Any HEers with a tidy house - tell me how!!

[bananabrain]

Hello
If there are any of you out there who manage to keep your home tidy while educating/entertaining your children and despite their ability to create mess within seconds where you have just tried to tidy..... please tell me your secrets!
Although I'm not overly house proud I would love to get rid of the constant piles of paperwork (mostly mine atm as children still 2 and 6, but increasingly theirs too), piles of washing (ready to be washed, just been washed but not put away yet...), toys EVERYWHERE, etc.etc. and fit in hoovering and the rest of it before 10pm when I'm too tired to care .
Thanks for any ideas!

Lower your standards!!!

I find that enlisting my children's help does get things done quicker and even at 2, they can help with little jobs - helping put their toys away etc. I found DCs were great at sorting socks from an early age! They are now much older but do loads around the house (although have to be told to pair socks now, otherwise DSs just stuff them all in their cupboard, then can't find a matching pair!)

You can always label it "Domestic Science" if it makes you feel better!

At 6 AFAIR, they were setting/clearing the table; helping dry up unbreakable stuff; putting toys/papers away; helping sort/fold washing, putting their clothes away after they had been ironed; helping with the shopping; getting their own breakfast and helping make lunch. This was all on a regular basis. At this age they usually enjoy doing it as well!

They often help with jobs now because they know that if they do, it's done quicker and then I will have time to play a game with them or we can watch a DVD or something together.

Cleaner! . Seriously, beg/borrow/steal the money if you can, it's a fantastic investment. I put off getting one for ages, but now dh is happier, I'm less stressed and feel better about having people over. L (cleaner) comes Saturday afternoons. Dh does something with the children in the morning while I tidy and sort the house, then we all go to mum's in the afternoon while she works. Brilliant.

Otherwise, what Tinuviel said. I like Flylady too.

Thanks to both of you. My standards aren't very high I assure you . I'm very impressed with how much your dcs help Tinuviel and think I should follow your example, especially with things like putting washing away which I know they have enjoyed the odd time they've done it - I just don't think to make it a regular thing. And setting the table.
I would LOVE a cleaner Robberbutton, but I even question/begrudge the money we pay the window cleaner (I'm sure he overcharges!) so I think it will have to remain a dream for now!
I have looked at the flylady sight but I just can't bring myself to shine my sink or get dressed as soon as I get up..... so it sort of put me off - I read as far as step 4 of babysteps and I was still supposed to be reading positive messages and not getting my house any tidier.... am I missing the point?!

Storage. Make sure you have enough of it.

Baskets/boxes/tubs/something in each room or a few main rooms, anything that doesn't belong in that room - throw in the basket. Anyone is looking for something its probably in one of them and if they didn't want it in the basket they should have moved it sooner. Sort through every now and then to put things away if they have a real home - leave them in the basket for 6 months if they don't until you get fed up and throw it away.

Have a separate box for your paperwork. (I adore 'really useful boxes') and shove it in a corner till you need something and are forced to sort it out.

Its not much more organised than having piles - but it does mean you can clean without having to do a sort out first and then just do bits of sorting when you have some spare minutes to.

I second the storage idea. As the years go on, your storage will get better and better as you move closer to knowing exactly what will work for you and your family.

Then I'd say something along the lines of flylady. I do a wash every day, and tidy up at least the living room every evening or morning and sweep when I do it. I also put away a load of clothes each day (DD1's bedroom has the clothes in, so I tidy her room at the same time)

DH tidies and cleans the kitchen each morning before work, and does a bit of sorting out in their rooms while he's getting them ready for bed.

I have been known to pay DD1 to clean the loos and bathroom and she's very good at it. I hoover once every few weeks but we only have carpet upstairs so no one sees it! Low standards......

My mum helps out a lot too - she'll do a job for me whenever she comes over - proper kitchen cleaning or mopping the floor or something like that.

I do my housework on Saturday or Sunday mornings. Grandson is expected to help with that. We do it together.
If stuff gets on top of me, grandson goes to my youngest son for the day, gets fed etc. and brings him back after his tea.

I get up about 5 am to get a sandwich box made for grandson for in between breaks, peel the tatties for dinner, do the ironing and get lessons ready for the day.

Thanks for more replies. I am working on storage - I've got some things quite well sorted now but I think paperwork and general junk needs more attention! We seem to accumulate tiny bits of things...I have a quite a blitz over the last 2 days so the house is now a fair bit tidier/cleaner than it was - but I'm sure if I had a few more regular routines to deal with papers/toys/floors etc. it would stay a bit tidier rather than deteriorating into big mess again!
The flylady routines sound interesting but I just can't get on with the website - maybe I need to persevere. Is there a summary of some of her routines somewhere?

I've used Flylady on and off for the last 7 years or so. I've definitely taken what works for me and left what doesn't seem to help (ie shining sink!). I like her 'zones', timer, anti-perfectionism that stops me even starting (in many areas) etc. She has a book with the same info as the website which you might get on better with.

Marjoriew- 5am!!! I am in total awe of you, I would love the discipline to do this.

I got accustomed to getting up early when my 7 were little. Got more done before they all started getting up in the mornings.
Force of habit now

just marking my place.

Have managed to 'lower my [admittedly already vairy low] standards', but house looks like a squat, and it's nearly impossible to find anything- so if the kids suddenly decide they'd like to do a particular activity, none of the stuff we need is in the Right Place, and so it does really slow down any spontaneity.

Same goes if we're doing more structured stuff- we're having to use our maths books to shove whatever's already on the table. Tis like a penny falls machine...

...plus every surface is covered in DOG HAIR and piles of paper

Now, what I really neeeeeeed is a week to sort it all out while DP takes over with the kids

I would recommend a trip to IKEA!! Storage really is the key.

We have Billy bookcases all over the place! Our 'family' room is where we work so we have a tall, wide one, and a tall, narrow one. They each have a shelf on the narrow one for their workbooks. They have a wooden magazine file on their shelf for papers and some workbooks. Textbooks are on the shelves above.

All reference books are on the wide bookcase and fiction goes on the bookcases upstairs. We have a Trofast unit with some space given over to sewing stuff. Paints are mostly in the kitchen and some art stuff in a couple of "Really Useful" boxes.

We also have a little set of drawers from IKEA - it has 3 small drawers which are perfect for pencils etc (and I have 3 DCs so it works perfectly!) and 2 which take A4 paper comfortably. One has paper in it and the other all the stuff like hole punch, stapler, long rulers, big glue stick etc.

Finally I invested in a cheap set of 4 plastic drawers from Wilkinsons which take A4 folders. They have a drawer each for lapbooks/drawings etc and the bottom one is for paper/card/foam sheets etc.

Everybody must, repeat must put their own stuff away or mummy shouts!!

We have lots of storage from Ikea. I love going there. My son groans when I ask him to take me - he calls it IKKEEYA
Love those little wooden drawers.

Oh, I seriously need help with this so marking my place on the thread.

The word 'bombsite' springs to mind

www.senteacher.org
is a great free site which I use for labelling boxes, files etc.
You can do the children's names to individualise their bits and pieces.

Have a look - see what you think

We have two of thesein the playroom. Got coloured boxes - have all the toys and craft stuff in there. Not cheap but has so been worth the money. Things feel like they have a place! Have different themed craft boxes, lego box, toy shop box, building blocks etc....

anastasia, that's a similar idea to IKEA's trofast system. Trofast is a wooden unit with 12 slots in the sides to slide boxes in. The boxes come in 3 sizes and take up 1, 2 or 3 slots. It really makes the place feel better to know where stuff is (or should be!)

we also have a similar toy storage system to Trofast, though ours is wooden with wicker baskets. It really is very good. Also each child has a shelf like this with 6 wooden boxes on it, to keep their bits and pieces - match box cars, my little ponies, torches, hair ribbons and assorted junk.

I have only very recently started giving the children regular jobs to do (they are 4 and almost 6 ) and I am surprised at hoe helpful that has been. I always thought it would be more trouble than it was worth, but not so!

Each night one will clear the table and return all the accumulated stuff to its righful place (usually the kids bedroom), and the other clears up the baby's toys, then one clears the floor in their own room and the other clears their little table. It actually does save me a good half hour, and I can't believe I've been doing it for them for so long.

Another recent change - when I get the washing off the line I fold it straight into 3 baskets - one for DH and I, one for DD1 and DS and one for baby and linen. Huge time saver! Kids basket oes straight into their room and they put the folded clothes onto their shelves. Previously I would fold all washing into one basket, then have to pull it all out again and sort it into piles, then I would put everyone's washing away. Seriosuly can't reccomend this enough. Go to Tesco and get yourself 3 or 4 laundry baskets that all fit inside one another for storage and enjoy the extra time in your day!

also, I don't 'do' fly lady, but have benefited from the ethos 'if its worth doing, its worth doing badly'. If I am in the loo and think "ew, this is really grotty" then I will give it a 3 minute wipe down, rather than do nothing because I don't have 30 minutes to do it 'properly'.

Thanks for lots of tips. I'm away for weekend but will check again when I can. Lots of good storage tips which I'll look at more... I like the idea of labelling their own boxes which might encourage them to help, and having regular tidy-up time in the evening.
Also I am certainly guilty of putting things off if I don't think I can do them thoroughly, and I'm sure that is much of the reason that things build up. DP is actually much better at doing a quick tidy up and making things look lots better - I tend to get side-tracked reorganising a small drawer!
Any more ideas gratefully received.

Live minimally if you can. Clear surfaces and put things away (storage again ).

It takes a lot longer to clean a room if you have to keep shifting piles of stuff from one surface to another - much easier to just put them away in the first place.

Keep on top of things, don't let jobs build up or you'll never have time to tackle them. A quick wipe down every day is much more do-able than finding an hour to blitz it.

Be disciplined with yourself and others. Share tasks so that everyone has a responsibility. Don't take it all on for yourself.

File documents and kids' work as soon as it's done. Make it part of the task and you don't move on till the last one's tidied away.

We us cat litter trays from Tesco or Wilkinsons for keeping paints, clay etc. They're nice and deep so hold quite a bit.

Also, have a 'one in one out' policy for toys, my ds takes them to the charity shop for 'the little boys who don't have any toys'.

Totally second the storage thing. All ds toys are in different bags/boxes. Cars in a small old suitcase/motorbikes in a lunch box bag/bigger vehicles in a basket etc. This makes putting away / finding things easier and is much nicer to look at than a mad jumble!

Love the idea of litter trays for paints and stuff. Also, for older kids have a 'tidy up time' perhaps just before tea. Then whip round with a basket afterwards and anything not put away goes in there; charge minimal 'fine' to get things out!!! Mondey can go in a jar towards family days out etc. Will make loads of money from dh no doubt!

Use a timer. Often, when things are a total bombsite, you can't face starting as you think it's going to take ages, and then if you do start, you get sidetracked reading an old paper or whatever. Set a timer for 15 mins and stop when it goes off; be creative, stuff that goes in another room, don't take it then just put it by the door to take after the timer goes off. It keeps you focused - it really works and it is totally amazing what you can get done in that time.

Oh, and instead of staring into space while the kettle boils or you're waiting for the microwave, start unstacking the dishwasher or peel a few spuds for tea etc.

And finally, when yr watching tv in the evening, tidy when the ads are on. No tv here but dvds etc, but pause every 15 or 20 mins for a few mins and tackle some tidying if it needs doing, rather than feel like a martyr and not sit down till it's all done, or sit fuming in a pig hole.

All strategies that help me, hope they help you.

Also, one thing that I always mean to do, but very rarely remember, but which make a huge difference when I do, is this: run a bowl of hot soapy water while you're getting tea ready, and wash up all the prep utensils and pans as you go along. So basic but really cuts down on washing up time after, and you're already in the kitchen anyway. (You probably all do this already )

PS LOVE the idea of the "fine" basket!

--Also, one thing that I always mean to do, but very rarely remember, but which make a huge difference when I do, is this: run a bowl of hot soapy water while you're getting tea ready, and wash up all the prep utensils and pans as you go along. So basic but really cuts down on washing up time after, and you're already in the kitchen anyway. (You probably all do this already )--

Haha! This is a standing joke in our house as DP always does this and the kitchen is pretty well tidy when he has finished. I, on the other hand, use up just about every utensil possible and every area of worktop, and leave the kitchen a total bomb-site. If I suggest cooking something slightly adventurous he knows the mess will be all the worse! This is definitly something I should work on .

Loads of great ideas here - also love the fine basket.... I have threatened to throw away some cars if they weren't put away (when ds tips the entire box out all over the floor but of course I know I wouldn't really carry out that threat (did work tho!) Maybe I could ask ds1 to do a job in return for getting the toys back out, as he doesn't have any pocket money yet.