{"id":142,"date":"2025-03-25T15:29:18","date_gmt":"2025-03-25T14:29:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thesketchyhouse.com\/?p=142"},"modified":"2025-04-16T11:07:04","modified_gmt":"2025-04-16T09:07:04","slug":"6-simples-tips-to-keep-your-space-tidy-ish-with-kids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thesketchyhouse.com\/index.php\/2025\/03\/25\/6-simples-tips-to-keep-your-space-tidy-ish-with-kids\/","title":{"rendered":"6 Simples Tips to keep Your Space Tidy-ish with Kids"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Let me start by saying this: whatever goal image<\/strong> you’re chasing\u2014whether it\u2019s from Instagram, Pinterest, or some perfectly curated blog\u2014is a LIE<\/strong>. Those pictures are unrealistic<\/strong>. That\u2019s not how people\u2019s homes look every day; that\u2019s how they looked for the photo. What you don\u2019t see is the chaos just outside the frame, the staged perfection, and the behind-the-scenes reality they\u2019ll never show you<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We all know it, but I just wanted to remind you\u2014just in case you needed a little reality check<\/strong>.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

That said, here are a few tips to help keep your place looking tidy-ish<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Rules for Sanity:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
    \n
  • Remove visual clutter.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Install an easy-to-maintain organization system.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
    \n\n\n\n

    1. Less Stuff = Less Mess<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    I know, I know\u2014it\u2019s easier said than done<\/strong>. But do you really, REALLY need everything you own?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I\u2019m no minimalist<\/strong> (far from it), and I definitely<\/strong> have too much stuff myself. So, every now and then, I edit a room<\/strong>, a corner, a drawer, a tray.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    You don\u2019t need to go full Marie Kondo<\/strong> overnight. Even decluttering one small spot<\/strong> makes a huge difference<\/strong>. We regularly<\/strong> go through my kid\u2019s toys because, let\u2019s be honest, they won\u2019t play with the same things forever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    And guess what? The same logic applies to us adults<\/strong>. With our clothes but also our books, kitchen utensils, beauty products. Just go through one drawer in the bathroom today. You’ll appreciate the difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n\n\n\n

    2. Designated Space for Toys<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    If you have space for a playroom (lucky you!<\/strong>), that\u2019s amazing! Tell the kids: This is where the toys live, or they have to move out.<\/strong> (The toys, not the kids.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    My son is lucky to have a playroom, m<\/span>eaning his bedroom could look Instagram-worthy with the right filter, new furniture, and a fresh coat of paint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    But the playroom? Let\u2019s say he fully embraces the chance to have a space to create chaos<\/strong>. There are toys, books, sticks, stones, pillows, and paints everywhere<\/strong>. It\u2019s a lot<\/em>, but I\u2019m OK with it now. (It\u2019s been a journey.<\/em>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Of course, not everyone has space for a dedicated playroom<\/strong>\u2014a play corner will do just fine! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    We\u2019ve lived in much smaller<\/strong> spaces before\u2014our last place had a tiny kitchen\/dining room and no living area<\/strong>. My son’s toys were stored in a cupboard under the TV<\/strong>, and I defined his space with a small rug<\/strong>. He was even allowed to stick whatever he wanted on the window beside it<\/strong>. It worked. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    And I can hear you thinking:
    “But if they have a bedroom, can\u2019t they just play there?”<\/em>
    They can. They will. Sometimes.<\/strong> But they want to be close to you, sometimes veeeeeery close to you. <\/strong>
    Booh !<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n\n\n\n

    3. Catchall in the Entrance: First Line of Defense<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    The entrance is the first pain point<\/strong> when you walk in. Clutter here sets the (bad) mood for the whole house.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \u2705 A spot for keys and whatever random stuff<\/strong> lands there. A catchall always comes in handy
    \u2705 Hooks for jackets, hats, and bags<\/strong>.
    \u2705 A designated place for shoes<\/strong>. No, you do not have to buy a new piece of furniture. We had one, and it was always FULL of shoes. Now we just leave our shoes close to the entrance, hopefully neatly aligned against the wall. It’s easier to see which ones overstay their welcome and need to be removed. Like snow boots past March.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n\n\n\n

    4. Closed Storage = Hidden Chaos<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Let\u2019s be real\u2014some things are just ugly<\/strong>. You need a place to hide<\/strong> all those not-so-pretty piles of:
    \ud83d\uddc2 Papers
    \ud83d\udd0c Cables
    \ud83e\uddfc Cleaning products
    \ud83c\udfc3\u200d\u2642\ufe0f\ud83d\udca8Things lying around when unexpected guests show up<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If the kids insist on playing in the living room, a designated chest to put the toys away makes cleanup quick and keeps the space looking tidy without a permanent toy explosion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Out of sight, out of mind<\/strong>\u2014but still organized! and not pushed into the next room as my sister used to do. She used to open her bedroom door, push all the mess out, close the door and was ready for the parental inspection. Funny girl.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n\n\n\n

    5. Accessibility: Make Life Easy<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Not everything has to be hidden away<\/em>. The things you use daily<\/strong> should be:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    • Easy to grab<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Not blocked by stuff you only use once a month<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      The fondue machine<\/strong>? Back of the cupboard.
      The tennis rackets you use once a year<\/strong>? Under the bed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Do you make waffles every morning? First, can I come over? Second, the waffle maker has earned his countertop space. Good boy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      And for the kids? Give them the chance to help.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \n
      • Low coat hooks<\/strong> = they can hang their stuff.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Easily accessible bins and baskets<\/strong> = they can (hopefully) put things away. Dirty clothes, plush toys, <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
        \n\n\n\n

        6. Make Organisation Easy to Maintain<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

        Any system has to work for the whole family<\/strong>, not just you. Match your housemates’ habits<\/strong> instead of trying to force new ones. Note where their stuff ends up and offer a solution.
        If your kids are constantly leaving their clothes in a heap on the floor, try adding a few easy-to-reach baskets or hooks where they can toss their clothes at the end of the day. This way, they\u2019ll have a designated spot that fits their habits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \u26a0\ufe0f No system will work forever<\/strong>\u2014life changes, kids grow, routines shift<\/strong>. Be ready to adapt and tweak<\/strong> as needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Also, some people will just keep leaving their socks everywhere, and then have a son who will work on keeping the family tradition alive. I have no solution for this
        <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

        \n\n\n\n

        Final Thoughts<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

        Your home will never look like a showroom 24\/7<\/strong>\u2014and that\u2019s OK<\/strong>. But with a few simple changes, you can keep it functional (and relatively sane), even with kids<\/strong>. Or a messy partner, roommate, or parent. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

        And remember: Perfection is a myth. Tidy-ish is enough.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

        <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

        Let me start by saying this: whatever goal image you’re chasing\u2014whether it\u2019s from Instagram, Pinterest, or some perfectly curated blog\u2014is a LIE. Those pictures are … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":176,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"saved_in_kubio":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[62,57,56,59,55,53,60,54,61,39,58],"class_list":["post-142","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-living-room","tag-clutter-management","tag-daily-routines","tag-family-life","tag-home-hacks","tag-messy-home-solutions","tag-organizing-with-kids","tag-parenting-tips","tag-realistic-cleaning","tag-shared-spaces","tag-tidy-home","tag-toy-organization","latest_post"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thesketchyhouse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/142","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thesketchyhouse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thesketchyhouse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesketchyhouse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesketchyhouse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=142"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/thesketchyhouse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/142\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":175,"href":"https:\/\/thesketchyhouse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/142\/revisions\/175"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesketchyhouse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/176"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thesketchyhouse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=142"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesketchyhouse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=142"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesketchyhouse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=142"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}