A while back I innocently signed up for the “Clutter Control Club” Newsletter on the Canadian Parents web site (click on the link for “Clubs“).

I had no idea what I was getting myself into.

It turns out this is an intensive 28-Day program of epic proportions. And it’s pretty darned useful stuff, too. Basically, you get a new email every day with tips, encouragement, and specific steps to take that day. I’m sure many people will actually execute the whole program down to a “T” – and I’m sure it could pretty much change their lives to do so. But for the rest of us slackers, there’s more than enough useful advice to make a difference on the home front.

As a single parent running my business from my home (mostly), I have often felt overwhelmed by the work of managing the household – on top of managing my kids and everything else. Along the way I have noticed two things:

1. It’s a lot easier to keep a tidy house tidy.

2. I am a much better parent when the home is in order.

The first point is not a word play: it’s much less effort to maintain order than it is to create it out of chaos. I am an “inspired creative” type of person, so I have no problem creating chaos! But (ironically) the more order I maintain in my home, the effective all that inspired creativity is. It’s almost like my home is a reflection of my state of mind. Slowly but surely, I am learning to create and keep this order.

The second point is even  ore important. Your kids are only kids once, so naturally all of us parents want to make the experience and the process as positive and helpful to them as possible. “Positive and helpful” does not generally include things like nagging or arguing, but I find that’s just what I do when things around me are in disarray. It’s easy blame my kids for the mess – which may be true in a way. But of course I am the parent, so it’s up to me to create a constructive mood. That means guiding my children to what they could or should be doing, rather than blaming them for what they have not yet learned to do.

What can I say? An orderly home makes me a better parent.

Now back to the Clutter Control Club Agenda. Sometimes advice doesn’t need to be earth-shattering to be really helpful. One of my favourite things in the CCC is the “Sparkle Kit.” Basically, a “Sparkle Kit” is a carrier with all your cleaning supplies and equipment. Yes the name is cheesy and the idea is fairly simple, but it works for me. I have kept all the cleaning stuff in the kitchen closet – except for some of the bathroom cleaning gear, which is under the bathroom sink. Bad idea. Keep everything together and make sure it’s portable. It speeds up cleaning a whole lot and makes it much easier for my boys when it’s their turn to clean. there is a thread on the Canadian Parents forum called “What’s in Your Sparkle Kit?” It’s interesting to see what people include, and how they use their cleaning gear. And it’s awesome that people take the time to talk about this stuff with each other.

I also like the “Clutter Control System Five” (I even like the cool name. Does that make me a cleaning nerd?). These are the five steps to de-cluttering a room. I’m doing them right now in my office.

Step 1: Ask yourself this question: This room/closet/area is a space for….
Step 2: Then decide: based on your answers above, how you are going to set up your space.
Step 3: Sort
Step 4: Clean
Step 5: Organize and Containerize

Again, it’s not rocket science, but it helps to systematize the process.

What about you? How is the clutter thing affecting you and your family?  How do you deal with it?

A tidy corner of my office ... with roses from the garden.

Thanks, and kudos to Tracy Keleher, “maven and host” of the Clutter Control Club.