Newsletter Archives
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Grab-n-Go Picnic Basket

Get a Sparkling Bathroom in Just a Few Minutes!

Cooking the Clutter-Free Way

How to Deal Once and for all with the Mounds of Clothes in a Kids Room

'Tis the Season to be Generous—And Clutter Free

Streamlining and the Family

Streamlining: You Want Your Office to Work FOR You, Not AGAINST You!

Children: Clean your room!

Streamlining and the Family

From It's Here…Somewhere
Alice Fulton-Osborne
Pauline Hatch

Whenever we’re presenting our Streamlined Advantage seminar, we’re always asked how to work the family into the process, and especially how to go forward when there are “resistors” in the home. A valid question. Here’s what our years of experience have taught us:

Babies and pre-schoolers:
Farm them out. Consider trading child tending with a friend who also wants to streamline.

Grade-schoolers:
Involve them—let them help, and teach them the principles…they’ll be teaching this to their friends (and their mothers will put you in their wills)!

Teens:
Share the philosophy and teach them the principles (if they’re interested in learning). Always allow them the autonomy to choose for themselves. They may not want to participate in this (for their room) at this time. When allowed time and choice, they do come around. Our daughters weren’t interested when they were teens, but now that they have their own homes and are faced with the demands of family, they are VERY interested!

BUT, whether interested for their room or not, be sure you help them understand that all members of the family will help keep the rest of the home streamlined by putting things back where they found them (simply picking up after themselves).

Husband:
Share the philosophy and your desires and intentions. Reassure him that you will NOT touch his things, but you’d be happy to help him if he decides this is something he’d like to do.

The key to your success in winning over the older members of your family is being consistent with your own belongings and areas of responsibility (usually the kitchen, laundry area, living room, bathrooms, family room, your drawers, your side of the closet , the bedroom, etc….face it, most of the house). When family sees how much easier it is for you to manage, how much more time you have, how much more energy you have, how much happier you are, and how much nicer the home looks (consistently), they eventually will want this same situation for themselves and they’ll either attempt the process on their own or ask you for help.

Overall, we win people to our way of thinking through loving kindness and our example. One of our mantras, “People are more important than things, but the order of things affects people” is our reason for streamlining in the first place. It is never about making anyone miserable or angry, it’s about creating the best possible home environment for the people we love. As long as your family understands this, their cooperation is likely to surface. So keep at it, and until we meet again, may your household shovel always be full!