You might recognize many (okay all) of these "hot spots" from other posts. Believe it or not we actually manage to get most of these cleaned up on a regular basis.... but clearly our *storage* and *organizational* systems are inadequate since our house inevitably looks like this every Friday. We do understand how to clean and put things away it is just that we are clearly missing some BIG piece of the puzzle. It might be that we have 2 closets in the whole freaking house, or it might be that we hoard things with an apocalyptic like fervor. Either which way something has to change.... because I've got nine baskets in the living room alone and even that is not coming close to keeping all this crap in order.
Disclaimer:
It should be noted that this morning the house doesn't look as bad as in these pics. These are really the worst case scenario. It should also be noted that we really do know how to clean and organize (really) we just clearly don't know how to maintain it in that state for more than 12 hours (while the kids sleep). Here are the things to keep in mind while reviewing this issue: When Mr F is out of town I am able to keep the house spotless... and in fact feel motivated to do so (unfortunately he does not travel for business). That doesn't mean it is Mr F's fault... I'm just saying there is something about the dynamic that fuels the clutter. Other major issue to keep in mind is that we SERIOUSLY lack for adequate storage and that is a legitimate issue with this house (and don't write in to hang shelves people... shelves full of crap look even worse... and we have old plaster walls, few interior walls, lots of windows, and shelves is not going to happen until we can get built-ins). Also I've already tried FlyLady and I gave it a good six months... it didn't really work for me. Okay now you can have at it. Keep in mind I may not do any of the things you tell me to do and I'll probably still post whiny complaining disorganization posts in the future... so comment at your own risk ;)
* Hot Spots is defined as ALL horizontal surfaces in our home (except the ceilings... so far).
54 comments:
I was there 3 weeks ago. I've gotten a lot done!! I'm pretty proud of it!
Saw one of these:http://preview.tinyurl.com/248pyj on clearance at the Carpenter Road Target. It was more gender neutral colors though. Don't know if that helps!
Also, IKEA baby!
Torey,
we already have 2 of those... so I guess that tells you something. We actually use all the bins in our current playroom set up and that does work for the toys.
Toys are pretty much under control now... it is now mostly the grown ups who need taming ;)
Mrs F, this is not a clutter management problem, this is LIFE! I get so SICK of having perfectly organized houses and perfectly decorated rooms, spotless kitchens shoved down my throat. I do cherish tidiness, and especially a clean kitchen, but the pressure to have a showroom or HGTV worthy home is too much. Especially in suburbia where I live. I love that you are brave enough to post these; we should all post pictures of our house when its the craziest. It would be like those real mothers' bodies websites.
I agree with Liz. Your house looks like every happy household I've ever set foot in.
Liz,
I love this comment! Really. Sometimes when I post this stuff I think readers think I must be much more *out of control* than they are and don't get that I'm just willing (and in fact finding it motivating to do so) to post pictures when things are at their worst. (it isn't ALWAYS this bad people don't call child welfare on me!)
" we should all post pictures of our house when its the craziest. It would be like those real mothers' bodies websites. "
LOL! I'm not sure that would be a motivating website but it would certainly be validating.
Hey maybe I'll start another blog "The State Of The House" ;)
Haley,
you are going to be the greatest mom one day!
Yes another blog where we pick hotspots and once a week or twice a month we post pictures. Some motivation to keep it clean (like finding out someone is coming to visit in 1 hour).
I would like to preface the rest of my comment by saying that my house looks JUST LIKE THAT, except that I think we just have less stuff.
This is because I am a serious purger rather than a hoarder. I purge things in small ways on a regular basis. It feels good to me to free myself of crap.
This doesn't make everyone feel good and that is all certainly tied in to our emotional lives and histories.
So... simply having less stuff helps keep down the clutter. We also have two closets in our house, so I feel your pain. I've got nothing helpful to add other than, if you think you can do it, purge. Purge small and purge often.
If you can't... (and that's totally valid) then someone else might have better suggestions, because I am sure no organizational genius.
Nutmeg,
Oh LESS stuff is key. Even if it were still messy it would be LESS messy and easier to pick up.
I just told Mr F that we have to cut back and that includes the freaking library... just because we aren't putting any money into it doesn't mean we need to bring home 40 items a week... that is a major part of the living room problem. We just truly don't have room for all that stuff and then one pile attracts more piles it is some kind of physical law.
Also I will reiterate things weren't this bad before kids or when we just had Kid as a baby & little kid. Kid & Baby make up a majority of the mess and once things look like hell I get overwhelmed and paralyzed and have a hard (okay impossible) time do any cleaning in any spot of the house.
SIGH......
We have really, really, I mean REALLY been trying to purge of late. "Of Late" being like, the past year!!! Why does it not seem to get better?!?
And then I feel so guilty...in a world where so many want for just enough to live, I whine about having too much. But honestly I have been doing better about refusing to buy stuff. And yet the stuff is still all over. Particularly paper. The evil paper/clutter elves come in the night and spread chaos in their wake...
Myra didn't want her sister to play with her stuff the other day. I told her to play in her room. She burst into tears and cried, "I CAN'T!! It's too MESSY!!" And really it was, you couldn't even walk in.
Nice to know I'm passing the sickness on down and not teaching her any valuable life skills...
Kid & Baby make up a majority of the mess and once things look like hell I get overwhelmed and paralyzed
Yup. The playroom, as improved as it is, is still just a toy storage warehouse—it's the TOYroom, not the PLAYroom. They still carry, push, pull, and cart all the crap out to the living room and detonate their foam block and doll clusterbomb.
There's not as much we can do about that. They would rather play close to mom. Fine.
But most of the things pictured are not the kids. They might be in response to the kids (ie: Kid's bucket of art supplies on the dining room sideboard to keep markers out of Baby's mouth) but really, Mrs F and I are to blame. I clean up every individual day's mess every night...dishes, toys, stack the books, etc. but never can make inroads on the institutional mess. Kitchen work surfaces get cleared and cleaned, but those corners don't get conquered.
We need to purge. Big time. 39-gallon trash can in the kitchen-style. Starting tonight.
Your house looks exactly like the Smitty household. We have clutter management issues of the worse degree. I am simply happy to know I am not alone in the world.
Mrs F: Yep, State of the House. I'd post to it. Then you'll have to do State of the Blog, b/c you have too many to keep up with.
Nutmeg: Your message that purging is not the answer, the reward, or the pleasure for everyone really hits home. I am a hard core purger as well. But my husband, not so much. I am going to work on being more accepting of him as a non-purger!
That would drive me completely insane.
I think you just have way, way too much stuff.
I love the package of pantyliners on Kids' activity table!!
Also, there must have been a great sale on tampax tampons:)
This is real life...it does get a little easier when the kids are a little older. Just a little, though.
When my husband travels, I can keep my house cleaner and more organized, too. Hmmmm....partly for me is that when he is not home, I just automatically know I have to do it all, where as when he is not here, I kind of shut off a bit.
As far as the hoarding of stuff (not food, household items, etc...hoard away if it's a good sale), I sometimes put the stuff in a bag, but don't throw it out right away (put under bed or out in garage.) After a certain amount of time, I throw it out if I don't miss it.
They still carry, push, pull, and cart all the crap out to the living room and detonate their foam block and doll clusterbomb.
Seriously LOLed.
We have almost the opposite problem (I mean we don't have that many toys/books because we still just have one baby), but that one baby is a deconstructor/reconstructor
so we can never find ANYTHING ever because it's always been put in a really bizarre place by the bub (and usually inside something else. case in point: Can't find the can of beans for dinner? OF COURSE, they MUST be inside the stock pot in the cabinet with the highlighters we've been missing, all covered with a pile of clean diapers? WHEN did that HAPPEN?)
I think with our eternal mess and clutter it's not so much the actual clutter as it is that I can never find my keys, wallet and shoes in a timely fashion when I'm trying to get out of the house carrying the little deconstructor.
My advice on purging if you aren't making any progress is to really do it every week in small quantities when you have a couple of minutes. This ALSO allows you to not feel the immediate loss here and also lets you reconsider something if you decide you wanted to keep it. I usually take the stuff I've purged to goodwill once a month (or every other month).
Ok, two things .. 1. I totally agree, all that shows is that you LIVE there and you play there and you have fun there and that there are more important things than picking up every single moment of every day. Because that is what it would take when you have kids at home all day every day.
and 2. if I could show a picture of my "living room"/ds toy room" you wouldn't feel so bad. There is like 2 inches of carpet that can still be seen. No joke.
Not that in any way is that helpful to your problem. Ok, we got a coffee table that has built in storage, we got end tables that have built in storage, that helps.
Other than that .. hm. I'll think and be back.
PS you have mail. =)
Jennifer
Smitty,
As long as The Furious Family is around you will never be alone ;)
Jennifer,
thanks for the heads up your email got classified as junk so I never would have seen it! I've got it... I'll get back to you this afternoon!!
Hmmm, well, hmmm, this is a hard one. Don't get me wrong, I am not judging - I am just different. I am, for the most part, organized. Not clean, organized. There is a big difference. Just the other day, the boys were playing behind a chair and I heard one of them say, "watch out for the dust bunnies". Great! With three kids and four cats, it is hard to keep things spotless and that's is what I tell them and myself.
Like you, I also find that I am way more efficient when Sam isn't around. For me, I think it is because I think he should/will pick it up.
We're in the same boat storage wise - we don't have any. No advice here and I'm with you as far as the shelves go, who wants to see that?
Here is what we do: everything in the house has a place, or a spot. If something doesnt fit in that place anymore because there are too many, something else goes. Purge! It is hard at first, but once you get past the initial sting it is a wonderful thing.
By the way, I am with the reader who said she was tired of seeing all of the magazine clean houses. I actually stopped reading some blogs because I got sick and tired of seeing the unattainable. Who wants to see a bunch of magazine rooms that have been prepped for days? It is unrealistic. Who, with children, lives like that, really?
Heather
Heather,
"I actually stopped reading some blogs because I got sick and tired of seeing the unattainable"
LOL... you'll never get sick of reading mine then! ;)
You have done some good storage things though... using the armoir for all that stuff in the living room. Plus obviously the new kitchen helps, the coat hooks...
BUT even if we had that I'm not sure we would pick up. Some of this I think is wiring. I really do wish I was wired differently (or Mr F or Kid or Baby).
Mrs F, those pictures could be my house. Just too much stuff....and in my opinion, storage is only a temporary solution...it fills up, then the counters, tables are again cluttered....storage is a enabler to accumulate more crap. I can get the countertops clear and then my husband walks through the door with more crap he just bought, and where does it land? The freshly cleared counters! Aarrgh. We could walk around picking up after our families 24/7, which I think is what it would take, but I have other things I want to do with my life.
I just sent an 8x4x4 stack of stuff to Salvation Army (mostly toys), and I still have a toy room full of toys, and too much stuff.
Anyway, if you come up with anything let me know.
BTW, I haven't had a Diet Coke, or anyother fake sugars in 3 days! Woohoo! Still in withdrawel mode, and having cravings....but I'm determined to crack that monkey. Thanks!
Julie,
"partly for me is that when he is not home, I just automatically know I have to do it all, where as when he is not here, I kind of shut off a bit.
Yes there is that and then there is the resentment. If I do it all I start to hate Mr F ;)
and what would you say if I told you some of those boxes in the bathroom closet are empty (shhh...)!
I love the package of pantyliners on Kids' activity table!!
That's all Baby. She loves to unpack bags from the store and carry the stuff all over the house.
Another one? And this is a problem every evening...She is obsessed with the dishwasher! What do I mean? If I have it open to load/unload, she climbs in! Or steals silverware. Or drops plastic utensils in, so they can melt on the heating element...
She is all mischief, all the time, that one.
John,
Oh there is no question.... we have too much stuff!
We just need to channel Baby's energy for good. Like tie a vacuum to her, or make her wear scrubbrushes on her feet or something.
Gypsy Family,
You know I can relate to that.
When I figure out the answer I'll be sure to pass it on!
Alright, I'm throwing this out there:
Mrs F talks frequently of getting a Roomba™. You know, the vacuum that rolls around the house on it's own.
I think it's preposterous for several reasons, but I wonder if any of you have thoughts or experience to relate on that...
Shelley,
"storage is a enabler to accumulate more crap"
That is so true! Seriously... the amount of money we have put into ineffective storage is mind blowing! The problem is much deeper than just a good storage system.
and
"but I'm determined to crack that monkey"
LOL....and good luck!
Mr F,
"Mrs F talks frequently of getting a Roomba™."
by frequently you once last week!?!
I'm talking about it saving me time I can run it when I'm out doing errands. I realize I'll have to pick up stuff off the ground but picking up and vacuuming take me about an hour and with Baby in the mix it is a nightmare!
Mr. F.
If you come up with a solution to baby climbing in the dishwasher, please share.
If I'm loading or unloading E is immediately up on the door as soon as I look away. Pull him down, he begins screaming, turn around, back on the door, rinse, repeat.
hmmmmm. i'm more of a fan of playtex sport myself lol.
your house looks just like mine did growing up. i think it's definitely a "too much stuff" problem. the stuff i own in large quantities (books, cds) is always cluttered and messy. i don't think it can be helped unless everyone in your family (or just one really anal person) is serious about cleaning up after themselves right away. and who would want to do that? no one!
I think the floor has to be...ummm...clear of clutter to have a Roomba thingy...
I think everyone has their clutter management issues to a certain degree. It's just what you are comfortable with?? It appears that you want to gain control so that is the first step. And, as so many have pointed out, you have a lot of "stuff". You probably need to determine why you have so much stuff - why do you need it, buy it, keep it? Maybe it's emotional, makes you feel safe or something like Nutmeg said? Maybe it's time for a tag sale or a trip to Goodwill? Can you do anything in the basement for extra storage? I couldn't really tell based on some older pics...uh...there was a lot of "stuff" in there (in those pics at least).
On another note....just finished my Potato and Leek soup for lunch and made the absolute "moistest, bestest" pork tenderloin ever last night...all thanks to you! I was determined not to fuck it up for a change - my husband actually said I wasted $9.51 on the meat since I cannot cook meat to save my life (he's usually right so I didn't really take that as a personal attack - especially on Valentine's Day!). Anyhoo....it was fabulous!
Chrissy,
I'm glad the dishes are working out for you.
As for the basement... If we ever got it refinished it will have built-ins and that will be a big help.
But it should be said that not even 2 years ago we filled an entire dumpsters and had a huge tag sale... it is unbelievable how much stuff /furniture we got rid of and still we have way too much.
Hell we just got rid of two huge lawn and leaf bags... we do purge it just multiplies and a fair amount is stuff we receive as gifts... you know all that stuff you don't really need or have a place for but can't really get rid off either!
Eurdice,
books, magazines, etc accounts for a huge portion of our piles.
We love our printed media!
I can definitely relate. No matter how much I try to keep up, my house always looks like this and it drives me crazy. We have so many toys it is ridiculous. I hate to get rid of any though because my son gets so bored of the ones he has that i have to do some serious toy rotation.
My friends' houses are spotless and organized. I don't get it, so thank you for making me realize I am not alone!
workout mommy,
you are not alone. I actually don't know that many people with super neat houses (thank god)
Have you ever noticed that EVERY home type magazine has a feature on organization or clutter management? The truth is most people have this problem.
I just dropped Kid off for a playdate and my friend had seen the blog and said she thought I staged the mess since she's never seen it not look tidy. It just goes to show you never know what someone's house looks like when you are not there (except mine LOL).
1. What is "FlyLady"?
2. I have an unopened roomba that we got as a gift three years ago, you may borrow it, if it works for you, you can HAVE it!!
ML
Also I think it should be noted that this is where there is a difference between full time stay at home parent households and working parent households. If the kids were in daycare/school every day and I didn't have to cook in the kitchen all day the house wouldn't be this bad. But the reality is we are here all the time. I don't get a break in the day when they nap since Kid doesn't nap. I'm barely done with one meal before I'm already onto the next.
I know some people do it but I think they are pretty few and far between. I would really have to be picking up all the time to keep it under control. The amount of time everyone is home is definitely a factor.
ML,
I would totally borrow it.
FlyLady... google it... it's CRAZY.
Got no good answers... our house looks like a disaster much of the time.
And sorry to burst the bubble, Mrs F, I thought the same thing when I was at home with the kids - that if we were away all day it would stay tidier.
Unfortunately it hasn't worked that way. Maybe if our jobs were a little less insane... but as it stands now the time leftover for things like purging/tidying/cleaning is very minimal. So most messes stay for the entire week and get compounded. And then it feels like the entire weekend is taken up with household stuff.
I am becoming a relentless purger. It's the only thing that has helped, even a little.
I can't handle FlyLady. I don't even know why...in theory it sounds great.
1) One reason I hate cleaning is because when I do it's messy SO SOON after. Hello, and welcome to life with three little kids. I sweep everyday. And yet if you came over to my house, my floor would most likely be dirty. I do clean my house a lot. And frankly it gets discouraging to not have it STAY clean for like...an hour. This is in part due to a toddler who climbs everywhere and IS INTO EVERYTHING. (he put his older brother's toothbrushes in the toilet the other day. We have the same dishwasher problem. Random utensils found in random places)
2) There is a difference between "lived-in" and "dirty." Even when it's "clean" our house will ALWAYS seem "lived in"...fun is messy. There just no way around it. Sure we could ban fort-building and all art supplies, and costumes, but I'm willing to put up with the mess because it's fun for them. (I DO try to get them to pick up their stuff... the older ones that is...call me crazy but I think THEM cleaning up is a huge learning experience. I keep feeling this responsibility toward their future spouses or roommates to make them adept cleaneruppers.)
3) It is much easier for me to keep my house clean when my husband is gone too. If it's for like a week or so. But there have been times when he's been gone for 6 weeks at a time, and it eventually it does fall apart.
4) I hate clutter. I go through my closet like a mad women. I covet space like other people want stuff. We only have one teeny room for storage that's about 4 feet high. We have one closet that we share (and no, not a walk-in). No front hall closet. Nowhere to put the vacuum, no pantry. I'm not complaining, I'm just saying if we had more stuff, it'd be spilling out all over the house. Which I CANNOT handle. It's hard enough (impossible) to keep the house clean with three little tornadoes, let alone a bunch of crap we don't need.
5) This is what works for us right now -though I think everyone has just got to find what works for them. Most people I know who have order in their home have some sort of "system," but no one's are identical. SO I just share this to give you an idea: we don't stress the toys, dishes, all the stuff that gets pulled out everyday. It gets cleaned up during "cleanup" time every night. (10 min) Then, on Saturdays we do "big jobs" and involve the boys as much as possible. We only do it for 45 minutes. We try to do toilets, dusting, vacuuming, a laundry cycle, whatever really needs to be done. etc. Whatever doesn't get done, we leave it.
So what I'm saying in my novel of a comment is I totally get you, I don't know exactly what the answer is. If you find it, let me know. The one thing I'm SURE of is getting rid of stuff without buying MORE stuff will definitely help. Profound, eh?
I totally agree with the stay-at-home vs working idea. I am home (and the 2 days I work dh is home) with our 3 girls ALL day, EVERY day. And, since they are 3 and under, they have toys. LOTS of toys that they NEED to spread throughout the house ALL day EVERY day. I think (hope? pray?) that when they are older and in school, there will be less time to mess. And their toys will probably turn to smaller items (rather than the large chalkboard, grocery cart, kitchen...) and that should help. Plus, I cook 3 meals a day. Cooking that involves mixing, stirring, and lots of bowls/pans. I run the dishwasher twice a day, and usually still leave a pile in the sink. Oh well...
Honestly, I would LOVE to be able to have the "perfect" household..dressed all nice with hair/makeup done, scrubbed clean house, flowers on the table, home cooked goods (think Bree from Desperate Housewives (without psycho kids)..or June Cleaver perhaps..) but it just isn't going to happen. I don't have the time to devote to it, and frankly, I would rather spend my days coloring, cooking, and playing with my girls!!!
Emily,
say it ain't so! I really want to think if we weren't here as much it wouldn't be SO bad... but alas I probably am fooling myself. Of course if I homeschool this problem is only going to get worse!
Katieo,
6 weeks at a time!!! Now that is difficult!
I'll be back
Marie,
"rather than the large chalkboard, grocery cart, kitchen"
LOL.... Yes!! To get from one end of our house to the other is like competing in a Survivor challenge!
Katieo,
"Then, on Saturdays we do "big jobs" and involve the boys as much as possible. We only do it for 45 minutes. We try to do toilets, dusting, vacuuming, a laundry cycle, whatever really needs to be done. etc. Whatever doesn't get done, we leave it."
Okay we could try that... although the "whatever doesn't get done, we leave it" part might be a bit hard for me!
The kitchen is a bit easier with only 2 meals a day to clean up after instead of 3. But honestly the rest of it is about the same... where I think the big difference comes in is in the kids getting older. They are more likely to play where the toys are - ie, playroom, their rooms, whatever - rather than wanting to be near mom. In fact, lately I am being asked to 'not listen' when they are in the middle of one of their pretending games. : )
So at least the mess is somewhat more confined to certain areas. It helps.
The grownup clutter in our house is all very paper related too. And that increases as the kids get older and haul more paper home from school everyday.
This is related, and will make you laugh.
http://qcreport.blogspot.com/2005/05/objects-at-rest.html
And take comfort in the fact that all your kids will remember when they grow up is that they had a great time! I certainly remember feeling odd in friends' houses that were overly tidy. : )
Just seeing that high chair tray makes me go into convulsions. I HATE THE FUCKING HIGH CHAIR TRAY. I'm so tired of cleaning it.
I really should take photos of my horizontal surfaces for you. It would make you feel like you have company.
Emily,
thanks for the link... hilarious! I am happy to finally have a name for the disorder ;)
Deb,
I typically just let Canine clean the highchair for me... he does a remarkable thorough job! ;)
I am so behind! I take a day off from reading blogs, and have tons to catch up on. :)
I can't tell you how close I was to taking pictures the other night after the kids went to bed and I surveyed the disaster that was left behind. It was ridiculous! I was completely overwhelmed and though, I have to take pictures of this craziness. In the end, I just straightened it up without pics.
I don't have any answers for you because my house is a complete disaster every day. I straighten (meaning pick up toys and clean the kitchen) after the kids are in bed. Fortunately, they go to bed early, so I have time to do that. But from the minute they get up in the morning, til they go to bed, all bets are off. Tornado time!
Ok, off to catch up on the videos.
Robin,
oh you are definitely behind... you know how fast things change around here! ;)
you touch on another problem for us. Kid has been going to bed at 11. Yes she also gets up at 11 AM... but Baby goes to bed at 9 and gets up at 9 AM. So we don't have the extra time to really make any headway since one of them is ALWAYS up. And after 11 lets face it I'm pooped and not about to start a cleaning frenzy... I'm working on trying to go to sleep right around then.
Here is my big idea (it might seem odd)
I"m going to get three bins one for the Kitchen, L R, and DR and fill them up with stuff that is visible.
Then I'm going to go about our business for 2 weeks. The stuff in the bins isn't necessarily stuff I would get rid of... the experiment is to see if we can keep less stuff clean or not. If we can then we need to go through the bins and our belongings and pare down to the level we can keep picked up. IF we can't even keep the lesser amount picked up then it isn't the STUFF it is us and we need to figure out/or not a different plan of attack/or not.
Mrs. F-
Yeah, my kiddos are great sleepers, and it really helps. Kara sleeps from 6:30 pm to 7:30 am (no waking...please don't hate me.) Kent sleeps from 7:00 pm to 7:00 am, so I have a couple of hours before I go to bed completely kid free. I don't know what I would do if one was up till 11 and the other up at 9...shoot myself probably.
I think your big idea is a great one! I can't wait to see how it works out.
Robin,
it was fine with just Kid since I could either choose to stay up and get an hour or two and then I could also have a little morning time before she woke up.
I can't get myself out of bed in the AM before Baby since she still isn't sleeping through and I need every minute of sleep I can get. Once she's sleeping (probably 2 more years!) then things will be a lot easier.... (hopefully). This is yet another reason why we are only having the two kids! nightowl kids can be great but only if they are both that way!
Post a Comment