Who doesn’t love a good shortcut?
As a professional organizer, I’m always looking for ways to make my clients’ life easier when I’m organizing their home. I was working with a Mama recently who had tried just about everything to keep her home in order.
Bins, baskets, decluttering, “systemizing”, even watching how-to videos on Youtube. You name it, she’d tried it.
But without fail, all her progress would disappear within a few weeks, as her home slid back into mayhem.
Her two kids (ages three and eight) just couldn’t seem to follow along, and her husband wasn’t a whole lot better. When she finally called me, her heartache echoed through in every word, as she described how she’s failed herself and her family.
But I didn’t see failure…
I saw an action-taking Mama who wants something better for her family. It’s just that she was missing the “secret sauce” to creating a beautifully organized home that’s easy to maintain and sustainable long-term.
As Owner and Founder of The Neat Boutique, Charleston’s top professional organizing company, I’ve helped hundreds of families take back control of their home over the last five years.
And I’ve realized that ONE SIMPLE THING can open up the doors of possibility for every Mama trying to keep their home in order…
Embracing Your Inner CEO!
As a mother, wife, and independent spirit, you already have more than enough on your plate. Spending more time working on your home isn’t the answer. Not a sustainable one, at least.
To Embrace Your Inner CEO is to focus your energy on making it easy for your family to keep their stuff in order, without constant help from Mama 🙂
Your role becomes delegating, empowering, encouraging and leading by example.
But, of course, it’s not as simple as telling the hubby and kids that you just added more chores to their list. Truly Embracing Your Inner CEO, and getting all the benefits that come with that, means you have to spend some time upfront eliminating obstacles, and helping your family help you.
This is where I do a lot of heavy lifting as a Professional Organizer, by designing simple, family-friendly organizing systems that are easy to maintain and sustainable long-term. But I understand that hiring a professional organizer isn’t in the cards for every Mama — either due to cost, privacy, or a do-it-yourself mentality.
That’s a big reason why I created the Organized Mamas Masterclass, an online program, and that’s also why I’m sharing this with you today 🙂
3 Steps to embrace Your Inner CEO and create a calm, organized home that’s easy to maintain
- Make it simple.
Complicated systems just don’t get followed. They’re too much work! When you’re creating organizing systems, ask yourself, “How can I take all the thinking out of this?” Because the less thinking and effort that’s required, the more likely it is that everyone will stick to it.
Once you’ve simplified those systems, it’s super important to make sure your family understands what to do, even if it takes some repeating.
Remember, people have different learning styles. I can easily remember instructions I hear verbally, but my husband is like a lost puppy unless you write it down for him. So focus on catering to each individual in your home!
- Make space
One of the biggest obstacles to long-term organization is having more stuff than you have storage space to put it in. Eventually, clutter takes over countertops, piles up on the floor or gets stuffed into closets, because there’s nowhere for it all to go!
By managing the amount of stuff you have, you make it easy for your family to help you because there’s a clearly marked “home” where each item lives, and gets returned to after being used.
- Make it a fun routine
I remember when I was a kid, my Dad created a “game” for my brother and me. Our driveway was about a mile long and lined with trees, and the game was simple: who can pick up the most sticks after school before my Mom got home from work. Cruel, right? But we loved it!
Every kid loves a fun game. By “game-ifying” home organizing, you’ll actually make your kids WANT to do their part around the house.
Try using rules, points, and prizes to keep your kids motivated and engaged for the long-term.
By harnessing your Inner CEO, you’ll create a peaceful home, save yourself time and heartache, and teach your children life skills that will help them excel in their school, life, and career.
Organized Mama Self-Audit
I’d like to invite you to take my Free Organized Mamas Self-Audit.
You’ll rate yourself on areas of Clutter, Family Participation, Family-Friendly Organizing Systems, and Productivity to get clarity on your victories, challenges and areas for improvement.
This short set of questions and insights will give you specific direction about how you can improve your home organization by working smarter, not harder.
Click Here to take the Free Organized Mamas Self-Audit (no email required).
Embracing Your Inner CEO has been the missing link for so many of the Mamas I’ve worked with, and I believe it will transform the way your home functions forever!
Please leave your questions and comments below 🙂
Lots of love,
Jen
J
