Develop an Organizing Routine

I read that maintaining the average home requires 2-3 hours of organizing per day. That’s a lot of time! My thoughts on that:

One person can’t maintain a home – it’s a team effort. Get everyone involved. Give children responsibility for their belongings and give them reminders, until they develop the habit of putting things away. Set up a routine that includes a reward for organizing. For example: Once you've put the groceries away, you can read for 20 minutes.

Make organizing a part of your routine. What I mean by that is: when you are done using the cereal, put it back in the cabinet (unless it’s empty – then put it in the recycling!). When you are done brushing your teeth, put the toothbrush & toothpaste away. You get the picture. If you leave everything out that you use, the job of organizing becomes an overwhelming task. But, if you put everything back in its’ “home”, organizing becomes a habit.