Keeping it together

I have been pretty proud of myself lately. Life just seems so much more relaxed and it's been such smooth sailing lately. Not only are the kids doing great, I have also been doing such a better job keeping my household together.

During my first trimester, I thought I would never get it all together that the house was just a disaster and it was going to stay that way till this new little one was sleeping through the night. But then like clockwork, my second trimester kicked in and life has hit a fantastic stride.

Keeping a clean and decluttered household is important to me. But, my standards have changed since having children. My idea of clean is a little different than what it once was when it was just my husband and I and my idea of clean is different than someone else's idea of clean. Everyone has their own ideas and standards.

Reading through different blogs and talking to friends and a little trial and error, I have learned a few simple lifestyle changes that have really helped keep things together with 2 crazy little ones running around.

Our family room that is full of toys that you can't see. The
kids have toys in 2 of the built-in cabinets, in the white trunk,
in baskets under the side tables, and a few larger toys hidden
between the couch and the built-in. 

• Don't put down, put away. I can easily feel when I have let this simple rule slide. My "hotspot" piles start to become overwhelming and clutter starts to seem to appear everywhere. Taking a few minutes here and few minutes there to clear out the piles and to put things where they belong helps keep my house in easy cleaning order. When I don't have to spend the time running things back to where they belong, I can quickly vacuum or dust or sweep or whatever when I can. 
• Little bit goes along way. On the same theme as the first tip, the days of cleaning my house top to bottom in one day are long gone. Doing a little bit here and there is the only way I get it done. I just don't have hours at a time to clean my house. I know moms who clean during nap times, but with 2 little ones, I have found that I need to rest too during that time. If I exhaust myself cleaning, than I am tired with little patience in the afternoon. It just doesn't work for me, but doing a little at a time does.
• Hide the toys. Our kids do not have free range with their toys. Are they allowed to play with their toys? ABSOLUTELY! However, there is a limit to how many toys they are allowed to play with at once. We also clean up the toys before we move on to the next thing like lunch, naps, etc. If we are playing downstairs, we clean up those toys before we head upstairs. Calan's room time isn't over till he cleans up most of his toys (I help a little). This also keeps their toys interesting to them. There is a steady rotation, so they aren't getting bored. 
• A load a day keeps mountains at bay. This goes for laundry and dishes. If I keep to doing at least one to two loads of laundry a day, it makes the task so much easier for me to manage. I usually will do my load first thing in the morning. Now, I don't always get everything put away in drawers (that is something I am working on), but it keeps the laundry piles low and my hampers empty.
  This rule also goes for dishes. If I run my dishwasher every night and unload it first thing in the morning, than all I have to do is load my dishes through out the day with little fuss or frustration. Unless the dishwasher is really empty at night, I run it. It is OK to run a not full load of dishes if it means it will keep you sane the next day.
• Perfection is impossible. Would I be embarrassed to have friends over to my house? If the answer is no, than my house is clean enough. With two little ones, there will always be a mess somewhere in my house. This is where my standard has changed since having kids. If I feel like my house is 90% clean, than I am happy. I want my home to be a welcoming place that guests feel at home. Keeping my house organized is a part of that.  
• Plan ahead. This seems easy, but in reality figuring out everything going on that week and what meals we are going to have isn't always as easy as it seems. There are times where I just don't feel like cooking, so coming up with a meal plan for the week is pretty difficult. The less I have to think about on the fly, the easier it is to keep life organized. 
• When all else fails, plan a playdate. I don't know if it is my journalism background or procrastination tendencies (probably both), but if I have fallen off the cleaning and organizing wagon, having a deadline like a playdate helps get me back on track. Knowing that I am going to have company gets me motivated to clean up. It gives me the push I need to get my life back on track, plus it is fun for myself and the kids. It is just a win-win situation. 

What are some of your keeping it all together tips?