don’t have room for it, you can’t keep it” – and Mom, you have to set the example, too. I’ve made my kids, since they were about 2, to go through their toys and give them to people who are unfortunate and needed it more than they did. HERE is more of what we do.
Next, how about YOU? What could you possibly do this year to help get your home in order? What’s the most important thing for you to do? Do you feel overwhelmed by clutter, by lack of knowledge to how to organize, not knowing where to start? Here are five things you can do today to get organized tomorrow:
- Avoid Perfectionism – If you tend to be a perfectionist, you may feel it must be perfect or you don’t do it at all. Let that go. HERE I’ve described in more details how to let go of expecting your home to look perfect. Perfectionism tends to cause procrastination – and neither is going to help get your home organized.
- Visual Clutter – if you have clutter, you need to start clearing it out. If you are overwhelmed with it, that’s OK. Everyone can clear it out, one step at a time – just start by taking 15 minutes a day to donate, toss, or clean up. I have more clutter help HERE if you need it.
- Schedule – I’m a big believer in schedules. Start with a simple 15 minutes a day of cleaning schedule to keep you from losing your mind over trying to keep the house clean. Trust me, it seems crazy but it really works.
- Recruit the Family – teach your kids to help you around the house. You can’t do it all. They make messes. So, it’s obvious they need to help you out. Train them young to do chores and tasks that help keep the house going. For more ideas of chores for kids of all ages, go HERE.
- Accountability – You may need a helpful friend to keep you accountable for getting your house organized and picked up. Better yet, have people over. Nothing keeps you motivated to get your home picked up and decluttered like having people over a LOT. Again, don’t expect your home to be perfect. But, if you can be held accountable by starting with a small section of a room that you’ve been needing to get to for years, just 15 minutes a day. Have a friend over to help you really go through your stuff. As Christians, we need to remember that this is stuff – it’s not eternal. You must look at things with an eternal perspective when deciding if you really need to keep them or not. We need to live unselfishly with our things and give to others who really need it.
Resolve to spend your new year getting organized – in turn, your home will be calmer and more relaxed. I promise.
Start small. If you need more help and motivation, read my blog for much more information. Recruit help. Get your kids involved. Share with others.
What is one area in your home you plan to get organized or declutter?
Becky Barnfather
Becky is blogger, speaker, piano teacher, wife and mom to two children – her son is 15 {he has autism} and her daughter is 10. She is passionate about motivating women to organize and have a relaxed and calm home {as much as possible}. She’s not OCD and not a perfectionist – just a girl who loves to organize. You can find her blogging atwww.OrganizingMadeFun.com
