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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]As far as organization goes, when you go to tidy up, is there an appropriate and accessible place to put everything?

If there is, you’re already organized. You can play at the margins to make things easier (like a basket for shoes instead of cubbies) but basically, you’re there.

So at that point it’s just about setting up routines for everyone to tidy and clean.

If, when you go to tidy, you find that the spaces where things go are already full (eg you pick up the jar of cinnamon on the counter and open the spice drawer, but you can’t jam it in there) or you have a big pile of things without an appropriate home (eg you pick up a tennis racket and end up putting it on top of a pile of other stuff in the garage), then you have a clutter/organization problem.

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NP here.  The issue in our house is, if I am the only person who puts things away, and all the kids and the spouse can't be bothered, it is very hard for one person to keep up with all those messy people who don't notice, care, etc.  that things are out of place. It can be exhausting and discouraging, after years of them not putting stuff back where it so obviously belongs. [/quote]

You can’t parent your spouse. You can’t. But you CAN and SHOULD parent your kids. They need to stop what they’re doing at the appointed time and everyone puts things away until it’s done. A lot of families use housecleaner appointments as motivation to tidy. [/quote]

I know not everyone can afford a house cleaner, but the only messy room in my house is DC’s bedroom.  I mostly just keep the door closed, but he knows that he has to pick up his room before the housekeeper comes, so it at least gets clean every two weeks.

But, seriously — we got very organized when we moved because we were ruthless about not moving stuff we didn’t need. I lost track of how many trips we made to Goodwill.  We then moved into a bigger house with more storage, and it was so wonderful, that I got committed to not accumulating too much stuff. If I buy new clothes, I get rid of some old stuff. It doesn’t matter if it’s “good” — if I don’t wear it regularly, it goes. I actually have empty cabinets in my house.

Not only do you need a place for everything, it has to be easy and convenient. If you have to move something to put something away, it won’t happen. If you have to take something to a room that is different from where you usually use something, it isn’t going to happen. My DH always has a little collection of business cards, small parts of things, etc that he is using and wants to keep handy in the kitchen. So he has a nice porcelain bowl with a cover where he keeps those things. Junk mail goes straight into a shredder in the kitchen closet and bills go on his or my desk, which are in a room adjacent to the kitchen. [/quote]

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