Expert: Jamie Novak - 7/2/2006

Question
I don't know how to teach my family to put things back in there place.  I complain about it so much they get tired of listening to me. I either run around cleaning after everyone or let it go and watch it pile up.  My house will go from spotless to cluter filled in one day. I get home at 6pm afer an hour commute and head straight for the dishes in the sink (or should I say, around the sink).  Fed-up can you help?

Answer
Great question and you are not alone :)

I have lots of great ideas, but I need more information first, in your heading you say paper clutter then in the email you mention getting family to help, is it both?

Also if you have not already been to my wesbite please visit www.JamieNovak.com to see lots of great ideas, articles and tip sheets you can read, and audios you can listen to.

I hope to hear back from you...Jamie

PS one of the best rules you can start with is the 2 minute rule, this means that if you (or anyone else in the house) can do a task in 2 minutes or less do it right then instead of waiting until later.

To get your family on board you can say you heard this from me, and I am a bestselling author and I'm on HGTV's Mission Organization, sometimes that helps.

So instead of leaving dishes on the table in 2 minutes or less put them in the washer.

Instead of leaving your coat on the chair, hang it up in 2 minutes or less.

Instead of putting the mail in a pile on the counter sort it and dump the junk in 2 minutes or less...

Good luck! Jamie