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Original poster

How do you organise your home and family?

32 replies

SPARKLER1 · 30/12/2005 21:37

Before I had children I was the most tidy, organised person you would ever get to meet. Not anymore. My life is complete mayhem. The house is constantly upside down and there are toys everywhere. We seem to be late for everything. If I don't write everything down in my diary I would never remember to see people/go places and even when I do that I still forget on occasions.
Could do with some tips from people to find out how you keep things running smoothly in your home.

OP posts:
spursmum · 30/12/2005 21:40

With great bleedin' difficulty! Not much help but just to let you know that you're not the only one.
I have to have shopping lists, a diary and a few alarm clocks set on my phone or I'd be lost!

Salsa · 30/12/2005 21:41

When the children are at home all day then I just leave everything to the evening and have a big tidy up before bed. Every toy goes back in their rooms etc. As far as organising yourself so as not to forget anything erm... I don't know sorry.
Try telling yourself that you need to be somewhere before you actually do then if you are late you will actually be on time

Screwballmuppet · 30/12/2005 21:41

Another one here....organisation whats that??

TreeFuses · 30/12/2005 21:44

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Original poster
SPARKLER1 · 30/12/2005 21:44

PMSL - glad to know that everyone is just as bad as me.
My first step towards organisation is going to start tomorrow. I'm heading towards my dds' bedrooms with bin liners in hand and getting rid of clutter.
De-cluttering - oooh those home improvement programmes will be proud of me

OP posts:
Original poster
SPARKLER1 · 30/12/2005 21:46

TreeFuses - I'm impressed.
Now if you were me I'd be cleaning the cat and worming the oven

OP posts:
spursmum · 30/12/2005 21:46

I've just done a major declutter of ds' room. 7 big bin liners full of stuff he doesn't use or doesn't wear anymore. How did he acquire so much crap?

handlemecarefully · 30/12/2005 21:47

Sparkler1 - I'm exactly the same. Hyper organised previously, but rubbish now. Forgot to go get my smear test, library books late again etc.

My punctuality has improved lately. I work out how long it would take me to get somewhere without kids and add an additional 20 minutes to the time span to account for the 'Kid complication factor'.

I also now use a wall calendar in the kitchen to write appointments on (but sometimes forget to check it )

DissLocated · 30/12/2005 21:47

I don't. Mum rang me the other day to see if dd liked her xmas gifts from my parents. My response was 'eh?' I'd completely forgotton all about the stash of prezzies in the wardrobe.

Still, dd was happy with her unexpected windfall ....

chjlly · 30/12/2005 21:50

I've always lived in mayhem & am still trying to find a way of being organised - every year I buy a diary get to Feb & usually have lost it!
Quite often get my Mum to remind me if I have an appointment!

TreeFuses · 30/12/2005 21:50

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Original poster
SPARKLER1 · 30/12/2005 21:53

I would NEVER do that to my poor kitty - no matter how disorganised I was. LOL

The worrying thing about that one is that there are some odd people out there somewhere that would actually be mad enough to follow those instructions.

OP posts:
Jasnem · 30/12/2005 21:59

LOL at cat cleaning

I used to be the person who had books and CDs in alphabetical order before kids.

Now I use a calendar on the Kitchen wall, and after 5 yearsit works - even DP looks at it to find out where I am now.

I'm going to add the weekly To-Do List as well though.

bambi06 · 30/12/2005 22:06

how can two sweet adoring kids cause so much time mayhem and disorganisation!!!!!i think back to the days when everything was wonderfully organised and calm..and i actually had time to sit and sort out my magazine pile which now accumulates dust on my side of the bed ..

longwaytogo · 30/12/2005 23:14

I used to be fairly organised 10-12 years ago with 2 kids but now its gone totally out of the window with four. Went to softplay yesterday and two darling friends were talking about how they would have to go back and tidy their houses as dh were home and everything always so disorganised when they around. I just looked at them and rolled my eyes they knew what i was thinking - that my house always a mess. One of them even said sometimes i feel like saying come back to mine for coffee but doesnt as she knows she hasn't tidied the toys up, puffed the cushions etc before she left - in her eyes that constitutes a mess, in my eyes i think if thats all i had to worry about. What about the pile of cds out of boxes that no one can be bothered to put away, the piles of bits of paper, mags etc. I just said well even if your invited to mine its still a mess. (really feel like crawling and hiding sometimes but hey what the heck) as long as we're all happy

MrsSpoon · 30/12/2005 23:16

I bought an Organised Mum Calender but I'm still waiting for it to work.

UCM · 31/12/2005 01:51

I really admire the post about the cat.....Here Kitty....(hate cats DH has 2)

kitegirl · 31/12/2005 08:08

Ooooh the days pre-children when only items on display were carefully thought of, a pile of magazines on coffee table was just so, no dirty clothes on the floor...

I've given up. We just moved to a bigger house further away to accommodate all our clutter. to cope with the mayhem I just drink more (see my post on the AA thread).

Good idea the cat laundry. Can anyone think of something similarly efficient for a labrador?

ALMOSTANewyearANGEL · 31/12/2005 09:37

good idea with the cat also it does two jobs cleans the toilet bowl too!

ALMOSTANewyearANGEL · 31/12/2005 09:38

i was making cakes yesterday and dd shouted from the bathroom "mum can i lick the bowl?" "no !" i shouted flush it like everybody else!!"

Original poster
SPARKLER1 · 31/12/2005 10:40

ROFLMAO - I shall remember that one for next time I bake cakes. LOL

OP posts:
Lmccrean · 31/12/2005 10:56

Get a phone with a calender and task list on it My Sony Erisson does, and can set alarms for each appointment. Its brilliant.

As for clutter, I have loads of it...my hall, and bathroom are tidy, but the rest is pretty messy. Truth is, Id rather sit and play with dd or bake goodies than tidy. (Thats my excuse and Im sticking to it!)

Toys arent so bad- I just seem to have boxes of stuff everywhere! (Got new heating system in and the boiler and mass expanse of pipes have meant that I have lost most of my hot press and my only built in wardrobe - getting new furniture in sales or ikea....

IlanaK · 31/12/2005 11:10

Well, I am somewhat anal about organisation and declittering so here is what I do. (I have two boys 4.5 and 1.5 and I home school). Ds1 room is also a playroom as it is large. So most toys are in there. He has the Ikea storage unit with trays for some things. All other toys and games are up on two shelves either in their original boxes or some things are in Ikea blue boxes. All boxes have labels and we do keep the righ tthings in them. Ds2's baby toys are in his room in an Ikea storage unit and some are in our lounge (I live in a flat not a house) inside an ottoman which has a lid that lifts off.

During the day, ds2 does pull everything out of trays and boxe that he can reach and covers the floor. Periodically through the day I do put ds2's toys away (when he has a nap usually).

Ds1 plays with things in his room mstly, but does bring some things into the lounge. He asks when he wants something down from his shelf and I get it. It gets put away before I get the next thing out. At the end of the day, ds2 is expected to tidy his room. He gets 10p if he does it.

As for appointments, I carry a small pocket diary in my handbag and everything goes in there. Ds1 also has a large magnetic calandar on his wall (bought in Harrods I think), and it has magnets for his activities like going to the zoo, seeing friends and all the holidays. He likes to know what he is doing each day.

Dh never knows what we are doing no mattter how many times I tell him

ALMOSTANewyearANGEL · 31/12/2005 13:35

i do try and be organised as it makes you feel better mentaly but life gets in the way ..one thing i can say is if you have children try to spend time playing with them instead of panicing weather you have dusted the ceilings etc ...i have a poem on the fridge,,

cough cough!

ON BEING A MOTHER

i hope when my children look back on today
they remember a mother who had time to play
there will be years for cleaning and cooking
children grow up while you are not looking
so fly away cobwebs ,dust go to sleep
im rocking my baby
and babies dont sleep...

ALMOSTANewyearANGEL · 31/12/2005 13:36

bugger!! it should say babies dont keep!!!!! not babies dont sleep ,,,arghhhhhhhhhhhhh