the more of less
written by jessica braff
Hello friends! I hope you are enjoying fall; maybe wherever you are the weather is crisp and the leaves have changed. We are finally getting a cold snap, and this Texas girl is ready to wear my shacket without sweating! This blog is going to be some simple tips and ideas for you to help your home be organized and some practical ideas on how to keep up with your spaces to keep home feeling like a cozy inviting space. That being said, my home is not always clean and tidy, perfectly organized and instagram photo ready. But these have helped me feel like I can keep up just a little better as a busy homeschool and working mom.
Number one: we clean our home weekly. My husband has been so helpful with this. We take time once a week and all clean together. The boys clean their room, wipe the table and bathroom counters, and Beau is learning to dust and vacuum. They are little enough that they only help a little, but we work together to knock out the rest. It’s usually about an hour of work (huge perk of a small space), and I can’t tell you how much easier it is to keep up with through the week when we start with a “clean slate”.
Number two: we don’t overstuff our closets and pantry. Each time you add, try and take something out. We do this regularly. Check your pantry before you shop. By not overstuffing you actually use what you have more often. When birthdays or Christmas are coming up, I pull things out and either toss or donate. Accumulation often leads to frustration. You don’t need to keep everything, you don’t need to cram it all in! Maybe this will help you as we are fast approaching the Christmas season!
Number three: we make our bed. This is a simple thing that makes a big difference. For me it is so much easier to keep my space clean and calm when I start with a made bed. I didn’t used to do this; I didn’t think it was necessary as we were “just going to undo each day” so why mess with it? But for me that led to clothing on the chair or floor instead of put away, things piling up on the nightstands, clutter accumulating in our space. Starting the practice of daily making our bed gave me a clean slate helping me keep up with the rest.
Number four: we don’t let laundry pile up. I get it, it’s hard to understand how four people can have so much laundry all the time. It is the thing that never ends. But the more I let it pile up, the harder it was to get it done. So I do laundry most days. Once a week I do the boys' laundry; I wash, dry and put it away the same day. I used to get it done but not put it away right away, but that always added so much clutter and almost always my piles would get messed up and undo all my work! I have started having Beau help with the folding and putting away. I want him to have good habits that help him as he grows up. I do mine and my husband’s twice a week. I do sheets and towels once a week. By not letting it pile up, I can stay on top of it and it takes way less time. It also really helps by not cluttering our space.
Number five: we tidy the living space and kitchen at the end of each day. My husband does whatever dishes are left; I fluff the pillows, put things away and clear the table. My grandma told this trick to my mom who passed it to me (thank you Mimi!). We don’t take long to do this, usually about 15 minutes. Doing this daily is so much faster and lets us start each day fresh.
Maybe you knew these already or maybe you have your own way of doing them, and that is great! Finding what works best for your family is the most important thing. But maybe you just needed a few ideas to help you keep your home cozy, clean and comfortable without it taking over! And full disclosure: there are days I don’t make my bed or there are legos left on my coffee table. There are days the laundry sits in the dryer and gets tumbled 2 or 3 times (or more lol). But when I stick to these most of the time, I find my homebody-self so happy to be in my home. My goal is that our home is a refuge, a space where we can enjoy each other in and that is calm (though usually a loud sort of calm) and inviting. I hope your home is like that for you as well!
Thanks for reading friends… talk soon!