I've recently published three posts concerned with staying on top of day-to-day housekeeping: one about laundry, (https://www.kayewilsonparenting.com/post/how-to-stay-on-top-of-laundry)one one about keeping your kitchen clean, (https://www.kayewilsonparenting.com/post/avoiding-a-mess-of-a-kitchen)
and a reprint about managing toys,(https://www.kayewilsonparenting.com/post/the-toy-dilemma-3-strategies)
offering ways of getting and keeping your house in order.
Why so much about laundry and housecleaning? This is a parenting blog, after all!
As much as we love our little ones, we have to admit that having children in the home creates more mess and more stress; child-rearing is a big job that demands a lot. Disorder adds to stress. In order to deal with children in a positive and healthy way, it's important to stay calm, and a messy, chaotic environment doesn't contribute to a sense of calm.
Children are naturally a little chaotic; they're relying on YOU to bring order to their chaos by teaching them how to manage life. This begins with providing an orderly place to live, and helping them learn to keep it that way. They respond to their surroundings, and the more they become accustomed to order and routine, the easier it will be for them to bring order to their thinking, to their habits, and to their surroundings.
When children become part of your efforts to bring order to your home, they gain the kind of self-esteem that comes from being part of something bigger than themselves--your family. They start to learn that each person has to pitch in, that what they do matters to the world around them. Everyone needs a job to do!
And when your home is less cluttered and more clean and orderly, there is a sense of rest. It doesn't have to be like a hotel room for the whole family to appreciate being part of making the house a place they're happy to spend time in, not just a place to sleep, eat, and change clothes.
Whether you utilize the suggestions in these blog posts or not, I want to encourage you to make your life simpler and more peaceful by clearing out unused clothes and excess toys, and staying on top of laundry and dishes. You'll never be sorry you have a clean, orderly home, and if you teach your children to follow your example, someday your their spouses will thank you!