Enter the Mom Vortex
As the primary caregiver, do you feel like you work all day and you get nowhere? Do you get overwhelmed by the growing pile of laundry? Does it feel like you haven’t left the kitchen all day? My answers to all those questions is “YES”! Why does this all occur? You’re in the middle of the MOM VORTEX, let me explain!
There are four specific areas within your home that are consistently being used, and therefore get cluttered and untidy. We clean them and then they get used again. It is a vicious cycle! But I also think there’s a way to keep up. Read on to find out.
1. Laundry No matter how quickly we finish the laundry, fold it, and put it away, later that same day there will be more clothing in the hamper. A family of four will have a minimum of three loads of laundry each week. Here are a few tips to help you cope:
Do a load every couple of days – make them smaller and more manageable.
If you have young kids, teach them to put away already folded laundry. Older kids can learn to fold and store clothes vertically, KonMari-style, to see what’s in their drawers. When they do this, they’ll stop tossing everything on the ground to find the shirt they want.
Do even less laundry: Have family members wear the same PJs for multiple days. Shirts may need to be washed after one wearing, but pants may have a few days of wear between washes.
2. Kitchen
Choose a prep day after buying groceries where everyone washes, cuts and stores veggies and fruits together. Get more tips on how to store prepped produce.
Teach all family members to put their place settings directly into the dishwasher after a meal.
Divide meal time tasks between all family members – setting the table, making salad, filling water glasses – create a rotation to make it fun.
3. Toys/Books/Crafts
Choose an upbeat song and have a family tidy session for five short minutes. You must still lead and direct but it will make it easier to have more hands to put it all away.
End the guessing game. Label specific locations for all toys, books and crafts to make putting things away a little easier.
4. Beds
You don’t need so many throw pillows. Having less decorative elements to your bedding will make the process faster.
The Vortex is never ending, so think of your unique situation and biggest areas of concern. You want to figure out how can you make life easier by working smarter, not harder. Taking time to create some helpful routines now will give you more family time in the long run. Start now!
About the Author: Randeep St. Jacques is a Certified KonMari Consultant on the North Shore and a member of the Professional Organizers of Canada. She is passionate about organizing for clients that are looking to reduce their clutter and organize their lives.
