Does seeing a random pile of stuff on the table cause you to feel instant rage? You haven't gone crazy and you're not alone!
Raising young children is chaotic enough, adding any amount of clutter to the picture can easily push you over the edge.
We have such little control over so many aspects of life, when our children are young. It can be frustrating when even our living space feels out of control. The clutter is a subtle reminder that our work is never done and that there is always another project to take on. Trying to "keep up" with the house can feel impossible.
How can you manage the clutter?
Here are some things I have found extremely useful to manage the clutter in our household:
If it's garbage ....toss it!
Keeping surfaces clear of actual garbage can bring a huge sigh of relief . Don't drop the junk mail on the table when you walk in...drop it straight in the recycling bin.
If you don't use it ...pass it on
Be ruthless!!! Cull every item in your home that isn't serving some type of purpose. Chances are you will not miss it one bit.
Start saying NO THANK YOU to family and friends
I am not sure why family and friends love to pass on items to young parents, that they think will be useful. In most cases... the stuff that they are trying to pass on will likely turn into clutter. You do not need to feel responsible for the box of legos your next-door neighbour is trying to pawn off on you. It isn't your clutter...don't feel obligated to take it.
This is particularly harder with older generations. Many of them don't seem to understand that they are doing more harm than good. Remember most of them owned their own homes when they had small children. Many of us do not. In most cases we are renting houses that could be sold out from under us at anytime. Storing a bunch of stuff we might "need" one day isn't practical anymore. minimalism is the far better route.
Find systems that work for your home
Just because you saw pantry with labeled jars on Pinterest , doesn't mean it will work for YOUR family. Instead of getting caught up on ideas you "should" do, focus on finding what actually works for your situation.
Maybe putting your kid's clothing away in bins , rather than wasting time hanging them up is more practical for you.
Every family and living space is unique. Take time to create your own systems that are practical and functional.
Finally....
Take a deep breath and give yourself some grace when you think about the junk drawer you need to sort through, or the hall closet that needs to be culled. Motherhood is demanding and you only have so many hours in the day. Do what you can and try not to stress about the rest. Most importantly....you are not alone in hating the clutter that comes with family life !
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