Would your life be easier if your kids did their own laundry? If they help put away the toys and books? If they kept their desks neat? If they washed the dishes, took out the trash, and cleaned up at the dinner table? This is totally possible. With frequent reminders, sometimes yelling, and threatening to take away things. And of course with lots of praise when they do these things quickly. Here’s the one thing that has made it much easier for my kids to do their chores.
Decluttering the home. If the living was messy and has too much stuff, it’s very overwhelming for my kids to know where to begin cleaning up. If the bookshelves are already jam packed, and there’s no where to fit more books in, then my kids can’t book the stray books away. Once a shifted the living room, threw away broken toys and ripped up books, and added a third bookshelf, it was much easier for my kids to clean up the living room. Fewer tantrums. Fewer reminders. More peace. Learn how to declutter in just 3 days, 10 minutes per day, in the >>>declutter challenge<<<.
In the kitchen, my kids used to throw a fit when I asked them to wash the dishes, and the dish rack was already full of dried dishes. Now, I’ve been wiser, and first clear the rack before asking them to wash the dishes. Also, they have learned that they should just ask calmly for an adult to clear the dish rack, or ask another sibling to help clear it, instead of screaming. More quiet. Fewer tantrums. More peace. With decluttering! The third day of the >>>decluttering challenge<<< includes a little scavenger hunt that the whole family can participate in!
The laundry room/mud room is another place that is high yield to keep decluttered. I try to keep only seasonal shoes out. If there’s no place for my kids to put their shoes, then there’s a 100% chance they will just be scattered all over the doorway. If there’s less clutter and some space for them to put their shoes… there’s a 50% chance they will be put away. On average. Some kids are better than others. There’s also always a fuss for doing laundry. which my kids have been doing since they were 4-5 years old. Now the 3 year old (pictured above) thinks she can help, too. If the laundry area is cluttered, tantrums and arguments are sure to happen. Less clutter, fewer sibling arguments about who’s in who’s space, more peace for mommy.
Decluttering is definitely an important step to home peace, not just for space, but also for peace in relationships at home and peace in the mind. Join the >>>decluttering challenge<<< to get started. If you are a parent who is tired of doing all the things on your own, I can help. Send me the message “tired” on DM @betamomma in Instagram, or fill out this >>>form<<<. More freedom, time, and peace is within your reach, so let’s chat!