Expert: Jan Hayner - 11/18/2011

Question
Have been really going crazy with my disorganized house things strewn around the house all the time. though a maid comes for cleaning up but things dont remain in place for more than an hour or even may be just half. with a 1 and  a half year old who is very active and does most of the disorganization. with me expecting a second child I cant do much besides I have never done household chores as cleaning and organizing before I got married so it is even a bit of "not in a habit of doing".I am often unable to judge what to do when--the right thing in the right place and time.for which I often have to hear a few unpleasant things from my husband.it would be so nice of you if you could suggest some way out.thanking you in anticipation

Answer
Hi Meher;
Let me see if I can give you a few suggestions. You say that you are not 'in the habit' of doing household chores and organizing. BUT, it will be easier to find things, teach your child responsibility and how to take care of personal belongings and make things a lot easier when baby number two gets here. It only takes two weeks (20-24 days) to create a habit, so I know you can do this.

First- put all 'like' things together in the same area for storage. Such as kids clothes-kids closet, kids toys- toy room or kids room, sheets-linen closet or linen shelf-get the idea? Now everything that you own has a 'home' and some place to go. Get rid of anything that you haven't used in a year-it is taking up space and isn't needed. If you have things that mean something special to you, use them to decorate your home or store them and label the box-but wouldn't it be nicer to show them off?

Second- teach your child that there is a 10 minute 'clean up' at the end of the day. Set a kitchen timer for 10 minutes and see if everything gets put back in the toy box or bedroom in that amount of time....make a game of it and your child will look forward to it.

Third- cleaning! UGH! start on one wall in a room and work your way around the room. First pick everything up in the room. Put dishes in the sink, papers in the garbage etc. There shouldn't be anything in that room that belongs to anyone personally becaause you had a 10 minute clean up the night before remember! Dust going around the room, vacuum and you are finished...see you just did one room. By the way, only one type of toy comes into this room at a time, when that toy gets put away, another one can come out...get it?

Fourth- while you are watching TV at night, you can have food cooking in the oven, a load of wash going in the washing machine, fold clothes, make a grocery list and much more...you get two or three things finished at once.

Fifth-just a hint--on your way from one room to another you can put something back where it belongs--if it takes less than two minutes to do, do it NOW--toys are not dirt, they are tools to teach.

I hope this gives you some ideas Meher, if you need more, just let me know.
Jan Hayner