When toddlers were underfoot, I longed for less messy days

Then my oldest became a teenager, I had a toddler and elementary kids in between. Life got crazy.

How do you keep track of the mess?

Here are 5 household and lifestyle tips I’ve used to manage the multiple-child mess.

1. Expect kids to be responsible for their mess, no matter their age. The unwritten rule in our house is once you’re old enough to do something for yourself, you do it. Putting dirty dishes in the dishwasher, picking up the mess after friends leave, taking care of your own room, etc.

If it’s you’re mess, you pick it up.

2. Use organizing totes and bins, and lots of them. Decorative plastic drawers on wheels are my favorite to store toys, school work, sports equipment and shoes in various rooms for different needs. My sanity returns when things are “out of sight” put away. When there are designated drawers, it’s easy to put items away in the moment, or at the end of the day, so the mess is out of sight and somewhat organized.

“Where is my paper to be signed?”……”In the homework drawer.”

3. Make your space work for you. Read the rest here.