oh sorry, the other kiddo's are 4, 2 and 9 months. the 6 year old is supposed to keep the living room floor picked up and the tables cleared. The 4 year old feeds the animals, makes the beds and helps me with meals, and the two year old is supposed to pick up the kids bedroom floor but usually gets help. We homeschool so the kids are always home but we are able to shuffle things around so some things can get a good deep cleaning, I just really need a babysitter to tell me it's ok it's not going to be the end of the world if I get rid of somethings and on the other hand know WHAT to do with the stuff we need. We only get 2 hours a day mon-fri with my husband because of his work schedule so I usually don't ask him to help until the weekends, although we got all the cloths up off the floor in the laundry room this last weekend so I'm not as afraid to walk in there.

Thanks. I think an organizer is what I really need we got a schedule and chore charts up and going a month ago and things are going a lot better then what they were but it is still to much for me I am wanting to get the laundry room shelves so I can get the bins up in there. otherwise We are going through the toys this week. I try getting the dishes done we run the dishwasher (also purchased last month) once to twice a day but there are 4 total cupboards and they are stuffed with foods so I am getting confused as to where do I put the dishes so I can wash more. My oldest child is 9 the next is 6. The 9 year old is in charge of washing the laundry and he does between 3 and 8 loads a day, but we are constantly re-washing everything because of the rodent problem. They have found their way into the dressers so I bought rubbermaid bins and we are trying to get the cloths sorted and gone through so we can store them in bins. This month my house has been more picked up then it has been in years, but I haven't had mice in my house since I was a kid either. I am trying very hard to figure this out but I have no help, I have asked and even offered to pay for help with no one actually willing to help. I'm kind of lost and feeling it's hopeless but I've got to keep trying. :(

Hi Acorn Mama,
I am very sorry to hear the position you are in but let me give you my best advice. I have been working with hoarders/clutterers for 17 years so please take my advice and just think about it. Clothing is tough for a lot of people, but when you add rodents to the mix something needs to be done fast or your clothing and other items are going to be destroyed anyway. At the bottom of all the piles are rodents chewing up everything for nesting materials. Their droppings are dangerous as well so having them in your home is definitely not good.
Living in a small residence with a lot of people is very difficult and staying on top of daily and weekly chores in mandatory or the clutter will build quickly as you know. I am not sure how old your children are but I am sure that some of them are of an age where they can help out. Taking out the trash, loading/unloading the dishwasher, putting dirty clothes in a clothes hamper, etc. are things they and your husband should be able to participate in regularly. You can't do this alone. If you need to write out a chore chart, then do it. But, you also need to be held accountable for your own duties around the house because if they see you not doing your part, then they will all slack. Have a family meeting and express your concerns and how you want to change things, and lay out how you are going to do it so everyone knows what is expected of them. You may want to hire a professional organizer to help get you started, then to help you put systems in place to prevent clutter from returning. I can help you find some resources near you if you need it.

ok I know having a small house is not an excuse but I just have not figured out this "how to organize" deal. I live in a 795 square foot home with my husband and 5 children. Cloths seem endless, it's seems like all I do is laundry and my kitchen in miniature 6X9, so there doesn't seem to be enough space for that either. I'm afraid to get rid of cloths in case we need them, I am actually quite terrified of getting rid of stuff. I try to keep the front half of the house clean, and my kids room is always cleaner then clean, but my room and the kitchen are so bad you can hear the mice rummaging at night and the cats can't get to them. I have a 10x30 storage where I was storing all the excess so my house would be cleaner, but now it's full. I'm also afraid of mice and so that makes it even harder to try to clean up. Help, I WANT it clean I WANT it all gone, I just really don't know how. I want company again, I want to feel like I'm breathing. Please please help. I'm drowning.