Tips for Easy Home Decluttering for Busy Parents
mike.parsons December 12, 2023Life as a busy parent is a whirlwind of joy, laughter, and a constant juggling act. Amidst the chaos of parenting, maintaining an organized home can feel like an impossible task. Toys scattered across the living room, laundry piling up, and the never-ending quest to find matching pairs of socks can be overwhelming. However, we have your back with these tips for easy home decluttering tailored to the unique challenges faced by busy parents. So, let’s start!
Create a daily routine
Instead of trying to tackle the entire house at once, focus on small, daily habits. Spend just 10 minutes before bedtime tidying up shared spaces. Moreover, incorporate this habit into your family’s routine, making it a collective effort.
Designate certain hours of the day for routine tasks. For instance, make it a rule to tidy up the living room before bedtime or allocate Saturday mornings for a more thorough cleaning. By incorporating decluttering into your daily schedule, it becomes a habit rather than a sporadic, overwhelming task.
Have a plan for laundry
Laundry can take a lot of your time if you don’t create some sort of plan to deal with it. Washing and placing it in the dryer may seem straightforward, but you will have to iron and fold all those pieces in the end. First off, designate one or more days during the week when you will specifically do laundry. For example, dedicate one day to wash and iron work attire, another for casual clothes, and so on.
Secondly, don’t rely on the dryer completely, and use your stainless steel pegs to hang some of the laundry outside to dry. Air-drying the garments can prevent wrinkles and reduce the need for extensive ironing, leaving you more time to do something else. On the other hand, delicate or challenging fabrics that require special care should be taken to the dry cleaners to ensure they receive the attention they need.
Declutter in stages
Breaking down the decluttering process into stages can make it more manageable. For instance, start with one room or even one corner of a room. This approach prevents the feeling of being overwhelmed and allows you to celebrate small victories along the way.
Also, consider beginning with high-traffic areas like the living room or kitchen, but focus on specific zones, such as a cluttered countertop or a disorganized play area. By concentrating your efforts on manageable sections, you’ll witness noticeable progress that will only boost your motivation to continue.
Involve the kids
Engage your kids by turning it into a game or a challenge so that decluttering becomes a family affair by assigning age-appropriate tasks and encouraging them to take ownership of their belongings. This not only lightens your load but also instills valuable organizational skills in your children.
Create a “clean-up race”, for example, where everyone competes to see who can tidy up their designated area the fastest. To motivate them, provide incentives like the winner will choose a family movie or game for the evening. If you make decluttering enjoyable and involve the whole family, you will maintain a tidy home and also teach your children the importance of responsibility and teamwork.
Prioritize and set realistic goals
Before anything else, you need to understand that not everything can be done at once. As soon as you identify the areas that need immediate attention, set them as priorities. This way, you will be establishing realistic goals that will ensure you don’t fail and help you maintain a sense of accomplishment.
Start by making a list of areas that need the most attention. Whether it’s the overstuffed closet, the chaotic playroom, or the cluttered kitchen drawers, prioritize based on urgency and impact on your daily life. By breaking down your decluttering goals, you’ll find it easier to manage and make steady progress without feeling overwhelmed.
Invest in smart storage solutions
Maximize your space with storage solutions that cater to your family’s needs, like bins, baskets, and shelves to keep items organized and easily accessible. This not only declutters your living spaces but also keeps you organized and simplifies the process of finding things when you need them.
Also, make sure to label storage bins so that everyone in the family knows where items belong. For example, have a dedicated bin for toys, another for shoes, and one for electronic gadgets. An additional option is to invest in multi-functional furniture, like a coffee table with storage space underneath.
Don’t fear the purge
Letting go of items that no longer serve a purpose is a liberating experience! Whether it’s clothes, toys, or kitchen gadgets, a periodic purge can prevent unnecessary clutter. However, that entails the willingness to part with things that are no longer needed, which turns out to be one of the hardest things during decluttering.
To make this work, apply the KonMari method by asking yourself if each item “sparks joy.” If not, it may be time to let it go. This is a great opportunity to donate clothes you no longer need to charity, recycle old magazines, and discard broken or unused items. The more you let go, the more space you create for the things that truly matter, both physically and mentally.
Delegate and seek support
We already mentioned that you can delegate tasks to other family members, like your kids, if possible. But you can also seek support from friends or relatives in your decluttering efforts. Sometimes a fresh perspective can bring new ideas and energy to the whole process.
Think of hosting a decluttering party with friends, where everyone brings a small dish, and you tackle each other’s organizational challenges. Sharing the load will make all this more efficient and easier, allowing you to catch up with loved ones and even learn some new organizational tricks.
The bottom line
In the whirlwind of parenting, maintaining a clutter-free home can contribute to a more peaceful and organized family life. These practical tips are a great addition to your routine, making decluttering a manageable and enjoyable part of your busy life. Keep in mind, that it’s not about perfection but progress! So, take a deep breath, embrace the chaos, and start decluttering one small step at a time.
