declutter advice gratefully received

[ZZorro]

I'm on a mission to organise my home, I am fed up of not wanting anyone around as it's always so bad, the poor children can't have friends over etc, it's just too messy and it doesn't help that they insist on scribbling everywhere, I need to really get a handle on things, I feel I have managed to change alot recently and have managed to kick the hoarding habit but now it's a case of time management, physical graft and training everyone else to let things go and tidy up after themselves as I have just been trying to do it all and look where thats got me.

I felt the same way and just decided to change it one day. I started room by room and had 3 bags, donate, bin and eBay. It took a few moths but eventually I had de cluttered the house. I was really brutal and if it hadn't been worn or used in 6 months it was out!

Staying on top of it means doing something every day in addition to the usual chores of dishwasher, laundry ect. Tonight I have cleaned the oven and cleaned out 2 cupboards not a lot but of you do something every day it doesn't mount up. I've also found that getting ds to do daily chores for pocket money has helped. He does the dishwasher ect every day and in the summer cuts the grass. He can also put on a wash - he's 14.

sounds like you need to stop your children scribbling everywhere!!

define a place for scribbling on paper, and that scribbling elsewhere will attract trouble.

as for the big declutter - one step at a time. Don't build up too many bags for the charity shop or dump at one time; get them OUT of the house. Then they are gone for good and it is immensely satisfying.

Screeching in brakes on full, stench of burning rubber...I've discovered the fledgling thread with fly lady info and will cobble together all I need to know from this wonderful thread. Toodleoo x