Decluttering With the Whole Family — Find Your Gold Home Organizing

Feel like you are working your tush off to keep the clutter out of your home while the rest of your fam is sitting around ordering yet ANOTHER new video game to add to the pile??!

AHHHHHH!!!!

I feel your pain.

Today I’m sharing my best tips for getting the WHOLE family on board - because creating and maintaining a calm and clutter-free space is not a solo job!

#1: Make it Automatic

The human brain LOVES anything that is an automatic habit - and requires next to zero effort.

We use 3 easy ways to make a clutter-free home a habit for the whole household….

1) A Designated Donation Pile

We have a spot in our crawl space where there is always a box or bag ready for items to leave the house.

Everyone knows the spot and if there is something they are done with, all they have to do is toss it in the pile. Easy peasy! No discussion needed. Even the kids (4 and 5) know the spot!

If selling your old stuff is your thing I also suggest a specific spot or bin to keep items for sale. We have a large tote that also lives in the crawl space for this exact use.

We also have a “too small” bag in the kids’ rooms where we toss clothing items they’ve outgrown. Once it’s full we donate, consign or pass on to friends.

Make it obvious. Make it easy.

2) Drop. The Donations. Off.

Don’t let them sit in the car for 3 months. Pllleeease. Make a habit of this by adding it to one of your normal weekend routines. We don’t have a trunk full every weekend but the donation centre is one of our normal haunts. No discussion. It’s just on the to-do list and whoever is out, does the drop.

Boom. Done.

3) Pause Before Purchases

If the incoming is an issue for your family then get in the habit of pausing before you make new purchases. Ask yourself EXACTLY where this new item will live. If you can’t fit it in a specific drawer or basket then either don’t buy it - or get rid of 1 (or 10) items to make room BEFORE it arrives.

#2: Communicate

There is 99.9% chance that your family wants to please you. They want you to be happy - and more importantly, not mad at them lol

And in order for that to happen, they need to know what you want. Specifically.

Walking around the house yelling about how much junk there is, complaining that the kids never play with their toys and that you can’t fit another thing in the closet is NOT effective. Neither is having a meltdown every Wednesday at 5pm. I’ve tried both strategies 🙃.

You need to get your point across. Effectively. Do it when you’re relaxed. And be SPECIFIC. If you feel overwhelmed, be honest. And request that a specific space be dealt with with a specific timeline. Having a plan helps!

This also applies to extended family. Let family know that you are working on downsizing the amount of stuff you manage and that you prefer gifts that don’t add clutter to the house.

Be open. Be honest. Be clear.

#3: Do a Challenge

Challenges can be a fun way to get everyone on board.

And super easy to explain to young kids. And Dads :))

I have included a 30 Day Challenge below that I love. To make it even simpler just aim for 100 items over a weekend. Anything counts so it adds up faster than you think.

A couple years ago I took every toy that we owned and put them on the living room floor. Each child got a box and was able to keep whatever could fit in their box. They thought it was soooo fun and it look under 2 hours.

If shopping is a weakness for your family, a spending freeze is another GREAT way to create new habits. I have an entire video on that - check it out here!

Challenges are great to do at a designated time each year - the start of each season; every January; before School starts - whatever works for your schedule.

If your side of the closet looks like a dream, your partner will naturally take notice. It’s inevitable.

They might not rush out to get a label maker. But I guarantee they will take note. Even if they don’t take action right away, keep going.

Whenever I find myself being annoying by Scott’s messy garage bench or the kids’ clothes on the floor, I pause and ask myself what areas can I focus on today - that are under my control.

Redireting my energy is liberating - AND it leads by example.

Kids get used to what they are surrounded by. Last week Annie-Rose tried on a shirt that didn’t fit right. She took it off and instantly said “this can go to another little girl”.

Your family is watching 💗

Even when it feels like nobody is listening 🙃.

#5: Get Rid of it When They Aren’t Home

Kidding!!!

But also, not Kidding 😬

No, I don’t suggest you ransack your husband’s closet while he’s out fishing!

BUT in specific circumstances, taking the reins is appropriate.

Kids for example, aren’t always able to make all the decisions needed. If I kept everything my 4 year old wanted, she wouldn’t have space in her room to sleep. And my son doesn’t have the capacity to understand that Christmas is 3 weeks away and he will be getting 16 new things!

A few things that might fall under your discretion:

Toys that were free.
Anything that’s been under the couch for over a month and nobody noticed is missing.
Books that nobody has looked at since last Christmas.
Paperwork that you know is no longer needed.
Surplus of stationary supplies.

Another option is putting all “suggested” options in a box for your partner to approve. Speeds up the process but you still get final approval :))

*REMEMBER: Huge change doesn’t happen overnight. Allow time for new habits and routines to sink in. And accept that others aren’t always going to be on your level. And that’s ok. Progress over perfection ✨

The patience will be worth it. Promise.

Have a clutter-free day and chat soon friends xo