I have always loved for things to have a special spot, but that was before I had three children 4 and under (with another on her way to contributing to the clutter). A recent move to an apartment has also accentuated my inner need for better organization. If your personality is anything like mine, you might have this list in your head that never gets shorter. I have learned, like many mothers with young children that I want to get my “list” done, but I also want to have balance.
Here is a list of pointers that I have made for myself that helps as I prepare to organize my not-so-pretty cluttered spaces, and hopefully they will be good starting points or reminders for you.
1. Write down your goals, and be as specific as possible. I remember as a child, when I would get home from school, or wake up on my days off, my mom would make a list in the morning of what she wanted all of us to get done for the day. This was very annoying as a child, because it directly conflicted with my one goal for the day, which was to have fun. But, now that I am married with children, I can see how this is actually one of the many great things I have learned from my mom. It keeps you on task throughout the day, and is a visual confirmation of the things that are being accomplished, however small it is.
2. Don’t let your expectations exceed your circumstances. My ideal vision of getting organized is having as much money as I could possibly need to spend on my projects, and dropping my kids off somewhere where I would have the entire day (or two) to organize, sort, make trips to the store where the process of getting into the store alone would only take one minute instead of ten, and know that whatever was being organized stayed in its place rather than being found in a small child’s backpack three rooms away. But, since I know that is completely unrealistic at this point, I usually do one thing on my list a day, or however many days are reasonable for the size of the project. Being organized is great, but I don’t want to scream at my kids and be stressed out the entire time because of unrealistic expectations.
3. Decide what works for and with your family. There are many resources for inspiration and ideas in magazines, on the internet, and talking to other people. If you struggle with originality or vision, these can help immensely. I am a great worker, but my creativity is pretty low without any outside help. As you make your goals, decide what works with your life’s routine, whether you are single, married, or married with children. This could be a fun opportunity to include your children, depending on their ages, as you consider a project.
4. Utilize materials that can be reused, whether you own them, or find a great deal somewhere. Some may be more inclined to buy brand new pieces of furniture or material to remove some of the work in a project, but always consider recycling something you already have, or a great find at a yard sale or consignment shop. There is something fulfilling about making it your own in a whole new way. And who doesn’t want to save a little money in the process?
These are just a few things that I try to remind myself as I begin my day, or a specific project. The last important thing to consider is that there will be “hiccups”, days that don’t exactly go as planned, breaks that have to be taken that were not planned, so don’t get stressed over it, and just go with the flow. Happy organizing!
Jackie
Jackie is a stay-at-home mom in Saratoga Springs, UT and has three small children and another due for arrival at the beginning of October. She is originally from East Texas, and moved to Utah with her husband in 2008. She enjoys writing, reading, music, and spending time with her family. Her expertise at the moment includes juggling the many tasks of being a mother and wife, and greatly enjoys the everyday mundane.
