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Before I had kids, I truly believed the pictures in magazines were real. You know the ones. The magazines with the children playing happily in an immaculate living room while mom sits and reads a book.

After my first child, I quickly learned that kids are messy. Who would have thought?

Three kids later, I have come to realize some structure is necessary and that our family must get organized - not so that our house is immaculate (because that may be impossible with three children, ages 12, 7, and 1) - but so that we always stay one step ahead of chaos.

We have four steps to chaos prevention in our home.

1. Our bedtime routine. We always prepare the following night for the next day. In other words, there is a routine we follow every single evening. After dinner, each child has a kitchen responsibility and must help clean up the dinner mess. While we're cleaning up, we lay out breakfast for the next morning and pack lunches. After that, we put out clothes for the next day (making sure that we have everything in one place, including shoes and socks). We make sure that all homework is complete, in its bookbag, and placed by the front door. Finally, we make one final attempt at straightening the house for the evening.

Each child takes a bath and is in bed at the same time every night (9:00 p.m. in our house). I think this is the number one requirement for any home that is trying to get organized. A structured bedtime allows a child (and mom and dad for that matter) to maintain a sleep routine. When we're better rested, we function better at school, work, and home.

2. Our morning routine. Because we have made an attempt the night before, the following morning runs more smoothly. (Notice I didn't say it runs perfectly. There is almost always a stray sock that was eaten by the sock monster during the night). Because each child knows what she is wearing, there is usually not a fight about what she will wear or where that clothing is located. We know what we're eating for breakfast, so there's not an argument there either.

3. There is a designated place for everything. This is always a work in progress in our home. We try our best to make sure that everything has a "home." It's difficult to ask a child to put something away if he/she or mom does not really know where it goes. It also prevents piles of stuff from piling up in every corner.

4. Develop a "do it now" attitude. Over the years, I've developed a "do it now" attitude with my home. I may not always have time to get to the big cleaning finished, but if I'm walking past the bathroom trash, and I see it needs to be emptied, I try to do it right away. If I see the kitchen counter needs cleaned, I do it right then. When I first became a mom, if I saw something needed to be completed, I'd make a mental note to do it later. Later never came and things would pile up. In my attempts to get organized, I find that with a "do it now" attitude, at least the basics get done.

Our home is not perfect, but I'm always concentrating on progress, not perfection. Now, if I could actually find out where socks actually go when they are missing, I would be even one more step further in my plan to get organized.

Learn more about this author, Starla Ross.
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