3 ways to survive the september shit show
I started out writing an article about 10 Mudroom Must haves - ways to design the perfect mudroom.
Sounds nice, right?
The truth is, for the majority of people, this is so far from reality. I’m not here to perpetuate a cycle that tells women they aren’t “enough” because their home looks different than a magazine.
So I shifted gears to what I know.
If you are taking the time to read this, you deserve usable content so here goes…
Working Moms - are you ready for what I lovingly call the September Shit Show?
I know that this coming month is intense. School kicks off, activities start again (soccer 2-3x per week), school lunches (yuck), and everyone is searching for their way back to some familiar routine.
Add to that; fall construction season kicks into gear, which can feel a bit more like riding a runaway horse with no stirrups than anything remotely manageable.
Ladies, you are not alone in this. I see what's coming.
To give you the tiniest bit of comfort and peace of mind, I want to equip you with quickly actionable items that will make a world of difference in this coming month and hopefully into the remainder of the year.
Let's focus on one of the hubs of every home - the mudroom/entrance area.
Whatever you call it (on the farm, it was a porch or boot room, in the city, it tends to be a mudroom), this space is the first place that welcomes you home, the last place you see before you head out the door and always, the drop zone.
Let me paint you a picture of a pretty typical assortment of items you may find here.
There is the camping mat that you borrowed from a friend but haven't returned, a bag full of clothes that need to go to value village from last week's closet cleanout, your kids' soccer socks inside out and stinking to high heaven, shin guards and cleats are strewn about when the backpack is right there to put them in, a random sock that you have no idea where it came from, multiple ball caps, sunscreen & bug spray, runners (one of which you can't find the match too), umbrellas, coats for every season, school backpacks, the boxes of Bubly that haven't been put away yet from the grocery haul and the remainder of the Costco boxes that need to be folded down and go out to the recycling bin.
Does this sound at all familiar??? Nothing like sucking your energy as you leave or enter the house.
Here are three actionable options that have improved my life.
Implement a 5-minute tidy session.
Can we all do something for 5 minutes? Absolutely. It is an easy buy-in for ALL family members - a small time investment with the potential payout of creating a lasting habit.
Here's what you do. Set a timer for 5 minutes and clean alongside the rest of the family. You tidy your items, and they straighten theirs.
The benefit I've found with this approach is that kids realize cleaning isn't punishment. It is the responsibility of all the household members and shows we care for ourselves and our living space.
Define zones so everything has a home.
This step may take a little more thought. I have found it helpful to set up a few zones for items to have permanent homes. I encourage you to ask, "Will this annoy me, or can I live with this?" as you walk through these zones.
Here is a list of how I group things and what I use:
Footwear - I have boot racks inside closets and mats for daily shoes in our back entryway. In the summer, our deck is where the extra shoes live. One rule I've used for myself is the 1 in 1 out rule. If I buy a new pair of shoes, another pair goes out. It doesn't bother me to see shoes, so I don't tuck everything away; you may feel differently.
Coats - I love to use hooks for every day hanging. Kids don't hang shit up; it's just not realistic. It also doesn't make sense if kids can't reach those hooks, so think about how they can access this space to take ownership of this task.
Seasonal use items - our front hall closet works as this space where we swap things out seasonally. You place the Winter coats until the following fall and swap them out and vice versa come Spring.
Sports gear - I love having a bag for each sport. In our case, all the soccer gear goes into one spot. I've recently added a bin to add the aforementioned stinky soccer socks and shin guards. For those with kiddos in hockey, I suggest setting aside a place in the garage so gear can air dry.
Paper - this is always a fun one, hey? In our case, I take mail directly to the office. It goes into three piles - shred, pay or file. I also have binders for personal and business receipts, so those don't pile on my desk.
Keys/phone charger - for those with a dedicated mudroom, a drop zone drawer or shelf in that area is ideal. In our case, we have a dedicated closet where all our phone chargers live in our kitchen area. We don't have a conventional mudroom and more of a back entry.
Having these areas in our home has meant we all know where things are living long term. Building the habit of putting things back takes time and constant practice, so be patient if not everyone has it figured out on day one.
Let it go
Full disclosure, I suck at asking for help, and instead, I jump to "I'll just do it myself" because I know I won't let myself down. (It's a trait I'm actively working on in many facets of my life)
The issue I've recognized with this hyper-independent approach is that I'm taking away the chance for someone else to build capacity for themselves.
Here's the challenge - ask for help and then receive it. No walking behind and doing it again(cough * guilty), no hovering or micromanaging, walk away and be willing to accept that help. Let it go.
Maybe you can't commit to all three; perhaps you can commit to one. And before you say, "I don't have time!", I'd like to offer that you don't have time to be stressed or wigged out this next month either.
Change a habit. Try a new approach. Let it go.
Until next time,
KM
Cover & Article image - Our home