Over Run by the Clutter!!!!

I have found that the flylady.net will help you with this! She is very realistic and will get you back on track like she has me.

Have you tried flylady.com ? I am a mother of seven living in 1244 sq ft. The habits flylady teaches us for free have really helped me see the light at the end of the tunnel.

j

I have this same problem and I am still searching for a lasting solution. One thing I have found very helpful is Flylady.net and her flylady book. It is really good, she starts with basics and helps you set up a plan for each day it can help as much or as little as you want by telling you exactly what to do each day and for how long or just give you the ideas and inspiration you need. My heart goes out to you.

I know the feeling! I'm dealing with this right now too... the house we're renting is 625 sq/ft (we have a large covered porch and carport so it's not quite as small as it sounds... but still...) for myself, my husband, our two daughters (27 months/7 months), our dog, and our cat. Sometimes I feel like I'm fighting a losing battle against the mounds of stuff...

My mom is a hoarder so I was never taught to get rid of anything as a child... but that's the first thing I've had to learn how to do since we've moved here. BEFORE organizing, it's so important to get the items in your house down to a manageable number. I'm still struggling with this quite a bit.

I found a copy of Don Aslett's book "Clutter's Last Stand" at the library book sale and it has helped me a TON. He has fun pictures throughout the book which make it an enjoyable read. He goes through common reasons people give for keeping things that they never use. I highly recommend it! It helped me see all my clutter in a new light.

Organizing it isn't enough... especially with a small space. If the stuff doesn't fit in your house (I have the same problem!) then you need to minimize your stuff. It's so hard... but so worth it! Every load we take to Goodwill is like a huge load off our minds.

Some other things that less stuff has meant to my family:

Less stuff = more space.

Less stuff = less time spent cleaning because you have less stuff to move out of the way before wiping down counters, tables, etc and before vacuuming/sweeping the floor.

Less stuff = less time spent organizing.

Less stuff = more appreciation for the stuff you keep.

Less stuff = MUCH less overwhelming for me. I was feeling practically oppressed by how much stuff we had in our house. I still do sometimes and we've gotten rid of a TON.

I still have more to get rid of... It's something that has to be kept up with too because clutter just sneaks up on you. Weighing the cost (not just monetary) of everything we bring into the house has helped immensely as well. How much space will it take up? How often will we use it? Where will we put it when we're not using it? Can we borrow the same item from a neighbor (or the library since I'm a bookaholic)... when we need it?

Please feel free to message me if you need someone to talk to who's dealing with some of the same clutter problems you are. It helps a lot to know that you're not alone and there are message boards and support groups for folks who feel overwhelmed by clutter. Not support to keep living in clutter... but support to help get our stuff down to manageable proportions and acknowledgment that it's not always an easy process at all.

Best wishes!
~B

ETA - Clutter isn't just a problem in small houses. My parents live in a 4,000+ sq/ft home and are just swimming in clutter. I actually think it's a bit of a blessing in disguise to live in such a small space while learning how to deal with my clutter-habit. The clutter just in my mom and dad's closet and master bathroom wouldn't all fit into my house and I'm so thankful that I am physically incapable of amassing so much stuff before I learn how to deal with the amount I actually have.

Also, watching shows like Clean House with Niecy Nash (on Style network - we get them online from the iTunes store) have helped motivate me. I look at the houses on the show and think, "My house isn't THAT bad yet, but I need to keep it from getting that bad because it's pretty darn close!"

:)

I used to have a problem with clutter as well. Our house is 1200 Sq ft and we have 5 kiddos. My lifesaver was FlyLady.
www.flylady.net
I now have no problem keeping up and the house feels like it practically cleans itself. I also discovered the House Fairy through FlyLady.
http://www.housefairy.org/
The kids now have a great time doing their chores and I rarely need to say anything more than once. Even if it doesn't work your your family, I'd really reccommend checking out their sites. They have so many wonderful suggestions.

C.,
You must get organized for your sanity, I am actually very great at organization and have thought of starting my own business as a professional organizer. If you need help let me know, I do charge a small fee for my time but it is well worth it.
Let me know,
A.

Oh wow, can I sympathize with your situation. When I was pregnant with our twins our husband's job took us to a MUCH more expensive city. The cost of our house literally doubled while the size was reduced by 50%. It was a tremendous adjustment.

The first thing I did was I got one toy box for each of the three children and a bin for the garage. All of the toys have to fit into the toy boxes and the bin. (We periodically rotate the toys so it's like having new toys.) If a new toy comes in to the house, an old toy comes out. WHAT a difference this makes to the toy related clutter and I realized that my kids don't need a million toys to make them happy!

The next thing I did was to get an apple box from the grocery store at least once per month and fill it up with things that we don't use/don't need/etc. Over the last two years, we've donated at least 30 boxes to Goodwill.

We still have some clutter. But, by golly, I'm taking control of it! And when we are able to move back to our home town with the lovely big houses at affordable prices, the only things that will be stored in the garage will be the cars!!!!! (Ah yes. I'm daring to dream big!!!)

Hi Candace,

This is just a bit of empathy. I too am over run by clutter that I try to catch up on everyweekend. I finally had to accept this clutter will most likely happen untill my children leave the house. I can control the toys situation but now that my twins (now seven) are in school, I cannot keep up with all the stuff (mostly tons of paper) that comes home. It seems like I spend all of my time trying to deal with this. So, like I said, my life is nothing like it was before the twins and now that I am a single parent, I too have feelings of not enough time in the days to deal with it ALL. I drop to sleep (often times before the boys are asleep) drained from exhaustion. It really bothered me at first, especially when I was in school and felt like I had no time for them. At one point during finals, I realized that the spare table was a mountain of their papers from their school that I did not have time to even sit and talk with them about nor the time to even look at it. I just cried. There are many days where I find myself going through stacks of papers (school and otherwise important) to keep it to a minimal, but everyweek it is stacked as high as the week before. Some tell me let the dishes go, but if I do, then there are no clean ones! Then, there is the laundry that seems to never be done. Sometimes it sits around for a week until it can get folded and we grab what we need from the "clean" basket. It is constantly overwhelming. But I would not change not having them. They are worth it all. And, as for me and the clutter, when they are all grown up and out of the house...yeehaa! It will be and stay clean and uncluttered!! Best of luck to you,

S.

I have four children and can definetly sympathize. I've found that the most helpful things is to just start organizing. Go through kids clothes, toys, your clothes, kitchen things, etc. Give away or sell all the things you really don't need. It's easy for the kids things to take over a house. It is okay to limit the amount of toys and things that you keep. You may even be able to store some things away and rotate them if appropriate.
I hope this is helpful to you.

800 square feet is pretty small for 4 people! While I agree a bigger house isn't the end all answer, I do sympathize with what you are trying to do.
Paying off debt first is so important! I applaud you for doing this. Have you read Dave Ramsey's The Total Money Makeover? It's a "guide" so to speak to what he calls financial peace.
Really I wanted to tell you about www.flylady.com. It takes some discipline to follow through with what she tells you to do every day... but it works!!! Please, give it a try for 2 weeks, put your best effort into it, I don't think you'll be dissapointed.

HI. Get a hundred plastic ziploc bags. Put 90% of what toys and junk clutter your space in them. Put the filled bags in a cardboard box up high. In three months, swap what is lying on your floor for one or two of the put away items. After a while, you will actually realize what you need and what is just a guilty posession. Another tip, don't buy anything made in China as most of these items are only destined for the garbage. One final tip, spend 4 times as much on everything you buy. You will not care for what isn't precious. Buy amazing wood toys for the children, or better yet give them real things which they love more. (I gave my son a nice tape dispenser for his 5 year birthday and other office stuff-He LOVES it and plays with it, which is more than I can say for his "toys". This goes for you as well, buy really fine clothes/Shoes, make it a treat, and just buy one of them.

You will be amazed at how this transforms your relationship of your posessions and your space. Best of luck...I've been there, and found a way out of the chaos.

Yard sale?

BTW, getting a bigger house is not the end all. We have 2x what you have and I am overwhelmed as well. We have a townhouse and were not planning to have a kid, but changed our minds 3 months after we bought our townhouse. So, now with the housing market the way it is, we have to stay put and squeeze as much as we can into the space that we have.

I know how you feel!!! Try FlyLady.net. This website is very helpful. Take care, M.

C.,

This may be a little hard to hear, but in the long run I think you will appreciate the results.

You have a dream about how you would like your house to be and in order to make this a reality you need to be realistic with who you are. This is the first step to your freedom from clutter.

Ok, so I would take note about how you do things. You can't control what other people in the house do things, but you can control what you do, what examples you set for your family, and how you teach them to live a clutter free life.

When you go into the kitchen and make dinner, have a snack, or use it what does it look like when you are done? How long does it take you to finish feeling like it is done? If you are a typical mom with kids you probally understand that kids want food all day and you are in and out of the kitchen, but some people can handle this and some struggle with their kitchens being clean. If you are a person that struggles then it's OK! You can manage how you clean by figuring out what works for you.

One suggestion would be to prepare food ahead of time, such as snacks, dinner, etc. Another would be to make dinners that take only a half an hour with little clean up. Another is to realize that the food you planned is going to take XX amount of time and plan for it. You can schedule your whole week this way or a few days or you can decide that night, "I'm really tired and I want an EASY meal tonight".

There are dinner places you can go such as "Dinners Done Right" or Dinners Ready" and pick up a meal or make a weeks worth. So, you have lots of healthy fast options.

This is one example of cleaning the clutter in your life, because it is not always what you have, but how you use it and take care of it. This all depends on your personality and what works for you and only YOU know the answer to that. With time your husband may get used to the routine and either support you by helping out or by even suggesting, "hey lets get a quick meal" tonight if you tell him you have a lot going on. This isn's meant to be an excuse for not doing work around the house, like kids sometimes say, "oh I'm so tired, I'll do it tommorrow" LOL, but rather a pre-plan to say this is what I have to do and how can I go about it so it works for me.

Your husband and kids can really help out if you have a place for everything and you put it back everytime they will know where to find things and where to put them when they're done. Please understand that like you, they are learning and so just because you have a plan you have your days where you don't follow through so give them a break. It's a work in progress so softly remind yourself that it's ok and you're working on it and do the same for your family.

With the kids, I would watch how they do things so you can figure out what may work for them and you and then say, "We are practicing cleaning" and you could add a song if you wish while you show them how it's done. I would talk to them about what you are doing too, such as, I'm putting your coat in it's place on the hanger and make sure you have a spot where the younger kids can do it themselves! They love this. Also, if you could put things int bulky containers and have them play with one thing at a time this helps. This takes time, think of you in the kitchen. They need to learn to do what works for them, so picking up one set of toys at a time is easier then cleaning a whole room full. be an example at first, but insist they help and talk,talk,talk about what you are doing softly and calmly so it's an enjoyable and reasonable request (not out of anger for the mess).

Anyway, I hope this helps. The key it observe and plan and if it fails it's ok because you will realize what doesn't work and you can start again with something else. It's a process and as moms we are always changing our needs and our kids needs as we all grow.

Take Care,
Happy Cleaning!
G.

My daughter, who also lives in a small space with 2 children, is having the same difficulty. She is getting rid of anything that she doesn't use regularly and can manage without it. She has gone thru the kids toys and removed at least half of them. You have a little one following your daughter who you might want to have the toys as he grows. Put them in box(es) out of the way. Go thru them first and keep only the ones that you feel he'll be interested in.

Kids don't need as many toys as most have these days. My daughter put a large bin in the living room and she has the kids put their toys away before going to bed. You could just quickly throw them in yourself. She has another bin in the bedroom. That is the limit on toys. You could use boxes instead of bins.

She also got rid of extra dishes so that nearly everything in the kitchen fits in a cabinet. The mixer and toaster oven sits on the counter along with a cup of pens and a sticky pad for phone messages on the counter below the wall phone.

She uses plastic baskets from the Dollar Store, to hold several small items together.

When my daughter was young I had a place for everything and worked on putting things away as soon as I finished with them. I went thru the house after she was in bed and put away anything left out. I also had a basket to quickly "put away" stuff.That is a habit that took me several years as a single person to develop. With a baby and a toddler that won't be so easy. Before my daughter organized I babysat every day. A bin helped me keep the living room neat.

A part of having a place for everything is putting like things together,i.e bedding in one place, towels in one place, a container for dirty clothes in bedrooms.

I've noticed young mothers that dumped clean laundry on the couch and then not get them folded and put away. Leave them in the basket. Fold, as you have time. You don't have to fold everything. Baby clothes and your own underwear can just be put in a drawer. Even wash cloths can be put on a shelf or in a drawer jumbled. And folded towels do not have to be neat.

Throw out papers and magazines as soon as you're thru with them. Our city has recyclable pick up every week and provides a bin in which to put the paper. I'm not so good about throwing out magazines. I now have several stacks I need to take to the curb.

But limiting the number of toys that are out at any one time will help. And pruning your belongings down to a minimum will help.

Do you have a schedule for doing things? Having a routine helps me feel in control. When I start to feel out of control of my life I've usually stopped keeping track of things. I put appointments, activities, anything that I need or want to do on the calendar. I make lists and check off each thing I've done. I cross some entries off when i realize that they are of lower priority and I won't have time to do them. Being realistic about what you can do takes away some of the pressure.

I love to organize but I'm not very good with follow thru. Now that my daughter has a home of her own, my house is a cluttered mess. When she lived with me I was also working full time and knew that if I didn't keep up, I'd never catch up. Now I'd rather play with my grandchildren and help my daughter than take care of my own house.

I wish you luck in clearing out and getting organized. It's difficult to do. Expect that it will take time to get your house in the condition you want and possibly you'll need to lower your standards while you have babies.

After writing all this I'm thinking that if you could get yourself and your time organized you would more likely feel more in control. Then work on the house 15-30 minutes a day. Start with a simple task, such as picking up all the papers and magazines, that can be completed in a very short period of time. Weed out the toys one toy at a time as you put them away. Enlist your husband's help.

Good for you for living within your means! It can seem to be difficult to pull this off, but you can do it. The three most important things each day are trash, dishes and laundry. If you keep these done you can do it. When I say done, I mean completely done. Put away. Every day. After this make sure you don't keep anything you don't need to. Throw away or give away what ever you are done with. Anything you buy and bring into the house, you have to get rid of something. For instance, if you buy the kids a new toy, then get rid of one. Also, ask friends and family member to give more gifts of "experiences" like memberships to things, days out, trips to the zoo, etc. (Non-consumable goods). If you are given $ for kids birthdays or holidays consider putting it into an account for the future when you do move into your larger house and will want something such as a table and chair set for the kids instead of little things now that just take up space. Other suggestions would be to not have too many "extra" things that need to be managed or organized in your home such as extra towels, bedding, small appliances, etc. Consider a garage sale or Craigs List to make some $, but get hubby to help with this, it can take time. The things that you do need just to run your household need to be organized so they really work for you well. You need to find them easily, use them efficiently, clean them & put them away quickly. If you have to move things around to get to things, that isn't working. Remember to try to only handle things once if possible. Every time you pick things up and put them down again and again you waste time and your energy, so if you can eleminate any of those steps you win in the end.
Hope some of this is helpful. I am a "retired" mom, (and young grandma) who loved and loves every minute of being a full time stay at home mom. You may also consider asking someone to come and help you get things under control the first time. New eyes can sometimes see things differently and give new idea's. "Retired" moms can be good resources who have been there, love to share and have time.

Hi C.,
I just wanted to say that we did exactually what you did. We lived in a 700SQ apartment with no washer and dryer for 2 years in order to pay off debt to be able to buy a house. We have two kids as well. I know how hard it can be! Couple of things that helped. We minimized what we put in the apartment , only the essentials, and we stored the rest. We gave the kids the bigger room that way they felt like they had some more room to play. I also tried to set up a routine for the days which included trying to get out every day (laundry on Mondays, Tuesday was bathrooms, Wednesday was vacuuming and moping, Thursday was laundry again). I planned lots of play dates at other moms houses. The most important is knowing and reminding myself that there was an end in site. This was all for a reason, and in reality this is only a short time in my life. We appreciate our house so much more now, and I thank God a lot for our home.

C.,

Just know that you are not alone. I hope that gives you some peace of mind. My advice would be to get a babysitter that you can drop your kids off for a couple of hours or so then just try to get things under control, at least a clean house would last until the kids get home.:) Then, try to get rid of whatever you do not use or have too many of. Simplify your needs and wants. I try to just put out a few toys at a time so that is not so chaotic. Another thing I do is turn off the TV and limit my time on the internet and turn on some music to have a cleaning party. At the end of the day if I don't get to somethings, which happens quite often, I just leave it because I know I need my sleep and energy for the next day. I really am trying to figure out some more tricks so I will be checking your responses. Good luck!

I think you said it all in one little word: clutter! My house is 900 square feet, so I understand a bit. We've had 6 people living here and it got really crowded. And, believe it or not, the kids expand as they grow. They get bigger, and so do their 'toys'. But, as hard as it is, the best thing to do, in my opinion, is to get rid of all that isn't absolutely essential. Kids have way too many toys these days, just as we usually have way too many 'toys' in our kitchens. If you have definite plans on moving to a lot bigger place, you might not want to actually get rid of all those treasures, but packing them up at least consolidates everything. Just treat the packed up things as gone, and don't try to go digging in them for this and that. It's hard, I know. But that's my advice. Good luck!

Hi, we also live in 900 square feet. It is small. We only have one kid and it is still too small at times, especially in the winter. When we are feeling overwhelmed by clutter (usually toys and random stuff that accumulates) we do a toy and stuff edit. If we can we involve our child, although sometimes that is just too much, and we fill up our car with stuff to take to goodwill. Also under bed storage (Ikea has some pretty cute inexpensive cardboard boxes that fit quile nicely under the bed). You probably have tried all these things so hang in there.

The same way you teach your 3yo to do something. Pick just one.i.e. Get the laundry done. Then pick something else. Create a box of stuff you can sell on ebay or the consignment shop and put that money tword your debt. Just one step closer to your bigger house! When we moved our family of 5 from the 700 sq ft place to my 1400 sq ft house it seemed soooo big! Now there's just not enough room again!:( lol. Strange thing, a 3 yo has clothes and a full toy box, a 13 yo has a TV, computer, game system, school books, art supplies, and has forgotten any concept of cleaning, ugh!

Hi C...

I too live in a very, very small (700 sq. ft) space with three of us.. Husband, 12 year old daughter and myself. I have had the same problems you describe.. basically we are outgrowing our space. Which means things have got to go. I on the other hand will not be moving anytime soon so I needed to find a solution that will work longterm. We streamlined everything.. got rid of what we don't need and boxed up everything else for helping hand. Just getting things organized gave me a feeling of control. Once things became organized it wasn't so hard to keep it up. I just found we had too much stuff that we really didn't need and just ended up piling up somewhere, which in such a small space was unavoidable to look at all the time. With such little ones as you have.. Put most of their toys away in plastic totes and pull out just a few at a time. It will be like getting new toys every few weeks. Go through all the clothes and pack them up to free up closet and dresser space. I found I wasn't putting clothes away from the dryer (or on top laying all over the place) because I didn't have enough places to put in once I folded them. Another thing I found is a good idea is since I didn't have a dishwasher and I hated dishes piling up in my sink.. we resorted to paper plates and paper cups for mealtime. It reduced washing dishes to once a day. Lastly.. relax.. just as long as it's not filthy.. clutter never hurt anyone. Good luck.. Bonita

I live in a small house as well with three kids! The key is attitude! Think of it as you only have one more year to enjoy a home that has served you well. When I get overwhelmed and want to chuck everything is usually when I need to calm down and focus not on the clutter and mess, but the fact that I have all these things and my kids have these things. Something that helps me is to go room by room(pick a day to clean one room!) and organize the best I can, that always makes me feel better. Get the kids involved too, play a pick-up-your-room game at night. Give clothes away to friends that need them, round up some things that you might be able to bless someone else with. Giving will always make you feel better. Ask a friend over to help you organize, I always like someone else's perspective on how to organize or decorate, plus you get a chance to give them stuff if they like it and you don't want it! Enjoy, cause one day you will drive by and tell your babies that that is where they lived for a portion of their lives. Hope that helps!

www.flylady.net or www.flylady.com (both get you to the same site) She has helped me and, since I'm a pack rat, will continue to help me LOL

I will be definitely using her when we move from our rental (nearly 2000 sq feet) to our first home (around 1000-1200 sq feet) when we find it

15 minutes at a time - put away things you love and make you smile, throw away things that are broken or missing pieces, give away things that you do not need or don't make you smile :)

Be prepared if you sign up for her reminders - they fill email boxes (i have two addys so I don't mind that one is always full of her messages)

***look at all the flybabies***

Try reducing the number of toys and such. Condense toys to a 'toybox' rubber-made style tote with a lid. This is great practice of responsibility for the little ones, it gives them a sense of pride. Let her be responsible for their toys and clothing. Try a sticker award chart (make it, don't buy it) to show her what a great job she does. Tell her how important it is that she help you and that you really appreciate her big-girl contributions. Start by working with her two or three times a day to teach her how to collect clutter. Your son will learn by example.
You'll soon discover that they don't miss having lots of toys, they play better with only a few favorites. You may choose to have two totes of toys and alternate. don't give access to both at once.

Try making your bed as you roll out. Take a moment to do the dishes when there's only a couple and it takes three minutes. Do a load of laundry each day. Perhaps do smaller loads instead of waiting for more to fill the washer.

My family is in the same boat with 1000 square feet, husband, wife, four year old, two year old and 12 year old on the weekends.

Set a certain time block, like 30 or 45 minutes during naptime, to get your chores done. Have the kids help as they can. It will be a pain at first, but soon your daughter will set the dinner table, clear it, help with dishes, run the vacuum, sort laundry, and help you fold. She's also a great runner to help with the baby. Just be sure to give her a sense of pride. The dollar store will have age appropriate work books and color books to help with your special time.
I find it helps to take some St. John's Wort (an herb) when I'm over stressed and just prior to my period. it helps!
Set your day into "blocks" of length and order that work for you. Be consistent in keeping your new schedule. Your life will become much easier as you know what to expect and when. Your kids will love it too!
I keep a box or bag handy to put things I CAN live without. when it's full, I take it to the Senior center or the church. I used to yardsale, but it's a hastle (not to mention you have to pay taxes on the profit) and others really appreciate what I don't need.
When you're shopping, ask yourself-- Is this a need or a want? If it's a want don't deny yourself, just delay it a couple weeks or a month, you'll find yourself buying much less. And by all means, keep a shopping list on the fridge door and only shop for what's on the list.

Be encouraged, most all other women struggle with these issues and many generations have survived this before us!!
Best Wishes, Trina

C. my name is C. and the company I own is Nicole Daniel Services, Inc. and one it's main services is organizational management. I have great idea's 2 of which I will share with you but you might also consider hiring me to help with the rest of your clutter.

First buy pillow shams for your beds as decorations. Instead of pillows put your extra blankets and sheets in them. This will clear out an enormous amount of closet space which can be used for other things. Clear plastic hanging shoe holders are another. I don't have a junk drawer any more because I use this for pens, scissors etc. Good for baby items etc. Don't forget that the biggest waste of space is under the beds.

Good Luck
C.

Hi C.. We are in the same size house with kids the same ages as yours. We also have 2 dogs and a cat occupying space. I agree with the others about purging. Do it often and be ruthless. If you don't use it sell it, donate it or recycle/toss it. Don't let yourself buy things thinking you'll have more space in a year. Also I just learned of a toy rental company that was started by a mom. I'm thinking about getting rid of all the toys that aren't used every single day and doing a rental rotation. Here's her site: http://www.babyplays.com/

I tried flylady, but I have no interest in spending too much time making the house immaculate. I just want to be comfortable in my own home so here's what worked for me:

I made a chore list. One room gets cleaned every week day. I do a load of laundry every day. If I can't fold it, it stays in the basket.

I have a playgroup here ever other week. For me, having others over forces me to tidy the house in advanced.

I get rid of half the toys before every birthday or Christmas.

My daughter has open bin storage. She puts her toys away every night. They don't have to be organized, just thrown into any bin she wants.

I put pretty curtains over bookshelves or open shelving so that if the contents become disorganized, no one sees it.

I get out of the house so I'm not scrutinizing it all the time. I'd rather spend my time sledding with the kids than worrying about the appearance of my home.

Good luck!

Hi there - It can definitely be overwhelming. There are some great resources out there, Real Simple Magazine is one of them. Take it one corner at a time. Spend an hour cleaning out a closet and then keep it organized. Tackling it in smaller chunks has always worked for me rather than being overwhelmed with the whole thing. Create designated spots for specific things so that once you do get back on top of it, you can maintain it easier. Be ruthless in getting rid of stuff and if you haven't used in in a 6 month, 1 year, 2 year (depending on what it is), get rid of it - someone else can use it. One summer my friends and I had a group garage sale and made almost $600 collectively just from getting rid of the stuff we didn't use anymore. Hop ethat helps. TC

Bins, Bins, Bins!!! All shapes and sizes! I had a really small house with three children and a husband and people would laugh at my floor to ceiling shelving units and bins! They kept me and my life organized. The bins don't necessarily have to be neat inside, but it is nice to have a place to put things. You also have to keep up on the dishes and the laundry (unfortunately) and I used disposable plates ALOT!!! Hope this helps and good luck!

I recently started reading "clear your clutter with Feng Shui" and it has inspired me to get rid of so many things that I don't need she talks about how your clutter can affect your energy levels. it has convinced me to get rid of so many things that I have been holding onto for "sentimental reasons" even though all it was doing was keeping me in the past and my mind has been a lot clearer and my apartment is staying alot cleaner.

WOW! I don't know how you do it! Your children being opposite sex makes the problem worse because many of the toys are not shared. You have to buy girl toys and boy toys.

First off, pack up all the toys in boxes and rotate them. Each child gets only one box at a time. This way they will get to play with all their toys, but you won't be overrun with toys. If you all have too many clothes, you can do the same thing with clothes too.
Second, check out IKEA for storage solutions. They have quite a few layouts of 800sf apartments. They may have storage ideas you haven't thought about. Think "up".. that is where you will find more room... by using space all the way to the ceiling.
Third, get out of the house. It says a lot cleaner when the kids aren't there messing it up. Come up with one activity every day that is out of the house.
Last, consider using paper and plastic ware. You can throw it away instead of it piling up in the sink. This is especially useful on days you know you will just be too busy to keep up.

C., I hear you. I joined Flylady. Her methods are great for getting (and keeping) one on track. It all boils down to baby steps with the principle that you can do anything for 15 minutes. If you set aside 15 minutes a day and toss or donate your clutter, it does become manageable. I guarantee that. Remember, years of clutter won't disappear in a flash, but you can do it a little at a time. Flylady's site has a plan for crisis cleaning, which helps to kick it all off... it doesn't take a marathon effort and it does help. I'm not sure if I'm permitted to post a link here, but you can find it at Flylady.net.

Small houses, to me, are really difficult to keep clean and tidy. With not nearly enough storage space, it becomes hard to move around the 'stuff' to clean. I have been there. I know what it feels like. The key is... if it doesn't bring you joy or make you smile, it needs to go.

I'm not an expert, and I'm still conquering this problem myself. Trust me, a bigger house doesn't solve the problem - it just gives you more space to clutter up. :)

The best solution is one a friend of mine uses and one I'm about to implement myself now that I've got a closet available. Get storage bins in a couple of sizes, with lids. Sort out the toys and stuff into logical groups, then put them in boxes with labels. Limit the number of boxes that can be out at any one time. Tidy up twice a day - before lunch and before bed. We are currently doing the 2x/day tidy, and it does keep the toy fiasco more or less under control.

Adult clutter is a different problem, and I've yet to figure that one out completely. My husband is a big pack rat and accumulates "stuff" at an alarming rate. Our garage is his turf, and if his stuff gets too overwhelming in here, I just pile it on his workbench. He isn't happy about that, but that's what we've agreed to when I can't take his mess anymore. The flip side is that he can do the same with my accumulated stuff and dump it on my desk in my office.

Dishes and laundry - those are my 15 minute chores. I set a timer for 15 minutes and attack either the kitchen or the clothes. When the timer goes off, I stop. I do this 2x/day while the kids are eating breakfast and lunch, and it's worked to keep up with it.

Good luck to you, and wish me luck as well!

Hi C.,

My only advice to you, is to have less stuff until you have room for it. Be a tyrant about allowing new stuff into your house.

Keep in mind that this situation is temporary, and that currently, your cluttered environment is sucking the life out of you. Don't let it. Pare down your stuff and INSIST that your family get on board.

As a last resort, because it will divert money from the new house effort, there are always storage facilities for those precious items that you'll have room for soon.

Happy housecleaning!

D. T

Hi C.,
I can totally relate, my house USED to be that way...I found a website called www.flylady.net it will help you declutter your house one area at a time. It's simple and you can do it with kids! Hope it helps!
A.

Try out Flylady.net- She has the most amazing ideas and you start with shining your kitchen sink. Don't let the emails overwhelm you at the beginning- they are just reminders for things to do during the day and if you have routines down, you can just delete them. I have done so well with her system that I let our cleaning lady go three years ago and haven't needed her since! I have two (now teenage) boys and when they were little, it seemed like their toys took over the house. Keep watch for the Riley Challenge- it is something your little one can do almost by herself and she will look forward to seeing what her "job" is for the day. Good Luck!

I feel the SAME way. i just have to tell my self "breathe and just let it be". even though it drives me insane that i pick up over and over again, i have realized that it is ok and that it is not worth stressing over. i wish it would just stay organized and clean but... no. i am also 24 and pregant with our second baby. my husband tries to help as much as possible to keep me from pulling out my hair.

The 1$ store is a place to start. Usually, they have bins and baskets that you can orginize toys, clothes, bathroom items, everything that is the main source of clutter in our house. Each kid has a bin in our house and they use that to go around at the end of the day and pick up what belongs to them and put it away. Maybe, look around and see if there is anything that you have not used in 6 months to a year and take it to the Goodwill. That may free up some space.

Have a garage sale until you feel the clutter is gone, or bless some families out here, give to some thrift stores, give to friends and family, give to your church (they should have a ministry that helps low-income families), or asked your local school if there is a family in need of household items, etc.

You have to check out www.FlyLady.net she saved my life when I was trying to show our home (we were selling it) when I was pregnant with our third and then after he was born. Somehow she made it so I could do it and feel good about myself.
Good Luck!

Just a thought, even though your daughter's almost three, she might like to "help" mommy? This could also get her used to doing chores. While brother is asleep or in his playpen, see if she can "help" with laundry (have her fold or carry small things like washcloths and socks). Also, have a toy limit, get her used to putting toys away when she's done with them NOW, and have her try to start putting her dishes in the sink. Hubby can help with this too, even though he's bringing home the bacon, your job is TWICE as hard!! :) Hope this helps, my daughter's older but she LOVES helping me when I ask her, and she always has.

I have OCD and I have a almost 5 yr old son. I CANNOT stand clutter at all. It's hard to try to manage AND maintain a household full of people. It's only my son and I, but you could try some of these techniques to see if they help.
First off, I make sure that if it's paperwork...to IMMEDIATELY find a place for it. I created a few file boxes to help with this matter. I sort out my bills once a week. Once I'm finished with a bill, I tend to keep my stubs for at least a year. This helps in case something with that company pops up...you've got backup. ;)
Try having a system when you do things. Have routine in all you do. It might help a bit. You could try having your kids help you out. Like a game. Less stress for both.
Remember, if you don't need it, give it or throw it away! I had to learn this the hard way. Every couple of weeks/months, I go through my things and if I don't wear it, use it, or need it...it gets donated or thrown out. Clutter doesn't do anyone any good and can actually dampen anyone's mood.
Everything has a place. If you pull the milk out of the fridge, you wouldn't place it on the counter and forget about it, would you? Same thing. If you use something or move something, put it back where you originally got it. This helps. You could also have the kids start learning how to pick things up. I used to play a game with my son when he was around the ages of your children. We actually played red light green light. You could do something different, but showing your children that they have a place for their toys/books, will help you in the long run.
My son is now almost 5. He takes out the small garbages by himself. Cleans up his room, clears the table after meals, helps with dishes, and makes his own bed. Most of this...his own free will. I started most of this when he was around 2. Just little things here and there and making it into a game. He likes to do it now. Scary huh? LOL Anywho, hope some of this helps. Good luck! :D ~B.

Hi C.!
I've been packing since I knew I was pregnant! Now we have a 15 month old daughter and I still find myself putting stuff in boxes :-) I'll even keep an open box around and if I come across something I feel we don't have room for anymore, I'll toss it in. Once the box is full, tape it up, label it and store it away. You'll be suprised how much you have you won't even miss! If your kids have a lot of toys, try rotating them. Pack some away for a while, let them play with what's left. Then switch. That way, they still have all their toys but not scattered all over. And when you bring out the ones in boxes, it will be like new toys to them. Also, if you feel like you just don't have time to get anything done, try to get a day at home to yourself. I'm lucky enough to have my mom nearby. So every so often, she'll take Alyssa out of the house for the day while my husband is at work and I can get tons done! Or maybe your husband can have a play day with your kids and you can have a day to get chores done. I've found that even if I cross a few things off my list in one day, I feel like I've conquered the world - at least for a little while! Otherwise, just enjoy your kids and hubby, and try not to let the clutter get to you.
~J.