Having a plan for house cleaning and organization will help your summer run more smoothly. Here are a few techniques I use in my family of eight.
ORGANIZING: What needs to be organized?
- Put like items in a similar location. Decide on area of home items makes the most sense to be in.
o Batteries – all over house? Put in one location such as a drawer or basket near games. Maybe a drawer in the laundry room?
- Three bag system: give away, throw away, store away.
o Label with permanent marker.
o Use boxes to store clothing for kids for the next seasons, label.
o Do not keep things if you did not know you had it and would not know where to find it again.
o Do not hoard, this is a sin. Be generous and give to others; only keep what you are a good steward of and use.
o Clutter is a contributing factor to feeling overwhelmed.
- One box: items to go to another room (so you don’t get sidetracked).
o Once you have established where items should go in your home and made proper accommodations for items, kids can take this box and put things in the right location.
- Everything needs to have a place:
o Your home stays much more organized, and flows smoothly.
o Clean up is easier when all family members know where things go.
o Entertaining on a whim, having kids’ friends over without them feeling embarrassed (your husband too), is much easier, because you can quickly have everyone put things in their proper place.
o Think before buying. Where will this huge doll house go? Should we buy that adorable play ironing board? Where will it go to play with it and where will you put it away? Don’t buy it if won’t fit your home. That big, fancy cutting board? Where?
o Buy things thinking ahead of how they will be stored and where. Legos – clear boxes. Doll clothes, pull out clear stacked drawers, etc.
o Less money is spent because you see what you have and do not it buy again.
- Empty everything out of cabinets, closets, and drawers when cleaning them.
o Only put back what you will really use.
Those extra pots – you have never used them, those pencils that no one likes because the lead is too light, those dry markers (teach kids to throw away when they are no longer good).
o Put back according to similarities.
§ Pantry – veggie cans together, soups together, starches together.
§ Clothing – jackets together, pants together, facing same direction.
§ Have a list and pen ready of what items you discover you need.
- Those underwear that all have holes, leaving you one good pair! (Put on the list!)
- Backpack that’s falling apart that kid has used for 5 years; throw away, put backpack on list.
§ Plan one shopping trip to get these needed items.
- Teach family members to add to this list as needs arise (groceries, school items, toothpaste, milk, shoes, etc).
o Use the sorting system: three bags, and the one box (to go in a different room) and make the end result be a reflection of truly what you use/wear.
- Locations to consider that might need organizing this summer:
o each closet
o laundry cabinets, drawers
o kitchen drawers, including junk drawers
o school supplies
o all kids clothes: closets, drawers, (3 bag system, plus box)
o suitcase closet, skis
o junk room, closet
o under beds
o each room thoroughly
o Every drawer in house, start at one room of the house and work your way through – have kids learn. (Do not hoard! Will you really use this?)
o Only put back what you will really use.
o File cabinets, paperwork, documents
o School work; past papers, art projects
o Kitchen cabinets, spices, Tupperware, pantry
o Garage – (oh my!)
HOME IMPROVEMENTS/PROJECTS:
- What have you been procrastinating on?
- Take a pen and paper and travel from your driveway, looking towards your home, scanning the yard, front porch, flower beds, the front steps, then move inside to the foyer, and each room of the house.
- Then take that list to your family and come up with a reasonable plan on what you can do, hire to have done, learn to do (let your researching kids look up things on the internet), painting, etc.
- Set a reasonable goal.
Now that you are quite possibly overwhelmed, let’s remember to use this list as ideas… and for you to just bottom line it…and not be numb and do no planning.
What are the main things that stick out that you need to focus on?
What are the priorities God is giving you to focus on this summer?
What do you want your summer daily schedule to look like (the days you plan to be home – at least for the morning hours) and what are the main things you want to put into that part of your day?
- Be flexible! Be willing to go have lunch with someone to interrupt your cleaning.
About Rhonda Ellis
Rhonda Ellis is a wife of 29 years, a homeschooling mom to 6, a blogger, writer, speaker. Her passion is mentoring women in ways that impact hearts and homes for Christ. Grab a cup of coffee or a Diet Coke (water is allowed these days too) and be a "back porch" friend with her.Come read her blog at cultivatingahome.com. It's a great place to laugh, cry, share friendships and transparent hearts while sharing deep conversations about our journey with the Lord. You can also join her facebook page: www.facebook.com/TheRhondaEllis
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