Happy April!!! A new month means a new themed calendar photo!
April is a big month for us with lots of big events happening. Spring Break, The Masters, my middle's 13th birthday, a baseball tournament, high school cheer tryouts, Easter and The Summit cheerleading competition. Whew...I'm just tried thinking about it and I know it's going to fly by because we will be so busy all month long.
When our family is super busy the house can often get super messy. Things get thrown around in the rush to go from one thing to the next and "stuff" on counters and tables starts to make me go bananas. I have come to learn that having my house neat and orderly makes me feel calmer while clutter around my house makes me feel anxious and out of sorts. That's not to say I don't have messy areas in the house, but they are contained and often out of sight!
1. Have a place for everything: One of the best ways I have found to combat the clutter is to have a place for everything. My kids are constantly unable to find things and I always tell them if they put it back where it belongs they wouldn't have trouble finding it.
2. Sort mail/papers immediately: Another thing I find helpful is to sort mail and school papers as soon as they come in the house. Junk mail immediately gets thrown in the trash, bills get put in my planner for the date they need to be paid, coupons I might use get put in my purse and papers from school with information or reminders I need get put on my pin board.
3. Let the decluttering trickle to your kids: Chances are your kids are some of the biggest culprits when it comes to the junk. I try to get my kids on board with helping declutter and while it doesn't always come natural to them sometimes I just make them do it. We have cubbies in our mudroom that tend to always start overflowing with stuff and I also make them clean and organized their rooms at least once a week.
4. Get rid of the stuff: For some this is easier said than done, but cleaning out items you don't use on a regular basis can help free up space and make your house less cluttered. There are certainly sentimental items that I hold on to that I probably shouldn't, but overall I'm good with being done with an item and either throwing stuff away or donating items on a regular basis.
5. Keep a donate bag/bin: I keep a large donate bag in my closet that I use to put clothes/shoes the kids have outgrown, household items I don't use anymore, or anything else I want to donate. When the bag is full I go drop it off and start a new bag.
6. Don't forget your car: If you are anything like me, you probably spend a lot of time in your car. The car can quickly become a mess and filled with clutter. I try to grab trash everytime I get out of the car and ask my kids to take in anything that they have brought to the car that doesn't belong there.
How do you combat the clutter in your homes?
EVERYDAY ORGANIZING FOR BUSY MOMS
January {Keep a Family Calendar}
February {To-Do Lists}
March {Time Pockets}
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