It's a Family Affair

Here are a few ways to include the entire family in helping to get and keep your home more organized...

IDENTIFY FAMILY MEMBER ACCOUNTABILITY:
Does everyone in the home insist the clutter isn't theirs, but rather is someone else's? Do you get tired of pointing out the items to each family member? If so, one way to help members of your family become more aware of their contributions to the clutter is to assign and buy a colored dot or fun character sticker (that is easily removable) to represent each family member. Be sure to include yourself! Each day place a sticker on items that are left lying around, that needs to be put back "home". This can help each member become more aware of their contribution to the clutter including the volume or frequency. The stickers serve as a silent reminder and cuts back on the nagging requests to put things away.

MAKE IT FUN:
If your family has a game night, consider a scavenger junk hunt. Give each family 10-15 items to find. Your lists may include orphaned socks, containers with no lids, broken toys, battered books, outgrown clothing, old phone books, last year's homework, t-shirts with holes, you name it. Set an amount of time to find the objects. At the end of the game, toss the junk and have a treat for the family and if desired award prizes.

DEVELOP DAILY HABITS:
Implement the 5 minute clean up. Before bedtime establish a 5-minute clean up as part of the bedtime ritual. Have each child spend 5 minutes picking up items lying around the house. The morning of the day you start, let them know that after the 5 minutes are up, you will be gathering any remaining items that have not been picked up. All of the items will be going into a "earn back" or "service" box. They will be able to earn them back by having to perform a service by doing a simple chore (requiring no more than 5 minutes). To encourage items not continuously going into or staying in the box indefinitely, set the last day of the month as the day all items in the box go away as donations. On the first day, remind them that they will only have 5 minutes before bed, and encourage to pick up during the day if needed if you see that the clutter is WELL beyond a 5 min pick up. After the first or 2nd day, don't remind during the day, but let them learn by doing. Be sure that when someone has nothing put in the box that night or earns their belongings back that they are praised. You should see a decrease in the items that are taken out and not put away. When they get mad or frustrated that they can't get it all done in 5 minutes, be sure to teach/remind them that if they clean up as they go, or put away something before they take another item out, they will always be able to clean up in 5 minutes. Be consistent with this method. Pick up the items, do not give back until it has been earned, donate at the end of the month. If you are not consistent, you will have no credibility.

ENCOURAGE COOPERATION:
Make it clear you are not searching for perfection, but do insist that everyone cooperates and tries. You do not want to turn into a nag who makes coming home miserable. There may be many well established habits to break so you need to be patient but firm. Consider starting with establishing 3 basic rules such as:
* Remove dirty dishes from table or other area they were consumed in, rinse and put in
dishwasher.
* Put dirty clothes and towels in the hamper.
* Clean up 5 minutes before bed.

When you include the entire family, you not only are teaching good habits, and relieving yourself of some of the burden, but family members will find that when they are going to be part of cleaning up, they will be more careful about MESSING it up, and they will share more fully in the pride of a cleaner / more organized home.