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Lessen Stress by Becoming Organized

© Mary M. Alward

The challenges of running a household are demanding. If the adults in your house all work, it is very stressful to keep things under control. You may find yourself running about frantically at night, preparing dinner, cleaning the kids room, picking up toys, vacuuming and doing other household chores. Then, when you finally roll into bed, you find you can't sleep. After a busy day, you need time to relax in the evening in order to keep your stress levels under control.

In order to do this, you must become organized and use both time and money well. When you save time doing housework, you have more time to spend with your family. When you save money on every day items, it allows you to buy extras that the whole family can enjoy.

The best way to keep cleaning at a minimum is not to make a mess. This is not always possible when you have children but there are ways to make clean up easier.

If your toddler loves to fingerprint, allow him/her to do it in the bathtub. Put the child in a bathing suit and set the paint tray on the edge of the tub. When the child is finished, tape his/her artwork to the bathroom wall until dry. Then, wash the child and the tub. Everything will sparkle within a few minutes.

When children are playing games that contain many pieces let them use only one game at a time. This way, the pieces don't become mixed up and when it is time to put them away, you won't waste valuable time sorting.

Child-lock drawers discourage toddlers from emptying contents to find a treasured item. To prevent mess at meal and playtimes, use a drop sheet and shake it our rather than mop up spills and crumbs.

Mail and newspapers can cause a lot of clutter. Buy a tiered box or rack to put in your hallway. Sort mail and slip it into the slots. Newspapers should be placed in magazine racks.

Use tin canisters to store small toys such as toy cars and action figures. Let your child decorate the container with paper, fabrics or paint. Referring to it as a "treasure box" will encourage your child to use it. I have found this works for my grandsons. It gives them a feeling of self-worth to know they have decorated a special container where they can store valued possessions.

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