If you don’t love cleaning and organizing but still want a neat and organized home, these 5 habits of organized people will give you a place to start!
When we think about organized people’s homes, it’s easy to imagine color-coded closets, alphabetized pantries, and an endless number of labeled bins and baskets… but the truth is, being organized isn’t about achieving a flawless, Pinterest-ready shell of a home.
It’s about maintenance — small, consistent actions that keep chaos from taking over.
Even the most organized people don’t have a magic gene or endless amounts of free time. They’ve simply built habits that make staying on top of things feel easier — almost second nature.
These habits are rarely difficult or glamorous, but they work because they’re repeated day after day, even when life gets chaotic, even when time runs short, and even when sickness or unexpected events occur.
Sound good?
Keep reading for five everyday habits that help organized people keep their homes running smoothly without chasing perfection.
1. Organized people put things away.
It sounds simple because it IS simple… and it just so happens to be something I say to my kids 62 times every day!
If you get something out, put it back. If you open a cabinet door, close it again. If you use something, put it away when you’re finished. If you sleep in your bed, make it. If you try on an item of clothing and don’t end up wearing it, hang it back up again. If you do wear it, put it in the laundry.
Always putting things away is likely the simplest and most important thing organized people do on a daily basis (maybe an hourly basis!)
It only takes a few seconds each time, but it will save you hours and hours later on… plus you won’t need to look at the clutter surrounding you all day.
2. Organized people get rid of extras.
Although there’s a chance you might need a few back-up items in your kitchen, closet, bathroom, or pantry, there are many other situations when it makes more sense to declutter extra stuff you know you don’t (and won’t)need, use, want, or love.
When you own less stuff, you have less stuff to store, less stuff to pick up, less stuff to clean around, less stuff to maintain, less stuff to remember… less stuff can be a huge time and sanity saver!
Also, as you get in the habit of decluttering your extra things, pay special attention to anything you bring back into your home. Is it absolutely necessary? Do you have a space to store it? Will it just turn into one of those “extra things” that you’ll eventually need to declutter?
3. Organized people don’t let things pile up.
Dishes, laundry, junk mail, magazines, toys, books, games… they all tend to pile up if not regularly dealt with (often multiple times per day).
Organized people have systems that allow them to stay one step ahead of the piles.
For example:
Dealing with paper, laundry, and dishes while they are still manageable will save you lots of stress and overwhelm later (after things have piled up for a couple of days).
4. Organized people don’t make excuses.
It’s so easy to come up with dozens of excuses for anything we don’t want to do… we all do it. However, when it comes to organized homes, procrastination and excuses are not the norm.
We won’t get anywhere with excuses.
It may feel more immediately gratifying to put off chores and to-dos until later, but in the long term, it’s much more beneficial to “do it now” versus making excuses.
5. Organized people leave spaces better than when they arrived.
Fluff a pillow, fold a throw blanket, stack up the books, load the dishwasher, wipe down the counter, pick up that piece of trash on the floor — organized people constantly look for ways to improve whatever space you’re in before you leave.
I even catch myself doing this in a public place — like throwing away trash or wiping up spills. I don’t like leaving a space without doing something to make it better, neater, cleaner, and more organized than when I arrived.
It usually takes less than 30 seconds to make a positive change in any given space, and those efforts will add up over time.
Get started today!
These simple tips won’t magically transform your home into a blissfully organized oasis overnight. However, if you start now and implement these tips on a daily basis, I know you will see positive changes over time.
It might take weeks or even months, but you’re heading in the right direction — not to mention you’re creating awesome habits for yourself and modeling those good habits for anyone else who lives with you.
Just think, you might look back in a few years and realize that these simple, small habits have completely transformed the way you live and how you feel about the spaces around you!
Do you have any other daily habits that work for you?
susan Watt says
I too have been a follower for many years. My advice is “make your bed every day!” Learn to do that by pulling it up before you get out of bed and son it’s a habit!
Andrea says
Yes, yes, yes! I’ve taught my kids to make their beds since they were old enough to sleep in one. It makes the entire room instantly feel cleaner, neater, and less cluttered!
Jude Ledebuhr says
Whenever I wash my hands in a public restroom, I have a “mother’s instinct” to wipe up the water spots & clean up around the sink with my paper towel. I also pick up used paper towels on the floor by the garbage container with the paper towel. Once a Mom, always a Mom! I always look forward to your emails & I’ve tried several of your recipes. YUMMY!
Andrea says
Thanks Jude — yes, once a mom, always a mom 🙂 I too will often wipe up water on the counter in public restrooms!
I’m thrilled you’ve enjoyed my emails and recipes over the years! Thanks so much for sharing 🙂
Margaret says
I have a friend who does the wipe-down and tidy in public restrooms. We’re a lot alike, and she said one day she said she thought I probably did too.
Nope. I’m a retired healthcare worker, and I was taught to never re-contaminate my hands after I wash them. Paper towel or my elbow to turn off the tap. Paper towel or the inside of my shirt to open the door.
Norovirus (aka “stomach flu”) can last on surfaces for quite a while, and the infectious dose is small. And, PSA, alcohol hand sanitizer does not work on norovirus, even though it’s good for respiratory viruses.
Andrea says
Thanks Maragaret!
I do often wipe down public restrooms, but I always do it before washing my hands 🙂
ToniAnn says
Andrea, Thanks for your encouraging post! It’s nice to hear how it’s possible to live the organized life, while making small changes that stick! Good content!
Andrea says
Thanks ToniAnn — yes, I’m all about small, but steady changes. Big changes feel overwhelming and are often hard to stick with for long periods of time. Have a great week!
Joy says
As always, thank you so much for those brilliant tips. I’ve been doing some and yeah, they can make some wonderful changes. 🙂
And by the way, I love how spic and span your lovely home is!
Blessings,
Joy
Andrea says
Thanks so much Joy! I’m thrilled some of my tips and ideas have helped you!
Avia says
You know how sometimes you KNOW you know something but then when you actually experience it you are shocked and amazed? We are getting ready to do a full kitchen remodel and to prepare I have packed away most of the kitchen, leaving only what I know we’ll for sure need in the next month. That means I have left out 4 plates, bowls, glasses etc. I am AMAZED at how much less time I’m spending cleaning up the kitchen! I still run the dishwasher every night although it’s not near as full and I’m usually pulling stuff out of the dishwasher first thing in the morning to use so by the time I get around to unloading it, it’s already halfway unloaded. I know that in the long run I really do need a little more in my kitchen but I’m going to be very mindful of what all goes back in once the kitchen it done.
Andrea says
this is crazy — 4 plates! Wow!
Good luck with the kitchen renovation — it’s a lot of work but SO worth it in the end!
Elizabeth says
I get really overwhelmed fast. What works for me is constantly purging and having an easily accessible place for EVERYTHING. Also reminding myself constantly that it doesn’t have to be perfect.
Andrea says
yes, yes, and yes! Especially that part about “it doesn’t have to be perfect”!
Ann says
I wanted to remember this, so I wrote it out:
AWAY. I put it away.
PURGE. any extras.
PILES. Keep them at bay.
EXCUSES. Don’t make them.
LEAVE the space better than it was.
I’m hoping I can remember A.P.P.E.L.!!
Andrea says
This is AWESOME Ann! I had never considered this acronym before!
Andrea says
Hi Ann,
I tried emailing you, but maybe it got “lost” in cyber space — anyway, I’d love to use this APPLE idea in an upcoming blog post — is that OK with you? How would you like me to give you credit?
Carla says
An APPLE a day keeps the clutter away! 🙂
Andrea says
yes! I’ll be blogging about this next week!
PW says
Is there any way you can take these points and come up with some ideas for those of us that work and leave at 6:30 am and don’t get home until 7:00 pm, that would be very helpful. Thanks!
Andrea says
I’ll actually be talking more about this in a post next week — but in all honesty, there really isn’t any way you can expect to accomplish as much around the house as I can. I’m home ALLLLLLLL day every day and you’re gone for more than half the day — the math just doesn’t add up. There’s no way you’ll have enough hours at home to spend as much time or devote as much energy as I do to my home.
Of course, maybe since you’re not at home all day, your home doesn’t get as messy as mine does!! LOL!
That said, in my opinion, all 5 of these tips still apply, even if you are gone most of the day. In fact, they are even more important if you need to maximize your time at home. Even if you’re only home for a few hours, you can still put things away when you get them out, purge extras when you come across things you no longer need, keep piles at bay, stop making excuses, and leave each space better than you found it.
It might take constant mental reminders for the first few weeks, but eventually these 5 things will become habits you no longer have to think about.
Sam says
PW
I’ve been a long time Andrea follower and I work outside the house 40 hours a week.
These are things I’ve done to help myself (based on lots of her tips) and after many years, finally have it working.
Anything for the morning, I do the night before, including packing lunches and clothes. Both kids have “Good Morning Kits”. Carry-totes from the dollarstore with everything they need for the morning (clothes, hair ties, diapers etc). I also pack school bags night before.
My house has been purged and everything has a home.
I take a few minutes to meal plan for week before grocery shopping. My meal plan includes all meals…I even tried “pre-packing” their breakfast in the fridge on their special trays and they loved it. Fruit, veggies, and a larabar, then I made them a protein smoothie while they ate.
Kitchen is completely cleaned up after every meal. My kids help now.
Laundry – as soon as there is a load. I do it. Wash, dry, fold, put away. I don’t wait for the weekend. I set up a blanket near me and my toddler son plays with toys while I do it.
Kids messes – I keep an eye on time and build in 5-10 minutes for them to clean up their toys.
Saturday – general clean up if needed. Everyone knows they have to help.
Sunday – Day of Rest!
***You have to be home to tackle home life. I was overscheduling my weekends with social stuff and have cut back to usually one activity a weekend and my kids are limited to 2 extracurriculars.
Good luck! You’ll find a system that works for you!
Andrea says
Thanks SOOOOO much Sam!
I want you to come back today and leave this exact comment on today’s post (it’s all about how to help working parents make the most of their time at home). You could have essentially written my post as I think I touched on everything you mentioned in your comment!!!
Thanks again –this was extremely helpful!
Karla says
In my experience, I believe that a major reason many people can’t get or stay organized is TIME. When you are never home, your home becomes a dumping ground. When we get too busy (multiple activities every evening), there is really no way to keep up. I have to schedule “home time” to just keep up and get things in order. A lot of saying no, just so we can have some sanity as a family.
Andrea says
YES!! I’ll actually be addressing this in a post next week!
Sarah Spencer says
Tip number 5 is one of the best ideas of yours that I implemented a couple of years ago. I can’t even say how many hours of work it has saved me.
Also, I’ve been meaning to tell you that after your challenge in the last quarter of 2018, my home has been transformed! I noticed such a wonderful difference that I decided to continue tackling one room every week in my home and have been able to continue that into this year. It’s a work-in-progress, but isn’t that what you preach? Progress not perfection
Hugs from New Mexico
Andrea says
oh yay — I’m thrilled my clutter challenge worked well for you! And good for you for continuing it this year (that’s basically how I live too — always purging something).
Happy Thursday!!
Stephanie says
I do all of the things mentioned above and I agree that if you clean as you go it is much better than letting things pile up and then having to do a big clean up. This way I may clean throughout the day but I do not need to devote an entire day to cleaning each week. I also try to get everything done during the week so our weekends are free. Having a decluttered house REALLY helps a lot. One idea that you wrote about that I use frequently is the idea that you shouldn’t always be a perfectionist and you should learn to accept “good enough.” I find that gets me over the hump when I am procrastinating or thinking that I do not have time to do a chore/task. Thank you for that! Papers/coupons are what trips me up. I keep them in a drawer and then clean them out every week or so. I really dread that task.
Andrea says
yes! I always try to have everything done (all cleaning and laundry) by Friday night so we have no house work on Saturdays or Sundays. Of course, we usually end up doing yard work on Saturdays in the spring and summer, but that’s because I need/want Dave to help!
Barb says
I try to stick with the “2 minute rule “…..if something takes less than 2 minutes to put away then do it now
Andrea says
this is an excellent “rule”! I love it!
J Shorey says
I keep small baskets on the stairs to put things a in that need to go up or down. (But the trick is to keep them from becoming storage baskets…)
Karen says
Don’t be hasty to say yes to things offered to you. Ask if you can think about it. If they won’t let you think about it, then pass it up. Graciously say “No Thank you!” to things that you know you will not need or use. Don’t take things because someone else you may know might need it.
Also, think through purchases before making them. A lot of my clutter amounts to impulse buying.
Picking up or straightening a room before I go to bed also helps with the clutter. I also have a “central hub” where I put things that I have collected in each room that doesn’t belong there and then I call the owner to come get their things to put them away. 🙂 I try to do this every night before dinner.
Andrea says
YES!! All such great tips! Thanks for sharing Karen!
Kaitlin @ The Mom on Purpose says
I think constantly purging is the best way I stay organized. It’s impossible to organize clutter! I keep a Rubbermaid tub in my laundry room that is for consignment (I have a friend who owns a consignment store). I’m constantly tossing things in. When it’s full, I put everything in a box or bag and take it to her store. This has really helped to cut down on “purging” and “organizing” room by room.
Also, it’s amazing how much stuff we keep that just needs to be thrown away! We pay for our trash service and utilize it frequently! 😉
Thanks for sharing! I love all of your tips! I definitely need to improve at #5!
Andrea says
I have a place in my laundryroom for donations too — it’s actually getting really full so I think I need to take another trip this weekend!
Alicia says
Thank you for these seemingly simple, easy to implement suggestions! I’m not a naturally organized person, but as a mom of 3 boys living in tight quarters (1400 sq/ft), these are all things I HAVE to try to do or things get out of hand really quick! My biggest challenge right now is the laundry…I can never seem to stay on top of it. Baby steps though, right??
Andrea says
you’re welcome… and yes, the laundry is often an issue for so many people! Good Luck 🙂
Avia says
I am an organized person but having a 3 yr old and a 1 yr old has really tried me in this area! THE TOYS!!! Purging and rotating toys have been life savers for me. I try to put away one set of toys/activities before another comes out and that works pretty well. The problem comes when someone else is in the house watching the girls (this happens once a week). It’s amazing how crazy the clutter can get from just one day of not staying on top of it and how much effort it can be to recover! I guess I have to train more than just myself and the kids!
Andrea says
I know what you mean (about messes when other people watch the kids!) Honestly, even when Dave is home with them for an extended time, things get WAY more messy than when I’m playing with them because he just waits to pick up until the end 🙂
Bonnie'sMama says
Most days I try to do a timed, 5-minute session in each room in the house. I do the easy, obvious things first, like make beds, hang up clothes, and put away toys. If there’s time left, and there usually is, I tidy a drawer or closet in the room, hang a picture that’s been sitting around, or improve organization in some small area.
I am always floored by how much I can get done in only five minutes, when it’s spent just in that room and I move quickly.
Andrea says
Love this! It’s amazing what you can do in 5 minutes (or even 1 minute — I sometimes race to clean up the kitchen while I’m heating things up in the microwave!)
Alicia says
What a great idea! Another thing I learned a while ago from another blog was to clean the bathroom while the kids are in the bathtub…how did I never think of that before?! Multi-tasking at it’s finest 🙂
Andrea says
yes! I can’t do this right now because James is so little — but once he’s bigger and can sit up by himself, I’ll go back to cleaning while they bathe!
Stephanie says
This is so true. And my best days are when I do these things. I have realized that if I am behind on laundry and dishes my whole house suffers. But I can also be very good at procrastinating.
Do you know of any tips or resources for small house living. I’m not talking the tiny house movement, cause I think those houses are built with efficiency in mind. I’m talking about still living in a starter home with a family of 6. Think two bedroom one bath 1000 square ft, with a mostly unusable basement. I know the first tip is purge, (and something I try to do regularly) but you can’t purge people. 🙂 How can you make it work? Have you ever helped people in this scenario in your organizing days?
Thankfully we don’t look like an episode of hoarders, but since we live in every space of our home, every space gets messy and dirty, I can have the whole house clean, beautiful, and picked up and in 10 minutes the whole house is a mess. Some of it is small children who are learning the ideas presented in this post. But some of it I feel is that we have a small house.
Pamela says
We are in that EXACT same boat! 6 people, 2B/1B house, 1000 sf. We’re in CA, so no basement, but we do have a small garage (so small it can’t fit our van) so we do have some storage space there.
I often wonder how these mothers from 150 years ago managed with 10 kids in a log cabin. I guess they sent them all outside for most of the day?!?
Anyway….I feel your pain of feeling like everything is messy and unorganized even though I purge often and pick up all day long. My husband works from home (in our master bedroom/office/nursery) and we homeschool, so there is a LOT going on in this small space.
Andrea says
Pamela, I just responded to Stephanie’s comment — you can read it here
Andrea says
Stephanie, thanks for your question!
Did you see my post earlier this week (https://andreadekker.com/how-we-use-vertical-space/) I would say my first suggestion to you (after purgin) would be to take a look at every room in your home and see if there’s a way you can utilize more vertical space. Can you hang hooks, shoe organizers, bars, etc. on that back of your doors? Can you add shelves on wall that you previously just had a picture on? Can you find taller/skinny furniture versus shorter/wider furniture that takes up more floor space and actually offers less storage?
As for the basement. Our basement is pretty gross (in my opinion) so we only store a few things down there — but if they are in plastic bins, we haven’t had any problem with musty smells, bugs, etc. Could that work for you?
Another idea would be to look for double-duty storage (ottomans that open to store games and toys, baskets that look decorative but offer lots of storage, under-bed storage bins, etc). My friend with 6 kids actually just got beds with drawers underneath so all the kids can store their clothing under their bed. They do have bunk beds, but the bottom bunk has 2 drawers on the side and 1 drawer on the end… and that seems to be enough storage for all the kid’s folded clothing.
Finally, I would say that you really need to be ruthless with purging “memorabilia” or “sentimental” items as much as possible (not sure how much of this you save, but most people save more than they think). It’s amazing how much space these sentimental items take up — and if they don’t provide any useful purpose, they probably don’t have space in your small house.
Maybe you already do all of these things — but they were the first suggestions to come to mind 🙂
Hope something strikes an idea!
Camille says
Thanks for this! I am trying so hard to pick up these habits. It’s so hard to really change them, but the difference I’ve noticed when I stick to it is HUGE! #2 and #5 I think will make the biggest difference for me. I also love the comment Anna left about only allowing a certain number of toys per child and I’d like to extend that to myself and my husband, as well! Seems like hobbies take over some people’s homes.
Gillian says
Wonderful article! It made me feel like I’d met a kindred spirit.
When my daughter was young, we used to sing a clean-up song, or depending on the type of day we were having, we would set the timer and race! Making it fun helps so much. And you’re right about the modeling too.
I, too, try to deal with things as I see them. Having a “Do it now” philosophy just takes the wind out of any internal argument to wait. After all, you won’t magically feel like doing it in the future, so waiting just makes it bigger in your mind.
At the start of the New Year, I often will do a little extra clearing out of paperwork, recipes, and those drawers that gobble up stray items until they are full!
This year I got a mini-whiteboard, and it is so much fun! I put the menu planning on there for the week and wipe it off as each day goes by. Nothing gets wasted now because it’s planned into the menus. Also, I get the satisfaction of seeing my to do list dwindling. Now it doesn’t feel like what I’m doing is endless … I can SEE my progress.
Love your blog – thanks for taking the time to share!
Gillian
Kim says
Good stuff!! I find that putting things away as you use them and just not having as much stuff is huge in being organized and having a tidy home. My home isn’t spotless or sometimes even clean all the time but everything has a place. Thanks for the post and congratulations on baby #3!!
Maria says
Loved this post! I feel that it is so important to maintain these 5 healthy habits of being organized as you stated above, as it results in, not only in more time to do more meaningful things (such as spending time with your family/friends or pursuing hobbies etc.,) but also teaches children these important habits. Not only will you have more free time on weekends by cleaning up on a daily basis, but by maintaining these important habits, you can also reduce a lot of stress.
Becky says
Thanks for the great advice Andrea. I am clean but have so much clutter and extra stuff around the house that I really need to work on.
Katherine says
I am curious if you’ve read “The life-changing magic of tidying up”? (Surely you’ve been asked this a million times since this book came out:)
She purports that you can “tidy up” once in a good, six month effort and never do it again. I would imagine that you all hold some similar views on keeping things simple and stopping clutter before it even enters your house.
Anyway- I keep clutter at bay with a regular purge and by being discerning about what I buy or accept for free. But the idea of doing it once and for all?… I’m intrigued:) And would be curious what you take away from this book.
Andrea says
Katherine, I have not read that book — not a big book reader here 🙂
Obviously, I’d need to read it to fully understand the author’s reasoning — but it does seem a little crazy to me that you can only “tidy up” every six months. When I think of “tidy up” I think of what Nora and I do every day before lunch and then before bed.
I definitely agree with trying to stop clutter BEFORE it comes in, but I also feel it’s 100% necessary to do a little every day in order to stay on top of it. And then, I probably do a little larger purging every 6 months (like spring and fall cleaning/organizing).
Hmmm… I’ll have to see if our library has that book 🙂
Pamela says
I’ve read the book, and I loved it! I’m a very organized person by nature, but I still gleaned SO MUCH from this book.
By “tidy up” the author means “massively purge”. It’s well explained in the book.
It is a very quick read, Andrea. I also am not a big book reader, but I read it in a day. I would LOVE for you to do a review of the book….that would be so interesting.
Andrea says
yes, i should read it… someday (maybe over spring break when Dave is home — or maybe I can get the eversion on my phone?)
Jennifer says
No. 1 is actually a resolution I am forming for this year, because I think that in all my efforts to be more organised it’s the one habit that I’ve still failed to establish. I make messes but stop the activity and run out of energy before I tidy up. But now that I am making a special effort to put things away when I’m finished with them, I just feel like I spend my entire day ‘chasing’ stuff around! Actually I hate it!
I don’t know if this is just because it’s not a habit I’m used to and hence it feels very odd to me? Some good habits, when I pick them up it feels like a learning curve but part of it is really enjoyable and satisfying. It feels good because you know you’re establishing something healthy. But with tidying up after myself, I do look back on my day and feel like I spent it shuffling things around, accomplishing nothing.
I mention this because I wondered if someone else had the same experience. Has anyone else felt this way?
Andrea says
Hey Jennifer,
Well, I totally understand where you are coming from — and I don’t have an awesome answer for you 🙁
Do you really hate picking up a few things here and there more than living in a messy clutter home and more than having to spend hours and hours on the weekends picking up everything you got out during the week?
I think that if doesn’t feel like it’s becoming a habit and you continue to hate it, then you should reevaluate. Maybe you’re making it too difficult or too time-consuming?? If you have ANY perfectionistic tendencies at all, it’s very likely that you’re over-analyzing and over-thinking every situation and making it into more work than it has to be.
Also, it might help to think of it like all your other daily and weekly chores. Do you hate the fact that you area always “growing” your laundry piles or that you always need to go out to get more groceries? I think pick up after ourselves is just a fact of life and something that must be done a some point. I don’t always love picking up, but I just tell myself it’s better than the alternative of living in a cluttered mess and then needing to spend hours upon hours cleaning up at a later time.
Like I said, I don’t have an awesome answer — but maybe some of these tips/ideas might help?? Hopefully!
Jennifer says
Thanks for the response to this! I do think I should stick with it a little longer and see if it starts to feel more automatic. After all, I am undoing a lifetime of bad habits.
I think you’re right that keeping the overall goal (enjoying a tidy space) in mind is helpful. And I do enjoy that benefit!
You’re right that I’m probably being overly perfectionistic, too. If at the end of the day there is one stack of folded laundry sitting out (um, yesterday), I tell myself I’ve failed at my goal – when really that’s just ONE thing left out of all the 25 others that I already put away or cleaned up throughout the day.
Maybe my goal should be that 80% of the time, I am going to put away 80% of what I get out each day!
Andrea says
Hey Jennifer, I think your 80% + 80% is an awesome goal! Try that for a few months and see if it makes life easier and decluttering more “fun” 🙂
Mommymommymommy says
The longer (in days, not minutes) you work at tidying up after yourself, the easier it gets. You start working down through the layers–getting all of today’s clutter, a little of yesterday’s, and eventually all you have every day is today’s mess.
It might help to set specific times when you only tidy up. I’m a perfectionist with four small children, and I could follow them around the house all day putting everything back as soon as they’ve dropped it and moved on. I try to limit myself to roughly a morning, noon, and night pick up session.
Also, using a timer and telling yourself you only have to clean up for five minutes (or two minutes) makes it easier.
Andrea says
exactly… it will eventually become a habit and then you’ll do it without even thinking about it!
Michele says
This is the perfect blog post! I am going to forward it to my friends. I try to do all of those things and #5 is something I say almost verbatim to my girls. One is really good about it, one…not so much!
Andrea says
haha — well 50% isn’t bad when it comes to kids helping clean and organize! Nora has to be told and told and then warned… and I need to let her go SUPER slow whenever she’s “helping”
Elizabeth says
What tips do you have for getting toddlers to help pick up?
Andrea says
well… I obviously don’t have much experience — maybe one year of encouraging Nora to help (also, note that Nora is EXTREMELY stubborn). That said, I usually just ask her to help and tell her exactly what I’d like her to do (example: pick up those books and put them on that shelf) and then wait. I remind her and wait some more. We don’t get the next thing out or move onto the next activity until she puts the old stuff away. And if she refuses (which happens frequently) then we take those toys away for a day or more. Timeouts and most other forms of punishment don’t phase Nora AT ALL — so just taking away privileges, special snacks, and toys are our best bet at this point.
Often, she’ll do what I ask after 2 times of “reminding” but we’ve also taken many toys away for a few days (and some for good). She’s starting to learn that we’re serious when we ask her to help 🙂
Ariadna says
When I was living with my parents I used to keep EVERYTHING. Well, why not, if there was room for all that stuff?
When I started living on my own I was renting a tiny apartment. But when I say tiny, I mean really tiny, like you could basically see it all from the front door. In these kind of spaces, if anything is out of place, the whole room looks untidy. So I started having only the most essential stuff, and doing exactly what you stated in this article.
Then I went to live with my boyfriend (my husband now) in a small house, maybe twice as big as my old apartment, but hey… we are two people now, so in the end I do not have THAT much space; but in my head I still have this habit of only keeping what I’m using and selling or giving the rest to charity shops, cleaning after using and wiping the bathroom sink as well!!
I think that if you’re someone who can’t help getting all this stuff you say in deals, or free stuff, and keeps piling up more and more things, living in a tiny place helps you set your priorities and live with the essentials. And this is a lesson that, hopefully, will stay with you wherever you go!
Andrea says
haha — yes, I’m guessing many people can relate to your comment Ariadna!
However, you should be really proud of yourself because there are a whole lot of other people who would say “but I have all this stuff, I MUST keep it”. They pack their homes so full, rent storage units, and live a cluttered life because they are “victims” of their stuff and simply can’t get rid of it.
Thanks for sharing your story!
Rebecca says
I also find myself picking up and cleaning as we go. Sometimes I get to a point where I feel like I am cleaning and picking up ALL THE TIME. Since I spend all day picking up in small increments it feels like that is all I do all day. So I will get tired of picking up and start to slip and the house instantly looks like a tornado hit.
I guess I just need periodic reminders of why I pick up ALL DAY.
Andrea says
I can get in the routine of constantly picking up too — and that’s no fun. I try to let the mess be until lunch — then Nora and I pick up. We pick up again before dinner and then again before we go to bed.
It’s a happy medium for us and seems to be working well for now 🙂
Siobhan says
Love this post…love the phrase blissfully, organized oasis…I can only dream with three little ones running around. But, through your advice of keeping it simple I have made many positive changes with the order of my home. Also, congratulations on baby #3 🙂
Andrea says
Thanks Siobhan 🙂
Donna G says
That’s too funny about clearing things in public places – I generally wipe the counters in the restroom at church, and yesterday I caught myself organizing all the bottles of hand soap at Home Goods so I could see what there was!
Lynn O. says
Love this! 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
Sheila says
It keeps cutting off the rest of my comment when I push submit. Anyway he is a great husband and father and we make it work.
Andrea says
sorry about that — I’ll remove the duplicate comment 🙂
and about your hubby — I know many people can relate to your situation. a spouse, or other family members, who aren’t “on board” with getting and staying organized is tough. On one hand, you can’t force them to change, but on the other hand, you hope that they see how important it is to you and WANT to change. Have you talked with him and honestly shared how important being organized is for you — and how wonderful it makes you feel? Then listening to his opinions about why he seems to prefer “messy”. Maybe there’s some compromise you could come to — or maybe he just needs help finding/making a space for his stuff???
Obviously, this won’t be a cure-all and work magic the next day — but just getting a conversation started can be half the battle! It’s worth a shot I guess 🙂
Sheila says
If only I could get my husband on board. Sigh…. He loves to keep things in case we need them, loves his piles of paper, and well, doesn’t put his things in their place because they don’t have a place
Anna says
I am a very organized person and I have always done these five things, although I didn’t realize until reading #5 that I do that too! I stay home with my 2 year old son and infant, and the best way to get him to pick up his toys is to only allow about 3 toys (including one “set” of something) out at a time. Otherwise all of his toys are dumped out and he will not put anything up. So if he wants to get his blocks or trucks out, he has to put something else up first. So much easier!
Andrea says
Yes Anna — I think when you’ve always been organized, it’s easy to overlook some of the SUPER SIMPLE things you do every day to keep things looking neat and uncluttered. It’s second nature for you buy now — which is really cool (at least in my opinion) because it doesn’t even seem like “work” then 🙂