What are some tips you have for maintaining a tidy house?

1. 60

   Eliminate Cancerposted 13 years ago

   What are some tips you have for maintaining a tidy house?
   
   When you still have kids at home, and stuff is everywhere, and your schedule is crazy, how do you maintain a home that someone could drop by and you're not afraid to let them it?

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2. 73

   Brainy Bunnyposted 13 years ago

   I've pretty much given up, but if you find a good answer, let me know!
   
   Seriously, I just try to grab five minutes here and there as I can. I have my kids bring any of their junk into their rooms (out of the living room) each night, and try to never be hanging out in the kitchen without taking care of some small chore. Nevertheless, my house is often a pigsty. I comfort myself with the fact that most of my friends' houses look the same, unless they have full-time help.

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3. 70

   VirginiaLynneposted 12 years ago

   I'm looking for answers to that question myself!  But here is one idea that I have that works, I use lots of baskets.  I have one big basket for shoes, and lots of baskets on shelves to hold different things.  I try to keep these sorted and organized but the great thing is even if what is in the baskets is a mess, no one knows that if they just look at the shelves!  Actually, when we remodeled our house we put in a ton of RTA cabinets with doors so I can close up those shelves and not see the mess, which is even better.  But before we had the cabinets, it did at least help having things looking like they were put away.  I still send the kids with a basket to pick up everything on the floor in a room.  Then, they can take the basket of things and go around and put everything away--much better than making a trip to put away one toy at a time!

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