Have you ever felt buried beneath your own stuff – muddling through mess day after day? Do you also have kids with stuff? Perhaps you also have pets that come with their own…stuff. Join the club. I’m all too familiar with feeling overwhelmed with stuff. It just so happens that two adults, five kids, two dogs, six cats, a tankful of fish, two birds, two guinea pigs, two geckos, and a ball python all come with a heap-load of, you guessed it, STUFF (welcome to my circus). But really, there are a few simple ways I’ve found to tackle spring cleaning with the whole family (for real life…no joke).

So how do we dive into the deep end of mess and come out clean on the other side? Let’s walk, uh, trudge through it, shall we?

• Make a visual. Create a visual list and involve the kids. Let them color it and be part of the process. Choose a high-traffic location to post the list (refrigerator, mud room, living room, etc.). 
• Pace yourself. Choose one area (room, drawer, closet, etc.) to focus on and complete at a time to avoid feeling overwhelmed. This will also help you feel more accomplished.
• Work together. Designate tasks as a team for each item on your list. Kids can help sort, gather items that need to be washed, pick up and pile pine needles, sweep,  and vacuum (really, there’s not much they can’t do within reason!). Emphasize that it’s important to work together as a family to take care of your space and that they are a big part of that, too!
• Make it fun! You can turn almost any task into a game. Put a timer on for a speed race in outdoor cleanup. Turn the music up – organize a kitchen cupboard to your favorite jam with a dance party. Create a scavenger hunt for chores to be completed. 
• Use rewards for motivation. Establish a reward system that works for you and your family. Perhaps each kiddo receives a sticker to put on the list once a task is complete and can choose a reward after so many stickers. Maybe the family earns a trip out to dinner or a movie. The kids could be in charge of dinner for a night. Good things happen when we stick with it!
• Utilize donation centers and Marketplace/swap sites to help declutter. Kids can learn the importance of reusing/recycling if you make them a part of choosing gently used items to donate (take them with you to help drop off items). You can also create a “family fund” of money collected from any items sold to use for something fun/important in the future. 

The truth? Life is messy and it’s always going to be messy. But you can learn how to manage it and it doesn’t have to land on one person’s shoulders. It turns out, teaching and learning responsible habits around the house can be fun and an absolutely worthwhile experience for everyone. From one messy human to another – best of luck – and may the odds be ever in your favor! 

Until another day – peace, love, & light (after coffee) —