So this post, I don't really have any new techniques. But I do have some advice. We always organize the spaces that others can see first. We clean these rooms up best when company is coming over. But what are we living in the rest of the time?

Often, when we go on "cleaning sprees" we start with the living room or the kitchen. We still have enough energy to clean the kids' room. By the time we get to our own bedrooms, we are too exhausted. So our own rooms never get the attention that they need.

When I was given the tour of this home owner's house, I saw that each room needed some attention. But the "feel" of the master bedroom was total chaos. We spend at least 8 hours of every day in our bedrooms. It's the first thing we see when we wake up and the last thing we see when we go to bed at night. If the impression we get of our room is the aftermath of a tornado, how rested can we feel in it? How can it be the sanctuary it's supposed to be?

You deserve better. You deserve to have an environment that reflects who you are. You deserve a space where you can feel peace. I learned a few years ago that the only person who knows what you really need in terms of mental, physical, and emotional health is YOU. Nobody else knows what is in your head or heart. You have to be your own advocate. It's easy to be a ferocious defender when it comes to your children or spouse, but you have to give yourself that same respect and love.

A few things you can do to reclaim your space and have the room that you deserve:
1. Take the kids' things out.
Your kids have their own rooms and often a playroom. Their toys and accessories have homes other than your room.
2. Your room is NOT a laundry room.
Don't allow the laundry (clean or dirty) to pile up in your room. Use your laundry room or another space in your house, or just do your laundry and put it away. It's a small price to pay to avoid being buried alive in cloth.
3. Shut your door.
After your kids start sleeping in their own rooms, they don't need to come into yours uninvited. If you want them to come in, you can call them in. Otherwise, they need to respect your space. They have their rooms, and you have yours.
4. Clean your room first.
It may seem strange and selfish at first, but I promise it will give you the energy and motivation to clean the rest of your house.
5. Don't allow your room to become the catch-all.
A lot of times our rooms are like junk drawers. If something doesn't have a space, we put it in our rooms. Designate some other area of your house for this purpose: a linen closet, the basement, the garage or even a storage bin is better than your dresser or your floor.
Don't forget....you deserve it.