I've lost my groove and don't know where to find it!

[craft_media_hero]

Hi everybody! 

I just want to say that I admire all of you de-clutter-ers and organizers so much!

I am in chaos crisis right now. Basically since we moved to our new house a month before ds 7mo was born, I've had no system whatsoever and the chaos has just been gradually mounting til now I am so overwhelmed and can't see my way out of it!

I have tried Fly Lady in the past and just always petered out on it, I think by trying to do too much and never really making a habit of any of it.

How do you do it? I feel like there's just too much and that I'd have to do housework from the moment I wake up until the moment I collapse in bed in order to keep on top of the housework. I could bounce between the laundry, cooking, and dishes all day long, and that would be fine if I didn't have any other commitments--I have a job and am in school and homeschool my daughter.

I should mention that I felt like I was starting to get it together when dh was working days-now he is home until 2:30 pm and it's like our days just disappear with nothing accomplished--I don't know why--I resent having to get up and do housework when he isn't, so I think I'll wait til he goes to work but the evenings here are hectic with the kids. Should I just get up and pretend he's not here, lol?

How did you develop your system? How do you maintain it?

IDK, any advice at all is appreciated!

[CookiePie]

Honestly, I don't have a planned system.  I'm not a list maker and I don't like to clean.  But I love a clean organized space.   I'm a go with the flow kind of girl.  I just follow the ebb & flow of my own mood each day.  I go from wanting to stay organized & clean & doing something each day, to letting it go a little too long and having to play catch up.  My DH is a clean/neat freak so the more I do the better mood he will be in.  But he also is a huge help & motivator.  But when it is out of hand it can be overwhelming to get into the groove.   I just do one thing at a time.  I'll go through the kitchen & take everything out of a cabinet & clean the inside of the cabinet then purge anything that I haven't used.  Then reorganize it as I put it back.  I wouldn't usually do the whole kitchen in one day.  But a couple cabinets each day until it is done.  then I might move to the linen closet in the bathroom.  I put of the bigger more complicated projects until the smaller ones are done.  Hope that helps. 

[Kuba'sMama]

I would start with a purge to get rid of things you don't need/want first. It feels really good to be taking out bags and boxes out of your home! I generally kind of clean where I am- so while something is cooking on the stove, I clean up the kitchen; the baby is playing on the bed, I clean my bedroom; i'm watching a movie with my kids and tidy up the living room at the same time, etc. I usually do the bulk of my daily chores in the morning when the kids are in school and then in the evening after the kids go to bed. Also putting things away as soon as you finished with them, making sure everything has a place, constantly keeping on top of it. It does take up a big chunk of the day but maintenance is easier than a big cleaning project!

Once every six months though we send the kids to their grandparents for a day and have a cleaning/purging marathon. We pull furniture away from walls, wash windows, curtains, look deep into the closet corners and under the bed... and purge, purge, purge! And then it's back to maintenance after that.

I find my whole family feels much better and more peaceful in a tidy place.