Laundry Room Organization

Organizing a laundry room can be a challenge for many families. The biggest issue is having enough space. When I sat out to revamp my laundry room, I took to Pinterest. I quickly became disappointed as everyone seemed to have giant laundry rooms. Our old house had no laundry room, just the washer and dryer set up in the kitchen, with no doors or even a way to hide it with a curtain. When we moved here, I fell in love with the laundry room. It seemed very spacious, was tucked away in a corner, and had a door to hide all my dirty clothes.
Then I started putting stuff in the laundry room. It got smaller by the minute.

Finding a good inspiration for my laundry room was nearly impossible. Everything was either for tiny laundry closets or what seemed like laundry mansions. I had to get creative.

As with all my projects, it started with a list. What did I absolutely need to have in there? What would be nice to have? What were my problem areas that needed a little help? Once I figured out a general idea of what I needed and wanted, I set out to find products to fit my needs.

I knew I wanted more storage, but finding something to fit in the space was a challenge. I ended up getting an old dresser and cutting a piece of the back corner off so it would fit properly. I had originally just stuck it between the washer and dryer, but then inevitably stuff would fall behind it and I would have to pull everything out to reach it. Cutting it wasn't my first thought, and certainly not the prettiest solution, but without the help of my husband or power tools, it got the job done. Now it serves a purpose without creating more hassle for me later.

What exactly to put in each drawer and how to organize it required a little thought, but I went back to my list and assessed my needs and wants. Suddenly I knew just what I wanted to do.

Laundry Supplies. Between making my own laundry detergent and dryer sheets, and all the various products we keep around, I needed a place to store them all without piling them on my valuable shelf space. The top drawer was the perfect place to hide everything but keep it accessible.

Cleaning Supplies. Again, I make my own and have a plethora of products on hand. All those little items needed a home, but I needed them in reach of my kids. Now when they get ready to do their chores, they don't have to hunt for the right supplies or ask for help to get them down from the shelf.

Dog Supplies. We don't have a ton of pet stuff, but the extra leash, training pads for car rides, and grooming supplies needed a home. Half a drawer was plenty of space, and she couldn't get to it to chew on everything.

Cleaning Rags. I love rags. I have tons of them. Microfiber for cleaning, larger ones for kitchen messes, and a giant pile of perfectly-12-by-12 white rags for hygiene and grooming. I also like to keep them separate. Now all of my cleaning rags are together, and near the cleaners, for easy access and use.

Outgrown Clothes. I've used many different systems over the years to deal with outgrown clothes. When my oldest son outgrows something, I keep it for my younger son. But when my younger two outgrow things, I pass them on to friends. Giving them one shirt at a time doesn't make much sense, but having piles of old clothes around isn't ideal either. A drawer in the laundry room was the perfect solution. Once the clothes come out of the dryer, they get sorted. When I see something that has been outgrown or was looking a little too tight last week, I fold it and put it in the drawer. When the drawer gets full, I move my son's clothes to keep to a tote in the garage, and the others I give to a friend. Now I have an empty drawer and can start all over. The clothes are handy (which is great for when our friends come to visit and need an extra change of clothes or jacket on cool nights), but out of the way and organized. Everything is clean, folded, and ready to go. I think this is my favorite part of my laundry room.

Then comes the actual laundry. There are six people in my home. Two adults with very messy jobs. Three kids who love to get dirty. Two kids who still wet the bed. A dog that has a mind of her own. And a Mommy who has to clean up after it all. We have a LOT of laundry. We used to spend hours sorting everything before we washed, only to have it ruined when the clean clothes piled up because I hadn't had time to put them away. Now, everyone has their own dirty AND clean laundry basket. My roommate keeps his stuff in his room, so his laundry doesn't end up mixed in with everyone else's.

I opted for one of the laundry sorters with a hanging rack. This makes the entire process much easier. I can hang dry items as needed, and I have a place to hang up clean clothes when I folding and putting everything away. My ironing board is mounted to the back of my laundry room door, so it's easy to hang up freshly ironed clothes. Each person has their own basket, and of course, everything is labeled in the correct color. We have a "house" basket for towels, sheets, and blankets. We have tons of towels and they really needed their own place.

(Almost) everyone puts away their own laundry. My youngest needs a little help, and I take care of mine and my husbands. My oldest son and I take turns with towels and blankets. This system makes my life so much easier. Everything is sorted before and after washing, which makes finding mates to socks and the right person's underwear much simpler. When it's time for clothes to be put away, each child takes their basket to the living room where they can spread out, and they hang up or fold all their clothes and get them put away. The clean baskets go back on the frame. I have an extra bag or two in case one tears or needs washing. I keep my hanger holders next to the baskets in the laundry room, so there's no running around and hunting for anything when it's time to work- everything is at hand.

Limited shelf space. This is a problem in most laundry rooms, I'm sure. I have one really long shelf, which is wonderful at times. But it's not very deep and one bottle of laundry detergent is about all you can squeeze on there. I keep all my detergent on one side, then the occasional bottle of bleach or fabric softener in the middle. My big boxes of detergent supplies hide in the corner, since they only get used every few weeks. This is where I utilize the top of the dresser. I keep a small trashcan for lint and the inevitable stickers my daughter puts everywhere. I have a small bin for found items in the dryer or pockets, belts, and other items that shouldn't go through the wash. When the laundry is done, I move belts and clothing items to clean laundry baskets, and have the kids return the other items to their proper homes.

Finishing touches and little details. I wish I had more space to add decorations and make it look nicer, but you work with what you've got. I keep a measuring cup hanging by the washer for detergent, along with a list of instructions and sizes for when somebody is helping out, like my son or husband. A couple "plants" in the window, okay, just pretty pots with some dead grass. I have a black thumb and none of my laundry room plants survived. I use a marker to label settings on the washer for my son, it comes right off with a magic eraser when I clean the machine. A hook for the giant lint-trap cleaning brush. A small set of tools for quick fixes. One of these days I'll make some decor to tie it all together.

And that's it! An organized laundry room with everything I need to keep my family clothed. Do you have any tips to add? Is your laundry room in need of some help or is it more like those laundry mansions on Pinterest?

Budgets Part 3: Sticking To A Budget

Part 1: Calculating Expenses

Part 2: Creating A Realistic Budget

Part 3 of our budgeting series involves sticking to your budget. This is easier said than done, and nearly everyone struggles with it at some point. It's hard to turn down an invitation to something because it's not in the budget. It's hard to not buy the perfect gift for someone because it's not in the budget. It's hard to not get that really cute thing on sale at Target because it's not in the budget.
But it's so worth it in the end.

There are several methods for sticking to a budget. Some people use only cash. Some people save receipts and track expenses daily. Some people hide all the money in a different account and just give their husband a weekly allowance. Or maybe that's just me. I've spoken to many people over the years about how they stick to a budget, and everyone seems to have their own way of doing things. If it works for you, go for it! You may even need to try out a few different systems before you find the perfect fit.

For us, keeping money from my husband is essential. It just burns a hole in his pocket and he'll buy everything in sight. I have my little detailed budgets and schedule of when the bills are due and I have every paycheck planned out before the month even starts. He gets hungry at work and buys 3 sodas and a giant bag of beef jerky. If I want bills to get paid, he must not be a part of it. He understands this, and freely admits he shouldn't be allowed to manage money. Your home may be a more equal partnership, this is what works for us.

It doesn't matter how you track expenses, even if you just keep a running tab in your head. As long as it helps you stick to your budget and works for your family, go for it! We love Mint for tracking expenses, and we can use it at home or on the go. Try out a few different apps if you aren't sure, most of them are free.

Some tips for sticking to a budget:
* When you get paid, immediately pay any bills that are due. If you go straight to the grocery store, decide to wait until Monday to pay bills, or go buy that new gadget you wanted, you will be less likely to get everything paid on time and on budget.

* Decide before payday, preferably before the month begins, what each paycheck will go to. We know rent will require more than one paycheck, so we must plan to save some from the prior check. We know utilities are due mid-month, so that paycheck pays all those bills. This leaves the second week's paycheck for groceries, savings, rollover accounts, and insurance.

* Have written goals not just for savings or debt payoff, but for big ticket items you want to buy. We needed a new computer, but our toy fund wasn't enough to cover it, and all the required accessories for setup. So we wrote out a plan to take $10 off our "fun" budget each week to put in the toy fund. We agreed on the computer specs we needed, a budget for the entire purchase, and a time frame to get it done. When it came time to purchase it, not only did we have the funds, but we knew exactly what we needed and wanted and could shop around a bit for sales and get the best deal. We did the same thing with our vehicle purchase, and really anything over $100 we need.

* Set a limit on purchases you can decide on alone. We have agreed that anything over $100 must be decided on and agreed upon together, in advance. No splurging on big ticket items keeps our spending under control. In our earlier years of marriage, the limit was $20. Find a limit that works for you and your budget.

* Never pay full price if you can avoid it. Shop sales, search for coupons, wait for Black Friday or tax time deals on big purchases. Before you go grocery shopping, print out coupons or download them to your store's shopper rewards card. Just spending a few minutes online adding coupons to my Kroger Plus card saves me about $20 a week on groceries. That's $80-100 every month for browsing online! Check out my other tips on saving money on groceries.

* If it can wait, let it wait. This obviously doesn't apply to everything, but some things can be put off. We really need a couple beach towels for vacation, but this week's budget was already tight. We decided we could work it into next week's budget and give ourselves a little breathing room. If we tapped our entire vacation fun with this week's check, we'd be too tight in other areas.

* Think long term as well as short term. We budget for the entire month. But we also further break that down into weekly budgets, and extend it out for 3 to 6 months so we can better plan for the future. We have a goal of buying a house next year, so we have to plan long term savings. But if we neglect to budget each week's paycheck, we would either blow too much and get behind on bills, or pay all the bills with one check and have nothing left for food or gas. If you get paid every two weeks, budget for every two weeks if that makes it easier. We get paid every week from employment, and once a month from disability. We factor both into our monthly budget, but we ignore the disability for most of the month as we use it solely to pay rent. It even stays in a different account.

* Use multiple accounts if it makes life easier. Once you've opened up one bank account, the hard part is over. Opening a second account typically doesn't require getting all that information again (assuming you stick with the same bank). We only had to sign a piece of paper to open our 2nd, 3rd, and 4th accounts with our main bank. Now we have different accounts for bills, savings, hubby's allowance, and rent. This is too complicated for some people, but if it would make life easier to keep rent money separate for the month and just set up automatic transfers for it- then do it!

* Keep track SOMEHOW. Write it down, save receipts, download an app (there's hundreds available!), track it on a computer, print off a spreadsheet and put it on the fridge. Just do something to track your goals, progress, and spending for the month.

*Set up budget meetings. You can choose to do weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. But set aside a time to sit down with your partner, go over the budget and any upcoming expenses. This is a great time to check in with goal progress and plan major expenses.

* Challenge each other. See who can spend the least this month, the winner gets a special prize. See who can go the longest without buying ANYTHING. This obviously wouldn't include bills, but you'd be amazed what you can live without, especially if you get to gloat to your partner. (Again, maybe that's just me)

* House shop before retail shopping. When I'm on an organizing spree and looking for something for a specific job, I first shop around the house. Can I reuse something in the garage? Could that old box in the attic be a secret treasure? Look for things around the house you could use instead of buying something new. If you must buy something, check thrift stores and consignment shops before paying full price.

* Above all, realize that budgets are ever-changing. You will never have the perfect budget. Food prices go up, income fluctuates, and expenses change over time. You have to be flexible. This is where budget meetings come in handy - you can discuss the changes and the best way to handle them. Re-evaluate your budget every few months to make sure it lines up with your actual expenses.

* And finally, don't get up. If you fall off the wagon or get off track, just hop back on! You'd be amazed at the peace that comes with being able to pay everything and still have money leftover for fun things. It's never too late to start or get back on track.

Budgets Part 2: Creating A Realistic Budget

Once you have finished Part 1: Calculating Expenses, you can move on to creating a realistic budget.

Look at all your expenses. Start with what can't be changed - your rent / mortgage, debt payments, student loans, childcare costs, etc. Write down all your fixed expenses and tally them up. How much do you have left to work with?

Now look at semi-fixed expenses - utilities may vary a bit, but are they generally about the same each month? Phone, internet, cable, insurance - things that could be lowered just a bit. Can you get on a steady payment plan with your electric company where you pay an average (fixed) amount each month? Can your cell phone plan be changed to lower your bill? Do you really watch all those channels, or can you reduce your cable package? When was the last time you checked your insurance rates? Simply making a few phone calls or checking around online can reduce these expenses quite a bit.

Now comes the harder expenses. First, we will look at monthly variable expenses, then we'll explore those not-so-regular expenses, like gifts, that still come up, just not every month.

Monthly expenses. Food is often the biggest surprise when starting a budget. It's easy to spend more than expected at the grocery store, go out to eat a little more than planned, make those unexpected trips to the market and end up with a few extra things. Really analyze how much you spend in this category. Can you reduce how often you eat out? Can you buy less convenience foods? Could you plan out your meals better and buy only what you need? There are countless ways to save on groceries, from sales to coupons to meal planning. Set a reasonable goal and try to reduce it a bit each week. If you try to drastically change it all at once, you will surely fail. Start by trimming down $50 or even $25 each week and work your way up. Consider your schedule when doing this. If you know you have back to back soccer games on Saturdays or you always eat with the family after church, include that in your budget and planning. Food may be one of the most challenging areas, but it's also one of the easiest places to shave off a few dollars.

Other monthly expenses you could cut back on with little effort are fuel (plan your trips better, carpool, etc), babysitting (reduce how often you go out alone or consider taking the kids with you), entertainment (look for cheaper alternatives, have a movie night at home, check for coupons), and personal hygiene / grooming ( go a week longer between haircuts, try an at-home trim or dye, use coupons for products you buy regularly, make your own products at home). There are countless ways to trim a few dollars here and there, which can make a big difference overall.

Now for those irregular but inevitable expenses. Consider how much you spend at Christmas time (and how broke you are in January!). What if instead you put aside $25 every month, so when December rolls around you already have the cash. And if you set aside $20 every month for other gifts (and let it roll over each month it's not used), then Mother's Day, Father's Day, Valentine's Day, Easter, Anniversaries, and Birthdays won't be so hard on your budget. Car repairs and maintenance- you know you're going to need it, why not plan for it? If you budgeted for $30 a month for car maintenance, then when you need that new wiper blade, oil change, or brakes, you've already got the cash. The key here is to plan. You know they will eventually happen, even if it's not every month. Look at your expense list again, and pick out all the irregular expenses (clothing, gifts, repairs, home maintenance, school supplies, club dues, sporting equipment and fees, etc). You can combine some or keep them all separate and give them a line in the budget each month.

If you set up a Mint account in Part 1, it will help you with this part. You can create a budget category for every expense, and it gives you the option to rollover any unused portion - like for gifts and maintenance. Then you can easily see at any time how much you've spent in each category.

Go line by line and see if you can reduce each expense, even if it is only by a few dollars. Remember, every little bit helps and they can add up to a big difference. Make sure every expense you listed has a place in the budget, and make sure it is realistic for your family. If you've been spending $300 a month eating out, cutting it out completely won't work. Reduce it to $150, then when you are comfortable with that, cut back a little more. Every budget is a work in process and it's okay to tweak it each month. Be sure to include savings in your budget - both long and short term (eg: retirement and emergency fund), so life's little mishaps don't catch you off guard.

In Part 3 we will go over how to stick to the budget. Right now, just focus on creating a budget that works for you. No two budgets will be alike, you have to figure out what works best for your family. If you have athletic children, you'll probably spend more on sports equipment. If you are an artsy family, craft supplies may be a larger expense. The main points to remember are to account for every expense, and reduce everything you can.

Budgets Part 1: Calculating Expenses

I am about to get really personal with you. Budgets tend to be a taboo subject, but they shouldn't be. Perhaps if we were all more open to talking about budgets and finances, people wouldn't be in so much debt.

I'm going to show you my method of creating a budget, and tips for sticking to it.

The first step- write it all down! Not just bills that you pay every month, but every expense you have. Don't worry about numbers right now, just write down everything you spend money on during the month. For example:

Rent / Mortgage
Homeowners / Renters Insurance
Electricity
Water
Sewer
Gas
Cable
Internet
Cell Phone
Car Payment
Car Insurance
Health Insurance
Groceries
Eating Out
Credit Card Payments
Childcare
Babysitters
Children's Allowance
Church Tithings / Offerings
Cigarettes
Alcohol
School Supplies
Clothing
Household Items
Laundry Expenses
Home Maintenance
Retirement Accounts
College Savings
Student Loans
Shopping
Children's Needs
Haircuts
Personal Hygiene / Grooming
Pet Expenses
Emergency Savings
Entertainment
Club Dues
School Expenses
Gifts
Charity / Donations

If you've spent money on it in the last 90 days, write it down. I'm sure you will forget something, and that's okay. This is just a starting point.

Next Step- List your net income. If you have a variable income, take an average of the last three months and use that. We will discuss later how to handle a budget with variable income.

Now comes the fun part- finding out how much you really spend on each item. Most people are genuinely surprised by the results and grossly underestimate how much they spend every month. There are a few ways to do this. You can go back through bank and credit card statements for the past 90 days and write down / tally each expense. This can be cumbersome if you have multiple accounts, but is the best way to get an accurate total. If you would like a slightly simpler approach, I suggest using Mint. You can use it from your computer or download the app to any smart phone or tablet. I use the website when I'm at home, but have the app on my tablet for when I'm out and want to track a purchase. The first time you use it will take a few extra minutes as you set it up, but it is well worth the time and energy. I have used Mint for years and it is the best budget tool for starting out and staying on track. You will set up your account, and link all your bank and credit card accounts. I promise, it's secure, and you don't have to type in all the account numbers. Mint will automatically track and categorize every purchase you make. You can set up budgets, savings goals, and track debt payoff too. For now, you just want to track your expenses.

Feeling nervous? Realizing how much you actually spent on food last month? It can be very eye-opening to see everything in one place, but you can't fix a problem if you don't know what it is.

Now you need to combine everything. You can use a spreadsheet, computer program, or good ole pen and paper. I prefer to write it all out by hand, it ensures I don't miss anything and really makes it sink in. Take your list of expenses you created earlier, and add the amount spent. If you find an expense you forgot about, just add it to the list. Be honest with yourself, or this will never work. Don't try to fudge the numbers, don't brush it off as "a one time expense"- if you spent money on it, write it down. This budget is just between you and your partner, there is no need to lie or be embarrassed. I can't guarantee an argument won't ensue over how much you spent on groceries or how much he ate out at work last week. But I can promise you it will all be worth it in the end.
Tally up all your income, and deduct all your expenses. Are you in the hole, just barely breaking even, or are you the rare bird with plenty of money left at the end of the month? Did you rely on credit cards to make purchases? Right now we are only focused on getting everything out in the open- don't stress over how to fix it just yet. Knowledge is power, and you need to know everything before you can move on. Take some time to get everything together, include every expense, and talk with your partner about it. If there were cash withdrawals, be sure to account for where that money went as well. Once you have everything ready, you can move on to setting up a realistic budget.

Part 2: Setting Up A Realistic Budget

The Mom Next Door Said "Freakin"

I'm a young mom. I had my third child just after my 21st birthday. Because of my age, I tend to doubt my parenting abilities. I know I've made plenty of mistakes, and thanks to a combination of DNA and my inability to cope with normal situations, I'm fairly certain my children will need massive amounts of therapy later in life. But I do my best, I try to follow my heart and go with my instincts. Still, some days it just doesn't feel enough.

I see all these other moms who have it all together. Their children are well behaved, always nicely dressed, and their house is forever spotless. I gave up long ago trying to be that perfect mother, it's just not going to happen. But it doesn't stop me from wondering how they mange to do it. My neighbor is a prime example of this. She has twins about my oldest son's age, and an adorable 3 year old. They are so well behaved! The first week we moved here, the oldest boy came over and introduced himself, then asked if my son could come play. He had impeccable manners, and I just couldn't get over it. The 3 year old will play outside and never cross the invisible line of his property. They have several dogs and a busy lifestyle and their house is where all the neighborhood children seem to flock to. I watch in awe from my front porch as this mother handles it all so gracefully.

Why can't that be me?

So today, I sneaked out to the porch for a little quiet time. I could hear my children inside arguing, playing, doing anything but the chores they were assigned. I watched this mother across the street as she cleaned out her garage. She was purging everything in sight, the kids were helping, the dogs were quietly watching. I envied her. I have a hard time purging, and an even harder time getting my family to help. And I can't think of a single time my dog has ever sat outside, quietly observing the action.

Then it happened. She sent her son in for a marker as she continued to work. He came back several times asking where to look, what kind she wanted, why did he have to do it....he was sounding more and more like my own children. Clearly, she had enough of it.

"Just bring me a freakin marker!" she shouted from the driveway. My jaw hit the floor. This perfect mother whom I had admired from a distance for the past three years suddenly sounded just like me! She became frustrated at her child and she lost it for a moment! It was the most glorious thing I'd ever witnessed!

Perhaps she wasn't the perfect mother I thought she was. Perhaps she was just just like the rest of us, doing her best and occasionally losing it a bit. Perhaps I wasn't alone. Perhaps we are all battling this job of motherhood the only way we know how.

She went back to work, laughing with her children, none the wiser of my silent revelation across the street. But I felt a weight lifted off my shoulders. The weight of all those perfect TV moms. The weight of a permanently clean house. The weight of perfect children.

I don't know about you, but I think my children are pretty darn perfect just the way they are. And at the end of the day, it doesn't matter if I dusted the ceiling fans or washed all the windows. What my children will remember is what we played together, how we laughed together, and the time spent cuddling together. I don't have to always have it together. My children are happy, healthy, well fed and cared for. And above all else, they are loved more than they will ever know.

So thank you, neighbor lady, for yelling "freakin" in a moment of weakness. It made my failures and moments of weakness seem so much more normal.


Do you ever feel like the worst mom ever? Do you envy those moms who have it all together? Could you possibly BE one of those moms? Or are you just another unperfect family like the rest of us?

Meal Planning

Meal planning is an easy way to stick to your food budget and make your evenings a little less hectic. Meal planning may seem daunting at first, but with the right system you could plan a month's worth of meals in just a few minutes. There are countless ways you can tackle meal planning, so find a system that works for you.

My system is a little different than most, but it works for my family of picky eaters. My husband is VERY picky, and my daughter and I are are dairy free. This makes cooking for my family a little challenging in order to find a meal everyone can (and will) eat.

My first step was to make a list of all the meals I know my family loves. I aimed for at least 30 we could have a different dinner every night of the month. This was actually pretty easy once I got started. Just think of meals you frequently have and your family loves, and go from there.

Then came the tedious part- I wrote down all the ingredients for each meal. This really helps with grocery shopping and ensures I have everything I need. You only have to do this part once, then just keep the list with your meal planning pages in your household notebook.

Next I had to sort it all out. I like to grocery shop only once a month, buying in bulk and filling my freezer. To make meal prep easier, I choose one meat for each week, so I don't have ten different things thawing in the fridge.  The key here is to make a variety of meals with the same meat so you don't get bored. I sorted out my list into four main categories- beef, chicken, pork and vegetarian.

Once I had my list of meals and ingredients sorted out, I made a post-it for each meal. Of course mine were color coded, but that's not necessary. Post-its make it easy to move around on the calendar in case me week doesn't go as planned. You can find my Post-It Planner in my Household Notebook printables. 

Now on to the planning! I had to consider our weekly schedules- church on Wednesday nights, soccer on Saturdays, etc. I picked out crockpot meals or quick-cooking meals for the busy nights. I saved the meals that required more prep work or cooking time for the days I knew I'd be home. I also tried to group together meals that required the same basic prepping, such as cooking and shredding chicken. This allows me to only have to do it all once, and the prep work is done. See my post on prepping meals here. I continued picking time-appropriate meals until my calendar was full. I saved a couple "swap meals" on Post-It's in case I needed to swap out a meal if plans changed. My go-to swap meals are spaghetti, sandwiches, quick soups or an easy casserole. These are great when I am too busy or sick to cook my planned meals, and my 10 year old can help out more.

If you aren't a once-a-month shopper like me, you can do this on a weekly basis, or bi-weekly is you grocery shop on payday. Do what works best for you. You can also add a "new recipe" or "pinterest meal" Post-It to add new things to the mix. Next month, just move your post-its over to a new calendar, or just change the dates on your menu planner. Once you get all the grunt work done, it only takes a minute to label the month's meals. Meal planning is so easy, and can save your grocery budget and your sanity!

Cleaning: Tips for the real world

      With kids, cleaning can be a challenge. Add in work, church, pets, family events, or a husband, and cleaning (let alone keeping it clean!) is darn near impossible.  But there are a few ways to make the chore a little bit easier, and manage to keep it clean for more than an hour.

      In the real world, kids are messy. Families on TV always have perfectly clean houses, empty laundry rooms, and never a dust bunny in sight. For the unperfect family, fighting to get things clean, and keeping them that way, is a daily struggle. We argue over who should take the trash out, whose turn it is to wash dishes, and who is on bathroom duty. But we’re going to fix that. While your house may never be spotless and run like a well-oiled machine, it will at least be functional and clutter-free.

      In Part 1, we will tackle getting the job done. Part 2 we will explore ways to keep it clean.

Not the Perfect Family?

Have you ever been in the grocery store, watching that perfect mother with her two perfect children gliding effortlessly down each aisle? No temper tantrums for sweets, perfectly organized coupons, all organic and healthy foods in the cart...the perfect little family. Well, that's not us. It's not real life! Real mothers have one kid in the front of the cart missing a shoe, another riding on the back whining for a snack, and a third on the floor crying because Mommy won't hold her. Real mothers are trying to balance the grocery list and the budget, while hunting for the missing shoe on aisle 8, just hoping to make it out of the store before all the kids have a complete meltdown.
Perhaps the perfect family does exist somewhere....but not here.