Home School Heartbeat Radio Program

Mike Smith:
Vicki, on our last program, you shared some great time management tips. But often the most daunting obstacle to organization is simple clutter. How can parents listening begin to de-clutter and organize their homes?

Vicki Bentley:
Well, Mike, there are lots of tactics for the actual de-cluttering, from the four-box “junking” method, to Fly Lady’s 27 fling boogie, to “clutter’s last stand.” We have a list on our site under organization, plus articles with practical ideas, from color-coding, to streamlining the kitchen, to managing the school area.

For me, de-cluttering includes a helper, who will physically box up the stuff, since touching it, for me, creates an emotional attachment. And organizing includes asking myself not “Where can I stick this?” but, “Where will I look for this later?” So get to the root of why your house gets cluttered in the first place. Look around and ask yourself “What drives me bonkers here? And what’s causing that problem? And how can I fix it?”

But ultimately, we need to change our thinking. My dear friend, Florence Feldman, who’s been an organizing consultant for the past 28 years, says two powerful phrases that keep us stuck in chaos are, “I don’t have time to do it right now,” and “I’ll just put it here for now.” Instead, tell yourself, “Do it now.” Then hang it up, put it away, write it down, file it, or whatever, and you’ll be amazed at how little time the task really takes and you can feel more in control of your home.

Mike:
Thank you, Vicki, for those very practical suggestions. And until next time, I’m Mike Smith.