Incredible Declutter Tips For Moms!

All you MOMS out there, pay attention to these decluttering tips just for you! 
Your kids are active and love to play with item after item after item without remembering to put stuff away, right? You KNOW how often it feels like the clutter is controlling YOU, rather than YOU controlling the clutter. But what to do about it? Here are some decluttering tips that might help you get your house back in order!
  1. Discuss the problem with all involved. A cluttered home is rarely the result of only one person, and rarely will one person be able to fix the problem alone. Be specific with what you want (don't just hint), and remember that encouragement goes farther than nagging.
  2. Assign chores. Help you children realize that they have responsibilities to be met, including keeping their rooms tidy and helping with the general household tidying.
  3. Make use of bulletin boards. Keep a bulletin board area for each child in their rooms to tack up the special papers/photos instead of letting them clutter up the desk top.
  4. Have adequate storage! Make sure each child's room has enough storage areas (shelves, boxes, cabinets, etc.) so your child has a place put his or her "stuff" out of the way! (Check out some great storage ideas at 15 Ways To Declutter Your Home.)
  5. Start with small, achievable goals for your family. Aim to clear one area and get yourself and your kids in the habit of ensuring it stays completely clutter free. Have your kids help you ensure it stays clutter-free by enlisting their help monitoring the "Clutter-Free Zone", and ensuring that nothing can be placed there that's not actually in use.
  6. Work with your kids to create a "maybe" box. Fill it with items that your child isn't sure he/she can get rid of just yet. Store the box out of site for 6 months (put a note on your calendar), and when you do pull it out again, have your child see if there is in there that he/she really missed, and act accordingly.
  7. Hold a garage sale with your kids! Get your kids involved in planning a garage sale with the proceeds from their own items going into their own piggy-banks. Set aside some time to help them sort through their toys, clothes and other "belongings" to determine what they don't use, have too many of, don't like, or hasn't been looked at in years.
  8. Praise! Don't forget to praise the efforts of your child to help you keep the house tidy!

Being a mother is a wonderful task, but it can be a challenging one when your house just NEVER feels clutter-free. It can be embarrassing, and we feel like the state of our houses defines us as to how well we are doing the mothering job. By using the above Declutter Tips for Moms are hopefully some places you can start to get back that calm, clutter-free state! You can do it!