3 Tips To Cut Down Big Family Clutter


Clutter can quickly become a hazard, not to mention a major source of stress, in a big family.  The amount of stuff is multiplied exponentially when everyone from toddlers to teens leave things all over the place. By the end of the day, the house looks like a disaster and Mary Poppins is nowhere to be found to magically put things right.  That’s where my veteran big family mom's daily decluttering tips will avoid the mess and stress in the first place.

Tip 1 -  Layovers

The journey to put something away may seem like a thousand miles even when it’s under a hundred feet. Breaking up the trip into short layovers helps me get things to their final destination every day. Example:  my lipstick is going on a trip from the diaper bag back upstairs to my bathroom. To conserve time & energy, I set it on a specific stair for a short layover. The next time I (or an age-appropriate child) go upstairs the lipstick travels to my bathroom counter for another short layover. Next time I’m in the bathroom, I put it on the shelf and internally celebrate the trip is complete. Feel free to listen to a humorous explanation of this decluttering tip here.

Tip 2 - Give Away Bin

The destination for any item in your home can be shortened significantly with a simple eviction. I keep a devoted bin (a fancy cardboard Amazon box!) in my mudroom just off the kitchen for these evictions. When a piece of clothing, random toy, or billionth book I no longer welcome in my home, I make one short trip to the bin to chuck it in.  Once the bin is full, I bag it up and put it in the garage until the pile of bags is ready for my husband to drop off at the charity shop.  Some communities have charity pick-up at your door that can make your life easier. 

Tip 3 - Circuits

Throughout the day I’ll do around three circuits of the main level to orchestrate a quick tidy-up.  I might pick up a few things in a lightning pick-up or assign it to one or more capable children. After the littles go to bed a final circuit to tidy up is all it takes since I’ve been staying on top of the clutter to begin with. 

If the clutter has already gotten out of control you might need to back up before you can go forward. If the prospect of decluttering the whole house is overwhelming, you can start with one smaller area like decluttering your kitchen counter (or the infamous ‘drop off zone’) in your house.  A smaller project is a great place to start if you are feeling overloaded.

Layovers, Give Away Bin or Circuits: Pick one decluttering tip and start with that. When you’re ready, add another tip to get into a flowing big family mom routine. If you’d like more encouragement & practical teaching from myself & other moms who easily fill a minivan or 15-passenger van, feel free to jump into my Big Family Moms community.

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