Changing What You Can in Your Environment
We should have a positive attitude about what we have. We realize things can change and we can't always have what we want, but we can still be content. Here are some things I have learned about being content with what I have.
If the house is picked up and tidy, I like it better. If things are piled up, not put away, it gives me a feeling of being overwhelmed.
Small children make messes. Here are some ideas and organization tips to help. Children have so many toys and often they all end up pulled out at the same time. No child can play with more than one or two things at a time. Try these ideas:
Get some bins or boxes uniform in size. Place the "most loved" toys where the kids can get to them. A small shelf or toy chest works well. Place the others away in the closet or on a shelf in labeled boxes. If the kids want something that is put away, have them pick up what they were playing with first. Then bring out the box they want. This does four things. It keeps clutter under control, teaches the kids to pick up their toys and be neat (responsibility), keeps them from getting bored with what they have because they don't see everything all the time, and it ends the naaaaagging.
I made a game of picking up toys with the kids. When the children were small, I helped. We set a timer and tried to beat it, we counted what we picked up (helped teach numbers) and when they got older we counted to see who to see picked up the most. Sometimes we would would pick things up by color.
If toys are missing pieces, get rid of them. If they are "outgrown" give them away. When a birthday or Christmas is coming, get rid of unused toys to make room for the new ones.
Let the kids have a garage sale and keep the money from their sales to save up for something they want.
Keep their clothes picked up and put away. If you put out clothes for the next morning, it will avoid arguments about what to wear in the morning. I remember running out the door, too late to stop and change the kids clothes, and asking, "What are you wearing?" Well, I was the one who should have known better! This is a good hint for adults, too. Decide what you are going to wear the next day. You won't have to worry about discovering a spot or missing button on what you planned to wear at the last minute.
If the house is picked up and tidy, I like it better. If things are piled up, not put away, it gives me a feeling of being overwhelmed.
Small children make messes. Here are some ideas and organization tips to help. Children have so many toys and often they all end up pulled out at the same time. No child can play with more than one or two things at a time. Try these ideas:
Get some bins or boxes uniform in size. Place the "most loved" toys where the kids can get to them. A small shelf or toy chest works well. Place the others away in the closet or on a shelf in labeled boxes. If the kids want something that is put away, have them pick up what they were playing with first. Then bring out the box they want. This does four things. It keeps clutter under control, teaches the kids to pick up their toys and be neat (responsibility), keeps them from getting bored with what they have because they don't see everything all the time, and it ends the naaaaagging.
I made a game of picking up toys with the kids. When the children were small, I helped. We set a timer and tried to beat it, we counted what we picked up (helped teach numbers) and when they got older we counted to see who to see picked up the most. Sometimes we would would pick things up by color.
If toys are missing pieces, get rid of them. If they are "outgrown" give them away. When a birthday or Christmas is coming, get rid of unused toys to make room for the new ones.
Let the kids have a garage sale and keep the money from their sales to save up for something they want.
Keep their clothes picked up and put away. If you put out clothes for the next morning, it will avoid arguments about what to wear in the morning. I remember running out the door, too late to stop and change the kids clothes, and asking, "What are you wearing?" Well, I was the one who should have known better! This is a good hint for adults, too. Decide what you are going to wear the next day. You won't have to worry about discovering a spot or missing button on what you planned to wear at the last minute.
Lots of school art work you want to keep can take up a lot of space. Scan their art, download into a file and use it for a slide show screen saver. You can put it on a flash drive for them when they are older.
A note for grandparents: If your grandchildren have toys they enjoy once in a while, keep them at your home. Have a designated area that is their space.
Now for adults. If you have stacks of things, decide the best way to organize them. File folders work well. One for "Do Now", "Do Later", etc. Accordion files are great for decorating ideas, recipes to try, vacation ideas, projects, and any articles you want to reference. Deal with mail daily; don't let it pile up. I always feel overwhelmed when we get home from a trip and I have piles of mail to deal with.
Hang up your clothes as you take them off or put in the hamper. Keep your closet and drawers tidy. If you don't have a special spot for something, look for a creative way to store it. There are some very resources on storage solutions in books, magazines and online.
Kitchen: When you are done with a dish, put it in the dishwasher, not in the sink. If it has to be hand washed, do it now. Hint: If a pan has been scorched or has something burned on, rather than scrubbing, cover the bottom with dishwasher powder (not liquid) and put an inch or two of very hot water in the pan and let soak for an hour or overnight. It will require very little scrubbing.
Keep surfaces clutter free. If you don't use a small appliance daily, store it out of sight if you have room. It makes the kitchen easier to clean.
Your guest bath: Not everyone has a bathroom designated for guests only, or a powder room. Because it is the only room in your home that your visitors will be alone, keep it clean. When the family is done with it in the morning, go in and straighten the towels, wipe the sink and mirror with a microfiber cloth. Make sure there is soap and toilet tissue. Teach your family to wipe the shower down before they get out.
Bedrooms: Before you leave your bedroom, make the bed. Teach your children the same. When my kids were little, I used comforters on their beds. They would sit up by the pillow and pull up the sheet and comforter. The bed was made with little effort. Occasionally, I would have one of them walk in my room and offer to help make my bed.
These are just a few hints to help you get started. They are common sense and will put some order in your day. Good news? They don't cost anything and take very little time if you keep on top of them.
A note for grandparents: If your grandchildren have toys they enjoy once in a while, keep them at your home. Have a designated area that is their space.
Now for adults. If you have stacks of things, decide the best way to organize them. File folders work well. One for "Do Now", "Do Later", etc. Accordion files are great for decorating ideas, recipes to try, vacation ideas, projects, and any articles you want to reference. Deal with mail daily; don't let it pile up. I always feel overwhelmed when we get home from a trip and I have piles of mail to deal with.
Hang up your clothes as you take them off or put in the hamper. Keep your closet and drawers tidy. If you don't have a special spot for something, look for a creative way to store it. There are some very resources on storage solutions in books, magazines and online.
Kitchen: When you are done with a dish, put it in the dishwasher, not in the sink. If it has to be hand washed, do it now. Hint: If a pan has been scorched or has something burned on, rather than scrubbing, cover the bottom with dishwasher powder (not liquid) and put an inch or two of very hot water in the pan and let soak for an hour or overnight. It will require very little scrubbing.
Keep surfaces clutter free. If you don't use a small appliance daily, store it out of sight if you have room. It makes the kitchen easier to clean.
Your guest bath: Not everyone has a bathroom designated for guests only, or a powder room. Because it is the only room in your home that your visitors will be alone, keep it clean. When the family is done with it in the morning, go in and straighten the towels, wipe the sink and mirror with a microfiber cloth. Make sure there is soap and toilet tissue. Teach your family to wipe the shower down before they get out.
Bedrooms: Before you leave your bedroom, make the bed. Teach your children the same. When my kids were little, I used comforters on their beds. They would sit up by the pillow and pull up the sheet and comforter. The bed was made with little effort. Occasionally, I would have one of them walk in my room and offer to help make my bed.
These are just a few hints to help you get started. They are common sense and will put some order in your day. Good news? They don't cost anything and take very little time if you keep on top of them.
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