What’s the hardest part about keeping your home organized with kids?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mail
Paperwork
Everybody’s technology… phones, computers
Stuff that comes in every night and leaves every morning… no sense it goes to the bedroom. Coat, shoes, backpack, sports equipment, instruments, computers, purse, keys

Books

There needs to be a reset after Xmas and a place for all the new junk (I mean presents) people receive.

An organized garage which is different in winter and summer

Blankets and pillows

You need cubbies. Could you build some in your entry or garage? All of our stuff that you're listing goes there. We even have computer chargers there and the kids charge their chromebooks overnight.

[Anonymous]

You need to put a diamond ring in the finger

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nothing. We had a big enough house. I was a SAHM. DH was a dedicated dad. I had a lot of support and I LOVED being with my kids.

I converted 1/2 our main level (formal dining and formal living room) into a gated kid's area with a Montessori classroom vibe, place to sleep, read, eat, paint, go on slide, book shelves, activity centers, toys and that remained in place for many, many years.

They both had their bedrooms but we also converted a space upstairs into a lounging area which was a big hit for hanging out with friends, sleepovers etc.

Basement had another large and comfy kid's friendly place for the kids. My home was very organized.

I had a cleaner who came twice a week to clean and organize with me. DH handled the kitchen and cooking. I did the laundry and had someone who did the landscaping and gardening tass. We entertained so often that we had to keep the house clean.

AND inspite of all of that - we had one giant hidden hoarder room where we just stashed stuff that we did not want to deal with and it is still a bloody mess. Maybe AI and robots will clean it up one day.

You win for Least Self-aware DCUM Post of the Day. Congrats! And just under the wire, too. Whew.

You win for the most gullible person of the day on DCUM too. Do you believe everything you read on DCUM? What about the networth of $7 million that I forgot to mention? I also did not add the youthful, healthy and energetic engaged grandparents who are conveniently taking care of my kids on the weekends while DH and I go on our relationship-affirming dates or international trips.

I wrote it all tongue and cheek, but now I wonder why people on DCUM so readily believe fantastic stories and tall tales of others? Everyone thinks they are the only one struggling and everyone else is having a great life and have access to great resources etc. Somehow, even educated people are triggered and angry when they hear that others are having a good life - but they don't doubt it for even one minute. Wut?? Have you seen the situation described above in real life? (BTW - Full Disclosure - this was a made up tale of a composite of several people that I know of - some have cleaners, some have space for kids to play because they are too poor to furnish rooms after buying a house, some people have DH cooking, some people have WFH capacity etc. The only truthful part in this was I do have an unfinished area in the basement which is a store room and hoarder space. )

On the other hand, all of you will disbelieve any truth that is right in front of your faces.

You will believe that all American parents are having a perfect life which is somehow not in your grasp (remember hating on Hilaria Baldwin with her gazillion kids and saggy balls DH?), but you will not believe that Trump will destroy the nation and enrich his friends and family - as he promised he will do.

Silly Goose!!

DP. You sound insane.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm overwhelmed by toys. Grandparents spent at least 1k per kid for Christmas (the other set of grandparents probably $200 a kid, which is still a lot). We honestly are still sorting boxes of new toys and can't find a place to put them all. It was so out of control. Kids were only willing to give up duplicates that they received. The waste of it all really gets to me. DH and I both agreed that we were going to sit down with grandparents and discuss limiting toys next Christmas. It's just so sad that they have all these toys and games, but no one to play them with. As a family we only play games 2-3 nights a week and we'd never get to them all. So much of the craft kits require parental help too. I wish grandparents would just do them with the kids instead of only gifting them.

What has helped a lot was installing cubbies. We love our new cubbies. Each kid has one and it's stopped coats from being strewn everywhere.

Suggest experience gifts from the grandparents that kids can do with them or you can do as a family. Or a family trip with the grandparents somewhere.

My MIL was like this. So many toys and she got better with above. Still gave toys for something to open but not as much quantity!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yea that’s about right. Plus I’m the only one who actually tries anything. The piles are just invisible to everyone else

+1

My spouse is basically the Absentminded Professor.

100% relate.

The only thing that has worked for me is to have zones. My bedroom (connected to but separate from DH’s bedroom, weird design but love it) is a clutter free zone. Ditto my office, and the kitchen.

The kids clothes are neatly organized, and I keep a laundry hamper at the bottom of both kids’ closets for too small clothes to go into. I sort that once a season into donate/toss.

The clutter of what comes home from school (kindergarten) kills me. I bought a binder for it, but still, so much stuff! And remembering to return library books, keeping track of ice skates, dance shoes, goggles, piano lesson books etc things that go back and forth is annoying. We keep each kids’ thing for each activity in a small drawstring bag in a closet by the door, or at least try to. Things always go rogue.

I try to keep toys in rotation, but that’s tiring.

Basically, I pick my battles bc no one else is bothered by this. So I have my clutter free zones, try to get old clothes, unused toys and old school work out of the house quarterly and hope for the best.