Housekeeping looks easy when you’re watching commercials, your favorite television shows, or paging through magazines. That is, until you take a look around at your own house! Even more frustrating are all those “cleaning as you go”, “make cleaning fun!”, or other techniques you read about. They always sound like something that you can do but all too often those ideas are not realistic.

Years ago when I was raising my children, housekeeping was very frustrating. As soon as I got one room the way I wanted it, another resembled the path of a tornado. I was miserable, my children were unhappy, and the house still did not meet my expectations no matter how hard I tried. One day I realized that neither I nor my family was the problem; it was my own expectations for a perfect home. A home, incidentally, that exists only in fiction for most average families.

It wasn’t that I hadn’t tried. I had nearly every type of clutter-catcher and organizer I’d ever read about. In fact, half my home’s clutter seemed to be organizing tools. So I finally sat down and started to figure out a plan to keep my home clean and uncluttered enough to keep me sane. I wanted to set a good example for my children and teach them responsibility. I needed a plan that everyone could pitch in on and feel a part of but a method that would not feel like a chore.

I started out by asking my family why they needed all those things strewn across the floors, draped over the couch, and generally stuff just scattered about. I found out that the kids had a few toys they liked to play with often; especially their Lego blocks—and that they liked to be in the same room as their parents. My husband likes to be outdoors so his coat or jacket was always tossed over a chair when he came in because he’d probably be going out again in an hour or so. As for me, my needlework and books took up most of the end tables. So here’s what I did to make my own home bearable:

• The living room now has a toy box so that my children can play where we adults spend our time. We enjoy playing together more often now!
• There are now coat hooks by the back door and the front door. The coat closet is reserved for company. It’s not the ideal look but I no longer have to grumble about constantly hanging up coats.
• I use one of those fabric magazine holders to store my needlework and knitting when I’m done. It eliminates the clutter and I don’t lose things anymore. Plus, no one ever sits on a needle or pin.
• I picked up an attractive basket big enough for a standard hardcover book. My books are kept in the basket and not cluttering up the coffee or end tables.
• I also splurged on a very pretty round woven basket with a lid. Everything that doesn’t belong in the living room goes in that basket. It’s the kids’ job to sort through the basket each Saturday after they finish their chores and put everything where it belongs.

And that’s it. There is much less clutter, no more stress or yelling, and everyone is comfortable. We enjoy being with each other more since I quit separating play areas from family areas. My house looks neat and clean while still having that comfortable, “lived in” look. I also store out of season coats in the coat closet sealed in Spedalon Vacuum Seal Storage Bags so they stay clean and ready to go when the weather changes.

My plan may not suit your needs and that’s fine. Taking your own lifestyle into consideration before making a cleaning strategy is the key to having a clean, comfortable home you’ll love to live in.