Kids are messy! Their stuff is  E V E R Y W H E R E.

Even if they have been trained to clean up as they go or do their chores, they just seem to walk around like Pig-Pen from the Peanuts.

You are tired of your house looking like a daycare center.

You want to feel like you can have your friends over at a moments notice.

You want to feel like you are grown up and not living in Kiddieville.

I completely get it!

I am going to show you how to be a mom and live luxuriously In your home.

 1. Get rid of the clutter.

Kids do not play with half the stuff we buy them. In fact, it is proven that when they have too much stuff, they are overwhelmed. Go through and donate, trash, & put everything away in a designated place in their bedrooms and Playrooms.  Then take half their toys and store them in the attic.

Your thinking, W H Y would I do that?

If you rotate their toys every six months, they become new to them again. The said toy is now played with. The mess is under control. Mom and child can live in harmony. My kids used to love when mommy would pull the toys out of the attic! Haha! They didn’t remember those toys and I was their Hero! Even the big plastic toys. You can put them on rotation too.  Trust me. You will email me later saying what a huge difference it has made.

2.  Make room for those kids- but blend them in.

Wait! I just told you to put all their stuff in their room and now I am saying to make room for them in the rest of the house?? What? They will soon take over!

No. What I am saying is that they will want to be where you are and making room for them does not mean that you have to sacrifice who you are and your style. The idea is to make them a part of your home and life, not the other way around. If they do their homework in the dining room, find a stylish way to hold or house the tools they need. If they want to play Legos near you so they can show you their creations, those toys need to have a place to be stored.

3. Store it A W A Y

I recommend having storage ottomans, trunks, cabinets and drawers that are designated for some of their things. The deal in my house is that they clean up when they are done or I throw it away. Depending on their age, you might have to help them with that. But having a way to store some of their stuff will help you to feel that you have control over the home.

Here are some great storage items that I highly recommend. 

4. Use kid-friendly fabrics-

Choose fabrics that have the right fiber content. You want the peace of mind that if something is spilled it is not the end of the world. And by the way, adults spill too!

Stay away from 100% cotton or linen. They are natural and living. So they are porous and will hold a stain. I love the way natural fibers feel and still L O V E them on draperies because they have a great hand and hang well. But, on your furniture, they will be a nightmare.

I am not saying you have to use stiff outdoor fabrics. Although there are some good looking ones out there. My favorite is leather. It is durable, beautiful, and just wipes off. But for the soft stuff, you should use synthetic fibers like nylon, acrylic, and rayon. Even a synthetic blend is good. The synthetics receive their color in the liquid state, so they will be easier to clean without pulling the color out. 

I have a secret weapon!

My secret is spraying Fabricoate, a product by Guardsman, on the piece of furniture. This is NOT like Scotchguard, which will wipe up every time you sit or rub against it. This infuses with the fibers and will not change the way it looks or feels. I do have a linen chair and I could pour coffee on it because of the Fabricoate and it will roll right off. You can purchase this at a furniture store with a warranty or buy the bottle of it and do yourself. Don’t spray it inside your house. And once you spray it, your furniture will need to stay in a garage or storage for 24hours while it is drying.

5. Buy Indoor/Outdoor rugs

There are so many good looking indoor/outdoor rugs. Below are some of my favorite. They can quite literally be taken outside and hosed off. You might even throw a kid under that same hose! (Sometimes they need it)

6. Have a stack of floor pillows

There is nothing that aggravates me more than when I have cleaned linens and blankets only to find that they are thrown them on the floor to play or watch a movie!

I am mean, right?

Well, get a stylish stack of floor pillows. They will look good and they will be meant for the floor. Luxury is found in elements and these can look good too.

Having kids should not force you to look like a daycare center. When all their stuff is contained and neatly organized, everyone will have peace. You want to enjoy your kids and not worry about something making stains, but making memories instead.

You can live in luxury! You can have it all!  I have a guide that will help you Decorate your home. Grab the “Get it done like a Pro-Decorating Guide” below!