Are your kids watching TV while you’re sweating? Instead, give them jobs that are appropriate for their age level. Realize it won’t be perfect. You have to let go to get to “good enough” rather than “perfect.”
Most people don’t know where to begin. Here’s what I say: Begin where you spend most time in the house. Don’t start with a project to clean up the basement or garage. Yes, they look awful, but they’re contained. Instead, start where your daily life is most affected.
Kids can clean up their own toys, but I see a lot of people not doing that. One reason is that there’s just too much stuff. One solution is to limit the toys that are available to them at any one moment — then rotate in a new batch on a regular basis.
If the laundry’s overwhelming, teach your 9-year-old how to fold and the 5-year-old how to sort while the 2-year-old watches. You don’t have to manage it all. Your 9-year-old can learn how to wash his or her clothes, especially if your washer and dryer are upstairs. In many homes, the laundry room isn’t in the basement anymore — it’s one of the nicest rooms in the house. Your oldest can push buttons, fill in cups and gain a great sense of responsibility.
Janine Sarna-Jones
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Great to see you online Janine! Excellent advice - The first step to making more time is to review all the places your time is going and 1) stop doing something you don't really need to be doing, or 2) get someone else to do some of it!
Easier said than done, but certainly getting 9 years to help with some of the chores is a very reasonable idea! : )
Ariane Benefit
Organizing Coach