We’ve all seen or heard about the Tidying Up hype with Marie Kondo.
The message is strong and appealing, especially to moms.
Live a life with only the things that spark joy.
It’s intriguing.
We want to get out from under our laundry piles and we would absolutely love to stop cleaning up after the toynadoes all day long.
What we want even more is a motherhood season that is more than chores and exhaustion.
We want a home that sparks joy.
The truth is that we just can’t go through our homes and pull everything out, hold it, ask if it sparks us joy, then discard it.
Literally, we don’t have time for that.
Aside from no time for that soul searching process, our kids will destroy our piles in two seconds. The joy sparking items will be mixed back in with the non joy sparking items.
So what’s a mom to do when she wants to live in a clutter free home, but can’t possibly ask herself if every single item sparks joy?
Here are six things to help you Marie Kondo your house so that it’s tidy as a busy mom!
1. Start With the Easy Things First
Start with the areas of your home that are easiest to purge.
Surfaces are easy because most often they are catch all spaces with trash, random unimportant items, or things that just need put back where they belong.
Decluttering a surface is great too because it’s an instant way to make it look like you spent a lot of time cleaning, when really it was just ten minutes of purging.
Bathrooms are another easy place to start as you usually don’t have a whole lot of sentimental items in there. Plus it’s easy to purge the expired, gross, old cakey cosmetic products.
You can consolidate cleaners, let go of all those lotions and potions you were gifted and never used, too.
2. Declutter In Bite Sized Pieces
We are moms.
Our time is stretched between a lot of people and tasks.
Things happen at the drop of a hat. We get interrupted.
Emergencies happen – even if it’s just a stuffed animal emergency.
So go into your decluttering process knowing that it will likely happen in 10-20 minute increments and if the heavens part for you and you get more than that, great!
3. Have Your Head On a Swivel
As a sports family, my husband uses these kind of references a lot.
Head on a swivel just means that you are aware of what’s around you, what is happening and you see opportunities.
More than just recognizing an opportunity though, you act on it!
Which means that if there is a break in your day where kids are happy, and you have a free minute, use it! Step away from the Instagram scrolling.
Turn off the reality TV.
Take the opportunity that is presented to you to make some progress in your home in the way that you want to! Remember, 10-20 minute increments are how you will chunk away at the clutter in your home.
Find those pockets of time and act on them. Head on a swivel, friend.
4. Have Patience and Give Yourself Grace
Some days you will be able to get a lot purged, packed up and taken away.
Some days you are just going to survive and snuggle while watching Elmo repeats. That’s okay.
The only constant in motherhood is that there is no constant.
Every day is different, demands and needs ebb and flow.
You will have seasons of activity and motion and progress, and seasons of slowing down and resting. Grace is knowing that both are powerful and both are important.
It’s not enough to settle and say, the kids are little so when they are grown I will purge. You have to make progress while they are still home with you if you want to enjoy your one season of motherhood, but recognizing that it won’t get done all in one day is key.
Bite size pieces, remember? Taking action when you can.
And listening when your home, body and family are telling you they need you to.
5. Be Excited About Decluttering
It can be fun, and it doesn’t have to be so serious!
When you look around your home you are like overwhelmed by the task at hand and it feels daunting. The truth about your clutter too, the part that Marie Kondo does get universally right for everyone, is that your clutter steals your joy.
It takes away your ability to relax and enjoy your days because you are so stressed out by the mess. Or maybe you are anxious, feel suffocated, burdened, embarrassed or a slew of other negative feelings in regards to your clutter.
The point is that it takes away from a state joy, fulfillment, excitement and pleasure and it can be hard to remember that life CAN and should be joyful and fun.
Especially as a mom. So as much as possible take this decluttering lightly and with a playful heart.
6. Find Other Like-Minded Moms Who Want to Declutter
It is so much easier when you are surrounded by like-minded mamas, and the great thing about Marie Kondo is that she has inspired a community of people to strive to live with less.
The Motherhood Simplified community is a group of moms on a mission to declutter their homes and simplify their lives.
They know how it is to do this work with kids in the home, and they are the most positive, supportive, and encouraging group of declutter-ers you can find online!
We would love to have you join our free decluttering challenge The Purgeathon!
You get three days of decluttering projects you can realistically do as a mom, that have a dramatic impact on your home. You also get access to our community for hands on support and guidance!
Oh, and it’s free! Come join us!!
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