Raise your hand if you’ve said “I will NEVER ____________.” …then as a parent, you’ve eaten those words. We can write a laundry list of things we’ve eaten pre/post parenting, including I’ll never let the laundry pile up all over the house. I’ll never turn my dining room into a play zone. I’ll never X, Y, Z. You get it.

Today, we’re sharing the REALISTIC tips we’ve learned to keep a tidy house with little ones in tow.

THE THREE RULES:

FUNCTION + SOLVING THE PROBLEM + TINY TIDYING

The best kind of home organization comes from function, solving problems, and the daily task of small tidying. Here are three great ways to intertwine these three rules through out your home.

1) BASKETS AND BINS
You can use baskets and bins for toy sorting, back porch shoe storage, or a quick “throw it all in the basket and we’ll sort it later" because the in-laws are coming over” method.

2) A SPACE FOR DONATIONS
Keeping a special basket or laundry bin in your closet(s) to quickly toss outgrown clothes into makes it easy to keep clothes and closets up to date. This is especially helpful for babies and toddlers that grow quickly. When the bin if full, it’s time for a trip to your local donation hub.

3) ADDRESS THE DUMP ZONES
If you’ve got an area that is constantly piling up with mail, bags, coats, etc. SOLVE THE PROBLEM. Snatch up some hooks to hang those book sacks you keep stepping over. Get a cute box to store mail (but have a rule that every Sunday, the mail gets sorted out).

4) MAKE YOUR BED
Start your morning by making the bed. As early as your kids are able, start this habit for them as well. This instills a habitual act of tidying up the bedroom prior to starting your day. It takes a few weeks for this to become a daily habit, but we promise it’ll change the leap into your day.

4) TINY TIDIES
The daily ask of tidying up as a small but mighty habit that will be so intertwined throughout the day, you won’t even realize you’re doing it. Scan the living room before you leave it to see if there’s a blanket you can fold or a drinking glass that can be brought to the sink (or the dishwasher). Do small tasks throughout your time at home to keep the house at bay. Have your kids do the same as they exit and enter a space.

ENJOY THE LITTLE MESSES

One day, we’re going to miss seeing dinosaur figurines propped up in the window. There will no longer be hand prints to clean off the fridge. We may even miss stepping on legos in the middle of the nigh …maybe that one is hindsight. By all means, let the kids be kids. Let the tent stay up over night. Let them do the things that makes childhood a childhood.

Sharing your space with kids is a happy blend of “we ALL live and love here,” right?