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Any "messie" moms out there who have successfully overcome their chronic disorganization?
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Anonymous
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I have a countertop shredder and shred mail as I sort it.
I am working on having a place for everything -- if it does not have a place, it goes If my husband buys something new, he throws something out or gives it away -- same for me I purge toys and clothes twice per year for our child I am setting up my own office in the house so all of my to-dos, projects, etc will be stored in there I hate clutter with a deep and abiding passion -- if it is not taken care of or put away, I throw it it away and I don't care how much it costs -- surprising how quickly you can motivate kids and husband to put their crap away when you ask them once to put something away and when they don't, throw it in the trash. Invest in Container Store closet design systems. They are lifesavers. |
Anonymous
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I am with you OP, only I never was organized, even pre-kids. My house has always been a mess. My desk at work, however, was anal-retentive clean. Not a paper out of place. I accomplished that at work (when I worked) by having a place for everything. The problem at home is, I don't have a place for everything.
I recently cleaned up my entire house. It took two weeks, and I did nothing else. I figured out where to put everything, and anything I couldn't figure out where to put, I packed up in boxes and store in the basement or attic. If I really need that stuff, I know where to find it. Now my house is pretty clean. When it gets messy, I know where to put stuff because I have a place for it. Most people can't take two weeks to do this, but you can start with one small task at a time. I just opened my broom closet, threw out the old mops I haven't used in a year, got rid of all kinds of things I'd thrown in there but have not used, and then consolidated all my cleaning supplies in that one closet. Now, when I buy a cleaning supply, or need a rag, I go to that one closet. Before everything was scattered around the kitchen, basement, even the garage. NO MORE. Once you have a spot for things, you no longer have to think about where to put them. You just put them away mindlessly, or better yet, tell your child to put them away in the specific places you've designated for them. OP, I don't think you'll ever be cured of this messy "disease." It's a chronic condition, but you can get it under control so it doesn't make you miserable. |
Anonymous
I am the reverse of you - I was chronically disorganized and messy before having kids. It was only after I went back to work after DD was born that I realized that I had to clean up my act and impose some order in my life. I found FlyLady to be impossible to implement with a full time job - I would imagine it to be with a part-time job as well. What has begun to work for me is Getting Things Done by David Allen. It's meant mostly for work productivity - but I've applied to to home. It's not an organization book per se - it's more of a system that allows you to keep track of all your projects and to-do's. It helps you to be more productive because in any given context - at home, by a computer, by a phone, talking with DH, you have a list of actions you can take. It has helped me with procrastination and losing focus, so it might help you with that. It also helps you manage those paper piles. I've found it to be a great system to run a house with. |
Anonymous
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I found with Flylady - I'm also a WOHM with a 19mo and one on the way - I had to take what I could use and disregard the rest.
Somewhere on that - ironically, really disorganized website - is a stripped-down version of the morning and evening routines. Morning chores are making the bed as soon as you get up, giving the sink a quick wipe-down when you're done using it (I keep a roll of paper towels under the sink for this purpose), and starting a load of clothes. Evening chores are folding one load of clothes, a two-minute pick-up, and emptying/cleaning the sink. Every day you do your one 15-minute task. I usually do this after supper. Then once a week you do the "weekly home blessing" - sweep/mop the kitchen floor, run the sweeper, pick up, toss magazines, clean the mirrors, and change the sheets. I use Google calendar, created a Flylady calendar separate from mine so it's a different color, and then once a week I update it all my tasks for the week so I can disregard that disaster of a website. This isn't 100% right, but that's basically it. I don't do it all, and I don't do it all every day, but it at least gives me a much-needed structure. |
Anonymous
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I have that book by David Allen - maybe I'll go read it now! But wait I have about 6 other books ahead of it.
I think my disorganization is created by all the things I (and rest of my family) WANT to do but never get around to. If I could find a way to limit their intake of projects, that would eliminate the clutter. Eg art project, needlepoint, home improvement projects never done. And thank you to the poster about the house disorganization an "our" problem not a "mine" problem. So true. |
Anonymous
13:00 - what a great idea - kills two birds with one stone. Maybe I'll get a snack first, before starting. 
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zumbamama
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I don't seem to have the self discipline it takes to stay organized. I have come to accept this. I wish I could see the top of my dresser, but I just don't feel like putting all that stuff away! Maybe Ill feel like it after I make some coffee. or not.
oh I wish I could hire Mary Poppins. |
Anonymous
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I am a disorganized proctrastinator who hates being disorganized. Some people like their clutter, I hate mine. The only thing that has kept me in order since the baby was born (he's 9 months) is our nanny. She's a compete neat freak. The place always looks more organized when I get home from work than when I went to work. Of course, she can't do the paperwork and the bills, so those still pile up waiting for me and/or hubby (usually me). But her neatness is also a motivator for me. I clean up more because I don't want to offend her or make her think I'm leaving a mess for her to clean up. It's kind of like having a cleaning service that you have to clean up for before they come, but it's every day. I realize not everyone can afford or wants a nanny, just sharing what my situation is and how it's helped. |
Anonymous
| Some people PRETEND to like their clutter.....like me.... |
Anonymous
| My husband and I have a 15 minute rule. Each day when we get home from work we pick up/clean for 15 minutes. We actually set a timer. Works like a charm! |
Anonymous
| I can get bummed about my clutter, and I am pretty on top of it most days, but really, when I sit and look at it, I am sitting on the floor reading to the kids instead of cleaning AGAIN. I have the rest of my life to clean. My kids are little for but a short while. I will accept the clutter that comes with the reprioritization! |