5 Things To Do When Your House Overwhelms You

(image from Real Simple)

Do you ever look around your house wondering where to even begin? Keeping a household running smoothly can be overwhelming, but here are five quick fixes I learned from FlyLady that can get you started. If, like me, you’re not naturally organized, you really should pay her a visit. But in the meantime, give these simple strategies a try:

• Grab a bag (garbage, plastic, cloth, whatever you’ve got) and run around your house collecting 27 items to throw away. (FlyLady calls this a “27-Fling Boogie.” Why 27? Beats me.) Toss the bag in the trash. Didn’t that feel good?
• Now grab another bag and run around your house collecting 27 items to give away. Put the bag in your car to drop off at the charity of your choice.
• Clear off a Hot Spot. These are areas where clutter accumulates. My three worst Hot Spots are the counter in the kitchen that serves as a desk, the bench in the entryway where things pile up waiting to be taken upstairs, and the lawyer’s library in the loft where things get set down after they’ve been brought upstairs. I truly believe that staying on top of Hot Spots is one of the best ways to keep the house under control.
• Do a 5-Minute Room Rescue. Pick a room, set the timer for 5 minutes, and see how much you can accomplish in that time. If your children are toddlers, you might be able to convince them that this is a marvelous game. If not, marbles are a nice way to motivate kids.
• Do you have 15 minutes to spend on a room? Depending on what condition the room is in, set your timer and then declutter, dust, vacuum, sort, or organize away.

Do you have any strategies for dealing with an overwhelming house?