April 27, 2025 • 30 mins
In this practical and wisdom-packed episode, professional organiser and founder of Mise en Place, Anita Birges, shares her game-changing approach to conquering family chaos through simple systems that actually work! With four children in her blended family, Anita understands firsthand the overwhelm of managing endless school bags, lunch boxes and sentimental clutter, offering solutions from her revolutionary "go elsewhere box" that stops you picking up after your kids, to creating dedicated family drop zones that eliminate the morning "where's my shoes?!" panic.
Anita explains why teaching kids organisational skills equips them with essential life tools, sharing age-appropriate strategies for decluttering without guilt (yes, you can toss those kindergarten drawings!) and breaking overwhelming spaces into "bite-sized pieces" that make organisation achievable for even the most chaotic households.
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With thanks to Anita Birges
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
You're listening to a Mamma Mia podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Mamma Mia acknowledges the traditional owners of land and waters
that this podcast is recorded on Hello and welcome to
this glorious mess. We are embracing the chaos together and
ditching the judgment. I'm Teaguinatoley and I love being organized,
(00:35):
but rarely ever, I am so good to have goals Teak,
and I'm Anali Stot. I'm a single parent to a
teen and tween age sons and my house just feels
like it's in a constant state of piles and things.
Oh no, see, this is why today we are so
thrilled to have Anita Burgess on the show. She's the
founder of miss On Plus and one of Australia's leading
(00:58):
professional organizers who has transformed countless chaotic family homes into functional,
peaceful spaces. I am her personal fangirl, yes, and with
her practical approach to tackling everything from toy room disasters
to paperwork nightmares, Anita has become the go to expert
for overwhelmed parents like Moi and looking to regain control
(01:23):
of their homes without losing their minds in the process.
But beyond her hands on decluttering services and expertise. Anita
actually has four kids a blended family, so she definitely
understands tackling household clutter and chaos. That would be a
lot of the different ages too, and having the two
different houses are going between, it's a lot. So her
(01:46):
hacks about finding better, quicker, and easier ways to get
organized have gone viral, so she knows what she's token. Oh,
I know, I've spent many hours deep down her organizational
rabbit holes on Instagram, Like they're just so addictive and
you can't stop watching them because they're just so handy
and helpful. And we need her help and she's coming
(02:07):
in today and we're going to ask her all the things.
But first, here's what's happening in my group chat. Okay,
so one in one of my group chats the other day,
one of my girlfriends asked the chat, does anyone else.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
Have shit neighbors?
Speaker 2 (02:22):
So they've had these new people move in down their street,
well actually next door, I think in their street.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
They're apparently very grubby.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Like don't maintain their house, their gutters, their gardens, but
also steal their male Well don't you mean steal their male?
But their male may axit them, their their deliveries might
accidentally get delivered to them, and they take absolutely no
initiative to return it back to them the thing, Yes,
they kept the things anyway. This made me think, like.
Speaker 3 (02:52):
I do have a really bad neighbor.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
She's an elderly woman and tea. I know it sounds horrible,
but she honestly is she do? Oh she's just like
that typical like one in the street, like like missus
what was it, like mister Wilson from Dennis and Menace,
But like.
Speaker 3 (03:14):
Missus Wilson grumpy.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
You know, she lives alone and like we go above
and beyond to lend a hand or help out or
you know, do what we can. She bites the hand. Oh,
she said, yeah she does. And so that made me one,
did you have any bad neighbors? Not currently, but I
definitely have had bad neighbors. I've been a terrible neighbor
when I was younger, like so awful with parties and music. Oh,
(03:39):
you're one of those annoying neighbors, Like you're the kids
with the family with the kid who always as the parties. No,
I was just like as an adult, Oh, when you
are when you're living on your own currently. I don't
have any bad neighbors. I'm probably the bad neighbor because
with all the like I live very close, you know,
confined houses that are joined, and my house is loud
(03:59):
with music and yelling, and people next to me don't
have kids. So I'm probably the bad neighbor.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
Actually, no, you are a bad neighbor.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
You're the bad neighbor. Okay, you're lighting up my group chats. Yeah,
everyone else is on my streak.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
Actually, what street do you live in? Maybe this is
what she's just talking about. How your gunners looking terrible?
Speaker 2 (04:21):
All right, well, look, I'm very very excited for our
guests today, Anita Burgers. I have ended up down many
a rabbit holes on your Instagram mes on plus because
you are an organizational queen and I like you who
I aspire to be.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
But no, I never will got I've got so far.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
To go, you'd be you'd be surprised how easy it
is to get.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
Well, this is the thing. So this is why I
love all the things you do. And I end up
watching your videos for hours because I'm like, that is
so simple, so smart, so clever. But I would have
never thought of that. So that's why you're here to
think of all of those things us and I thank
you for us by osmosis.
Speaker 3 (04:59):
Yes, I'm just in your presence today.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
I know.
Speaker 4 (05:02):
My mutto is actually this year is learned something new
every day. Okay, that has been my mutto.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
So every day go to Anita's Instagram and I would
teach you something new. So you tell us a little
bit about yourself, about your family, about what you.
Speaker 3 (05:16):
Do every day. Okay.
Speaker 4 (05:17):
So basically I started my business when I was actually
pregnant with my second child.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
Can you believe it?
Speaker 4 (05:22):
I actually did my first decluttering session. I think I
was about seven months they were, yeah, and I kind
of was like at that period of what do I
want to do with my life, like when you become
a mum, and it's like, you know, I was in
the restaurant business. That's how I had my name meson plus,
which is actually a restaurant term for everything in its place.
(05:42):
So I was in hospitality for a long time and
then I kind of pivoted to real estate and then
you're kind of like, how can I juggle the kids
and work? And maybe I need to pivot. And I
really am not afraid of the pivot. Okay, So I
started like decluttering and doing all this kind of stuff
like in real estate to prepare people's homes for sale,
(06:04):
right right.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
And I didn't know.
Speaker 3 (06:06):
I enjoy this kind of thing, loved it, but I
didn't know there.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
Was even a term.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
Yeah right.
Speaker 4 (06:10):
I had to actually google one night. I was like,
what exactly am I doing? So the real estate part
I loved, the preparing of the home for sale, didn't
like the selling of.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
The real estate part. Didn't like that game.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
There you go, I know. So it was the launching
pad into figuring it out right correct, So I.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
Think I had to go along those steps.
Speaker 4 (06:29):
And then when I was pregnant with Tyler, actually somebody
put up on one of those mum's Facebook pages, does
anyone have an idea of how I can actually get.
Speaker 1 (06:39):
Rid of things from my home?
Speaker 4 (06:40):
And I kind of googled, Oh, there's something called decluttering
and it's actually professional organizing.
Speaker 1 (06:45):
And it was very popular in the states that had
started here. It was very new.
Speaker 4 (06:49):
Actually, the first article that was ever written was a
Mum and mea article of me in twenty sixteen, and
the tagline was, did you know you can get somebody
to organize your pantrick.
Speaker 1 (06:59):
And don't you think how far it has come? Right?
Speaker 4 (07:02):
Okay, So from that I have got my kids are
now eleven, thirteen, fifteen, eight, So it sounds like lottery numbers,
but sometimes remember.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
Which you know.
Speaker 4 (07:15):
And we're a blended family, so two of two are
mine and two of my husbands. So I've been able
to really engage in all the stages from baby to toddler,
to primary to twin to hormonal changes to like and
it really is about getting into the routine of it
all to try and help everyone in the.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
Family understanding what each person in the family needs in
their space.
Speaker 4 (07:41):
Correct, because you know what, every family, every home, every
space is different. So what might work for you in
your home, like I can give you some great tips,
might not work for you.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
Yeah, do you know what I mean?
Speaker 5 (07:53):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (07:54):
Because I think as parents, it's like it's not even decluttering,
it's just keeping the house tidy because kids have so
many things and sports bags and instruments and footy shoes, like,
and it just feels like it's literally caving in on
top of the top of it. How do you what's
your philosop Managing that for parents is routine.
Speaker 4 (08:13):
First of all, with the kids, it's got to be
about routine. Now, whether you start them young, like say,
for example, when you're organizing your kitchen, and if you
just want to start off with something very simple with
young kids is make sure their items that they're going
to use, whether it's like malemine plates or the little
forks and little spoons or straws of that. Put that
at a bottom drawer where they can reach. So if
(08:35):
you're making things easier for them, then therefore it's easier
for them then to put it away after it's like
come out of the dishwasher or something like that. Starting
little habits like that also things like when they come
home from school. Once we're in that school or primary phase,
my kids always undo their lunchbox, clean their lunch box,
put it on the drying rack, put the lunch box
(08:58):
cooler bag in a spot. You'd be surprised once it
only takes about five days of doing the same thing
with your child and showing them, not just telling them,
I'm saying, we walk them through the step. This is
now your lunch box straw. So after you wash it
and after you'd write, you're then going to put it
in the lunch box straw.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
So it's a part of it loving.
Speaker 4 (09:18):
Which is also I think giving them accountability. But also
people and kids want to do the right thing. We
don't want to do the wrong thing, so that if
they're going to do something that they think they might
be putting in the wrong draw right, they'd rather not
do it at all than do the wrong thing.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
Do you get what I mean?
Speaker 4 (09:38):
So if we give them the right tools of here's
the hook for your school bag and actually show them and.
Speaker 5 (09:43):
Explain, make it a nice and simple for them, correct.
I think that's a really good thing to start. I
actually taught my daughter this weekend. She just turned eleven
how to do the laundry. No, like I'm trusting her,
Like that's a big step for me to let someone
else do the laundry.
Speaker 3 (09:59):
And I've taught her how to put on a load.
Speaker 1 (10:02):
She's loving it.
Speaker 3 (10:04):
Yes, she's loving it.
Speaker 4 (10:05):
She actually the next morning was like, oh mom, look
at me. I actually took to the condensed up.
Speaker 1 (10:10):
Out of the dryer. She took the water, you know,
tip the water out.
Speaker 4 (10:13):
And did the lint tray, put the stuff from the
washing machine.
Speaker 2 (10:17):
I know, I know, she's a thing and you know what,
I think my problem is I need to ditch that.
Oh it's quicker and easier if I do it myself,
because what is then going to happen is once they've
learned how to do it. Yes, the first few times
are frustrating, but once they've got the gist of it,
it's one less thing off your plate. So then you
don't have to do it faster and quicker because you
can concentrate on other things. So I think, like even
(10:39):
that lunch box, like is just mind blowing to me
because that is my most dreaded part of every day
is cleaning up three kids lunchboxes and then washing them
and getting them ready for the next time.
Speaker 3 (10:49):
Make that there.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
I'm a single mum once a single mum too.
Speaker 2 (10:54):
I make them do more. Yes, they's a silver lining. Yes,
they do things quicker because you're like, I don't have time,
you've got a sort of yeah.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
Correct.
Speaker 4 (11:01):
And also again take them on the steps, show them
what your expectations are, because if they know what your
expectations are, Okay, clean, I wash, I put it in
this place, they know they're doing the right thing and
they want to please you.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
Yeah, a lot of kids you want to do.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
When you talk about leaving kids out of the decluttering process,
what is that and why?
Speaker 4 (11:21):
Okay, so from about let's say, when they're born till
about five or six years old, you should know exactly
what they play with and what they like, and also,
for example, you know the size of clothing that they're
wearing and what they've grown.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
Out of up until the age of five.
Speaker 4 (11:36):
I really feel like it's your decision to make that space,
Like you've got to take on that responsibility. You know
exactly what your daughter or your son's favorite toy is,
you're obviously not going to get rid of that. A
really good tip I can give you as well, Say,
for example, if you're using toy baskets and stuff like that,
the top twenty percent is usually the stuff that they
are using and loving. The things that are right at
(11:57):
the bottom. That bottom eighty percent, yeah, is clutter.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
They forget about it, so that can go. It can go,
and now resurface it because then all of a sudden
it's their favorite toy again.
Speaker 1 (12:07):
You have no idea. It's such a rule.
Speaker 4 (12:09):
If I've done a big toy declutter and we've got
all the toys, say ready to go to be donated.
Speaker 1 (12:13):
And I've separated them all and at the front.
Speaker 4 (12:15):
Door, and one of my clients might be like, Okay,
I've got to go pick up the kids and I'll
be back up, but get this out of the front
of because as soon as they walk in, they're like,
if they see one little like a leg of a
barby sticking out, then they just oh, but is it all?
Speaker 2 (12:28):
They have memories attached.
Speaker 4 (12:30):
Correct, they have memories, but these things are tangible.
Speaker 1 (12:33):
Okay, it's those little things.
Speaker 4 (12:35):
It's it's the other things that are sentimental are different
to toys. Yeah, of course, So I would say, definitely
get it out of your house. Do not let them
see it, get rid of it. You as a parent
know what they love and what they don't love. But say,
for example, right now, with my son who just turned thirteen,
the lego he wasn't letting go of.
Speaker 1 (12:52):
Yeah, okay, only a week ago.
Speaker 4 (12:54):
And I've many times done his room and he's like
kept the Arndau books and kept all those you.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
Know, tree house books.
Speaker 4 (13:01):
And only a week ago he said to me, Mum,
I think because every time I've gone into the room,
I'm like, are you ready?
Speaker 1 (13:08):
Can I get rid of the Lego, Please, are we
done with the lego yet?
Speaker 4 (13:11):
And just takes up a lot of room and he'd
be like, no, no, no, because that's a memory fit.
But I think now turning thirteen starting high school has
switched his wants and needs and what he wants in
his space. So I told him this school holidays, you
know what, let's do it. We're going to do it together.
Now I'll include him.
Speaker 3 (13:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (13:31):
So after that, when once they get to an my
daughter was ready to already to clutter with me, probably
at the age of eight. Yeah, she was ready that
I sat with actually did her clothes over the weekend
with her. Yeah, And it was great because we actually
did a pile of clothes that she then sent photos
to her friends. Oh that's not to say along with
their friends, do you want this pair of sneakers? Do
(13:51):
you want this? And then the rest will go to
donation and then the rest will go to also the
school secondhand shop. So but what it felt so good
to do it now I can't tell you because then
I knew what didn't fit her in summer, it's not
going to fit her next summer.
Speaker 1 (14:03):
Suddenly is it? She only gets bigger?
Speaker 3 (14:05):
So off it went, I feel so good.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
This is why I love watching your Instagram, just because
even watching someone else do it feels so good.
Speaker 3 (14:13):
Like I'm like, it's not even my parents, You're not.
I love it.
Speaker 1 (14:16):
And it's not that hard.
Speaker 4 (14:18):
When I say, it's not that hard and it doesn't
take that much time, because I feel like the reward
speaks volumes much more than that. You know, we maybe
did it for three hours, Tyler and I and sitting
down and doing it together. Yeah, and like you know,
and I actually pull out the draws, so say, for example,
if you're trying to do a chest of draws, I'll
pull out the drawer and bring it onto the floor
so we can sit and be comfortable instead of leaning
(14:39):
over if you're uncomfortable.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
Bad idea.
Speaker 2 (14:41):
And I think the idea of doing these things is
so much harder and worse than actually doing it. So,
you know, the three hours and that thing that you've
been wanting to do or thinking about doing for months,
it's done. But also you did it with your daughter,
and then that's time to connect and have those we.
Speaker 1 (14:56):
Had great conversation.
Speaker 4 (14:57):
Actually needs that right now, and I felt that that
was a time to do that. And while we're sitting there,
she's like, oh, you know, this one might like this,
or this one might like But when you were saying,
you were just saying how overwhelming it felt to maybe
to like, that's why you keep putting it off. A
great tip. So let's say, use my daughter's wardrobe for example.
If I said to my daughter, up, we're going to
(15:17):
do your whole wardrobe today, she would yeah, you know,
I've got other things to do. So I said to
tells today, we're going to just do your top drawer
of your little tops.
Speaker 1 (15:27):
Once we started that, she wanted to keep going, Okay,
do you get it?
Speaker 2 (15:32):
But even break it down into that little bit and
save the restira.
Speaker 1 (15:36):
To break it down into bite sized pieces.
Speaker 4 (15:38):
You can break down a room into twenty bite sized pieces.
Speaker 3 (15:42):
Yeah, so you're going on a stroll rather than a
big hike. Correct that? Correct? Love that? All right, we'll
be back after this short break.
Speaker 2 (15:56):
So, Anita, I wanted to ask you about the idea
of family drop zones. And I love this and I'll
get you to explain what it is. But for me,
I'm in a tiny townhouse and two bedrooms. I don't
kind of have any sort of zones. Where you could
drop things that aren't in view. So what do you
do in that case? Okay, smaller space.
Speaker 4 (16:14):
And I've done it before as well. First of all,
I'm already designing something called the launch locker, which is
a smaller version which is actually more narrow than say
the cube system that I've used and hacked before, like
the Ikea hack system.
Speaker 1 (16:26):
If you've seen that, I'm sure you've seen it.
Speaker 4 (16:28):
It's hard sometimes, especially in a small space or in
a terrace, to bring in another piece of furniture.
Speaker 1 (16:34):
Right.
Speaker 4 (16:34):
A really simple way to do it is you can
even attach a drop zone to the back of a door,
of the back of your bedroom, like at the back
of your kid's bedroom door, which you just even have
a couple of really good hooks, a couple of baskets,
a basket for the shoes. The drop zone is really
about giving one central place for when your kids come
home and for when you leave so everything. So it's
(16:57):
not having ten pairs of shoes. You should only have
maybe the soccer booths or the school shoes, and the
sneakers and maybe a pair of flip flops or thongs
during summer, do you know what I mean. We're talking
about that, and then things like their excursion, their sun hat.
Speaker 3 (17:11):
All those every day stuff.
Speaker 1 (17:13):
Every day stuff you need a drop zone.
Speaker 2 (17:16):
Imagine how like even every morning in my house, where
are my shoes?
Speaker 3 (17:20):
Where are my shoes? Or where's this? Where's my bat?
Speaker 1 (17:22):
So by having that, that does not happen in my
house at all.
Speaker 2 (17:24):
Because they know exactly where to go because it's exactly when,
it's exactly so when.
Speaker 4 (17:29):
And that's the whole thing again with the lunch box thing,
because I make the lunch in the morning, but they
know then their lunch boxes already on their drop zones.
Speaker 1 (17:37):
They pop them in their bag. They're water bottles there.
Speaker 4 (17:39):
And I think another thing is also really important now
to add to the drop zone if you have to,
is the charging station. Now I've taken my mine are
not available for my kids. But I do know a
lot of teachers have been riding to me, especially this year,
and either you've got to teach them now because so
many of them will arrive with iPads that are.
Speaker 3 (17:58):
Not charged the shops or laptops and.
Speaker 4 (18:00):
All that kind So I've actually set up a separate
drop zone just for devices now because I don't want
them to have access to it during the night, so
that set up in the office. But then again in
the morning, I know everything's been charged. I put it
on their drop zone.
Speaker 1 (18:15):
That's it.
Speaker 4 (18:16):
It's there, and then they have to put it in
their bag. You need a place for the jacket. You
need a place for extracurricular stuff like the ballet or
the soccer or jiu jitsu, whatever it may be. Every time,
after it's washed, that extracurricular bag then gets put in
the drop zone.
Speaker 3 (18:30):
Love that. So when you're not looking for the soccer,
where's the soccer on Saturday?
Speaker 1 (18:35):
Correct? So you do the wash, put it in the bag.
It's there.
Speaker 4 (18:39):
So and listen again, play around with your drop zone.
It doesn't have to be a cookie cutter drop zone.
Add in an extra hook, add in an extra basket
if that's what you need, and that's what your kids do.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
You know. I've got some clients that kids have four
extra curricular activities.
Speaker 4 (18:53):
Yeah, you know, So we set it up and you
kind of make it your own. And also what I love,
one of my favorite things to do is put a
whiteboard there so then your kids actually can see what
days of the week they have things on. So then
they can even help even more if it's there for
them tomorrow.
Speaker 3 (19:10):
I need my library back tuesdays?
Speaker 2 (19:12):
Is this?
Speaker 1 (19:12):
Yeah? You know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (19:14):
Yeah? Yeah. They should be more and they should be
more in charge of their belonging to the days and
what they did. Yeahuse otherwise are we just doing everything
for them? They're going to be useful.
Speaker 4 (19:23):
I have to tell you my son and my daughter
are two very completely different children when it comes to
being organized, even though they were.
Speaker 1 (19:29):
Brought up raised. Okay, right, my son.
Speaker 4 (19:33):
Is meticulous, meticulous, whereas my daughter is like cancel and gretel,
Like she needs literally stuff all the way through the house.
Speaker 1 (19:43):
I know where she's been.
Speaker 5 (19:44):
Do you know?
Speaker 1 (19:44):
I know exactly where she's been.
Speaker 2 (19:46):
I feel like now that I'm a mum, and so
many days I find myself going, oh my god. My
mom used to say this to me. It's like everywhere
I go, I see pieces of you. I know exactly
where you've been. And I'm like, now that's what I
say to my kids, And I'm like, I'm so sorry, Mom,
Like I'm so sad.
Speaker 1 (20:00):
Okay, so you want me to give you a tip
for that.
Speaker 4 (20:02):
I have a box now, right, It's called the Go
Elsewhere box, anything I find of Tellia's around, if it's
the claw clip, if it's a hair andastic, if it's
a lead pencil on the lounge room floor. Yeah, I
just literally put it in the box and I give
it to her and say you put it away now
where it's supposed to go in your room. I'm not
going to be going around and like, do you know
(20:23):
what I mean? Time is our most important asset. So
if I can teach Talia how to use her time
more valuably, like more valuably, then I've done the right thing.
Speaker 3 (20:32):
It's so good.
Speaker 2 (20:32):
Yes, I'm doing them an injustice by doing everything.
Speaker 3 (20:36):
It's true.
Speaker 1 (20:37):
I'm sorry, it's true. It's true.
Speaker 4 (20:38):
You've got and I've actually learned that the hard way
as well. Whereas in like with Talia being the youngest, yeah,
and she had three older siblings, I really did.
Speaker 1 (20:46):
I think I did too much for her.
Speaker 2 (20:48):
And I know in my head, I'm like, it's just
quicker and it's just done, and then it's less like
less you know, choose your battles, like, oh, like less
having to repeat yourself.
Speaker 3 (20:55):
Yet I'm like, once they know, they know right.
Speaker 4 (20:57):
Yes, And then again, being a single mum was very different.
When I had tolls. You know, she was two when
I separated from my ex husband, so it was really
I almost felt like to compensate for that.
Speaker 1 (21:09):
I was trying to make things easier for her, you know.
Speaker 4 (21:12):
And I think now and also working with single mum's,
blended families all this kind of stuff.
Speaker 1 (21:18):
If we really teach.
Speaker 4 (21:19):
Our kids from the beginning to take responsibility for the
for their items and they take ownership for it, they
actually will take ownership of their whole space.
Speaker 6 (21:27):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (21:28):
I love that.
Speaker 2 (21:28):
It's a life skill that it is.
Speaker 3 (21:30):
Yeah, it really is. You mentioned before the go Elsewhere box.
Speaker 2 (21:34):
Yes, So what are some other strategies for encouraging kids
to keep their rooms tidy or age appropriate responsibility systems
that we can try and get them involved in this
to avoid us doing that constant nagging.
Speaker 4 (21:47):
Okay, so first of all, they go Elsewhere boxes like
a lifesaver.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
I love that the lunch box, the lunchbox.
Speaker 4 (21:53):
When I say the lunch box box, I actually have
an area in my pantry which is called the lunchboxes.
And it's also great because on then school holidays where
you're gonna put them, Yeah, you're going to leave them
on the bag and then hope, or on the bench, yes,
the bench. The bench seems to be the most popular
place of course, so place for the lunchboxes. Also, another
thing I love with the kids is to have like
(22:14):
a homework area that they know library book area is
a really important part of that drop zone area.
Speaker 1 (22:20):
And again just making things.
Speaker 4 (22:21):
At their height, yes, I think makes a big difference
as well. So like if you're going to ask them
to hang there, okay, let's I'll go back to my
daughter hang her towel. Yeah, okay, don't even if you
could see my face reaction right now.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
To the towel.
Speaker 4 (22:36):
Why why it's like her Achilles. I actually become a
joke in our house. Okay, not only did I bring
down the railing, woh, I did at all.
Speaker 1 (22:46):
Tried to make and I think it's only taken with.
Speaker 4 (22:49):
Me for her to put But again you're dealing with
different personalities.
Speaker 1 (22:54):
So again picking your battles, as you know, that's where
I do like pick my battles with my kids.
Speaker 4 (22:59):
But that is and also the donation part with kids
when I'm getting them to let go of toys, and
now I do it with my kids, okay, because I
want them to be part of this process, and I
also want them to learn how to donate and where
things can go absolutely and what is really what can
be repurposed, what can be reused. I think having a
(23:20):
donation box always in every child's cupboard, you have it
there all the time. So that's one of my biggest
tips for parents and also for you kids. So let's say,
for example, you're trying something on, they're like, oh, like,
you know, my son shot up in six months from
like going from small to like literally in six months, I.
Speaker 1 (23:38):
Think you like fifteen centimeters. It was crazy. So all
of his pants were then shorter.
Speaker 4 (23:43):
So instead of putting it on, saying doesn't fit and
putting it back in the drawer of the cupboard, it
goes in the donation.
Speaker 2 (23:49):
Right away, and then it saves that time when you
are doing the wardrobe clean out.
Speaker 3 (23:54):
Correct again, did you I can't exactly.
Speaker 4 (23:58):
Yeah. So a donation box to have going in the
house or in a cupboard at all times, I say,
is necessary in every single person's home, especially with the kids.
Speaker 3 (24:06):
Anita.
Speaker 2 (24:07):
One thing I'm finding is my little storage shed is
just filling up with sentimental boxes of things like kids art,
Like there's so many things where you're like, you don't
want to chuck it out. Obviously you can't donate a
terrible drawing for all of those. And I've even got
like a sentimental bag of like you know, a rumper
(24:28):
and like I've got I've got all the hospital blanket.
When you're a sentimental order, how do you declutter that area?
Speaker 1 (24:40):
Do you can give yourself a sentimental yes?
Speaker 4 (24:44):
So I want to ask you, so you have your
your memory boxes for each child.
Speaker 2 (24:49):
I don't have it in it's it's not that it's
in plastic tubs.
Speaker 3 (24:52):
Okay, plastic tubs, I think.
Speaker 1 (24:54):
Okay, is it a label on it?
Speaker 2 (24:57):
Yes? Okay, they're not up to date, like they're not
for each child. They're in like kid's art.
Speaker 4 (25:04):
Okay, Okay, I'll give you a couple of especially if
it's in the shed, is this an out.
Speaker 2 (25:09):
Theor no, it's undercover parking.
Speaker 3 (25:11):
It's exposed, it's not exposed to their elements.
Speaker 1 (25:14):
Okay, a couple of things.
Speaker 4 (25:15):
If those type of sentimental things, I would say from
births to about beginning of primary school you can do
with just about a fifty two or an eighty liter box.
You have to set yourself parameters and limits. Yeah, okay,
so it's either if it doesn't. So for example, I
have like that's like the baby box and then you'll
(25:36):
see then when they move into the primary school, high school. Yes,
you should not be keeping every single drawer air okay please?
And I know can I ask tell you saying my
mother brought me down years ago my box of paintings
that she had kept from my kindie this is we're
going in the eighties, mate, My mum had kept it,
(25:56):
and I was.
Speaker 2 (25:57):
Like, I don't want that. Yeah, my mother in law
dropped off my heart is trophies, which now sit on
my son's bedside tape.
Speaker 3 (26:03):
I'm like, thank you for.
Speaker 4 (26:05):
More correct, But I was actually like, do you think
that they are going to want to see it again?
Speaker 1 (26:09):
Do you think so?
Speaker 4 (26:10):
Like the things like maybe they made for Mother's Day
or maybe something that you feel that they you know,
some cards are really beautiful, you know.
Speaker 1 (26:18):
My daughter's very creative, or I'll do that.
Speaker 4 (26:20):
But I think really thinking about who is is it
sentimental to you or is it sentimental to them? And
where what's the reason for keeping it? Is it because
you want to be able to show them later?
Speaker 2 (26:31):
It's more just the guilt of like I feel bad
for throwing that.
Speaker 3 (26:35):
Don't feel bad.
Speaker 1 (26:38):
Don't feel bad, don't feel bad because you know what, Yeah,
go for it.
Speaker 2 (26:41):
I was going to say, do you think that someday
you're going to frame it? Because that's id Like that
was a good drawing. One day I'll frame that. But you.
Speaker 4 (26:49):
Know, when they're at kindie and when they're in like
you know, the like they're learning centers and stuff like drawings,
the drawings, and there's a lot of it. And you
know what I learned when because I actually started, like
I said, when my daughter was when I was pregnant,
so I actually went through that whole phase of her
and my son of the time of bringing home every
day the reflections, well are they the reflections that I
(27:11):
think you now get digitally, but we would get it
in paper, so and I would keep the reflections, keep
the reflections. And then I got to the stage of
kind of being like, Okay, why am I keeping this?
Speaker 1 (27:21):
Like what is the reason for all of this? And
when you go through it all, it's not the when.
Speaker 4 (27:27):
And when I was talking to the teachers at the
you know, the cares at the daycare, they actually said
to me, and he does so many people have all
the things and all the all the crafts, all the lego,
all that at home.
Speaker 1 (27:39):
But we actually already provide.
Speaker 4 (27:41):
This at the at the daycare or the you know,
the priest school or whatever, so you don't actually have
to double up on that at home. So those art
things and all that, yes they did it at school.
Yes I want to show you, mum, but that doesn't
mean that's something that they even want.
Speaker 5 (27:55):
You to keep.
Speaker 1 (27:56):
Yeah, you know, stick it on the fridge maybe fine,
And I don't mind doing it.
Speaker 4 (27:59):
I don't mind a little fridge display for a little
bit and then clean off the fridge because they've they've
evolved and they've got something newer to put it.
Speaker 1 (28:07):
Yeah, how old as your children now?
Speaker 2 (28:08):
Thirteen and ten?
Speaker 4 (28:09):
Okay, so you're thirteen year old? Now it's what have
you got now?
Speaker 2 (28:14):
Yeah? Not only memories, but yeah, sometimes he'll do like
a drawing at home. I'm like, that's beautiful.
Speaker 3 (28:19):
Okay.
Speaker 4 (28:19):
So a different box then, is not a memory box,
like let's say, for example, you can actually get a
filing box, which I find has been great and I've
got from you. You can you can start at year
six or year five, doing year one year two, year three.
Speaker 3 (28:30):
I didn't still worked for me, do you mean? Right?
Speaker 4 (28:33):
And so what I did is I put in those
file holders into a filing, like you know with the
gutters that you have those little things on the side,
and I have year five, year six or seventy eight
because most of the things I'm putting in there are
like a certificate or something like that, and then that's
something I feel that then I can hand over to
them when they leave it any one.
Speaker 3 (28:52):
I kept this, but here you go a giant tub.
Speaker 1 (28:55):
Yeah it is.
Speaker 3 (28:56):
But you know what.
Speaker 4 (28:57):
I went into my son's school bag this morning just
to have a little schmooze, and I was like, you
didn't show me you got this certificate of appreciation from
the librarian. And he was like, oh yeah, I think
it was because I was the only one being quiet.
Speaker 3 (29:10):
Trust me.
Speaker 6 (29:11):
I took that out. It was a laminated well it
wasn't just a piece of it was a certificate. I
was like, this isn't you know? It was laminated with
a printed name.
Speaker 2 (29:22):
And it will go well in your filing that's where,
and then I'll put it in that little memory.
Speaker 3 (29:26):
But it was probably under his.
Speaker 4 (29:29):
Screen mate would thrown it out I'm the one.
Speaker 3 (29:32):
That kept it.
Speaker 2 (29:33):
Oh well, Anita, thank you so much for joining us today.
It's been the highlight of my absolute week. And I've
got to see you in the flash rather than at
three am on my phone when I can't. I will
reveal that I definitely am because you're everything I will
never be and.
Speaker 1 (29:48):
I just you can you have got potential? You please
come in.
Speaker 2 (29:57):
Yeah, and also you can just drop into mind for
a while.
Speaker 4 (30:00):
We'll just go on the way from one to the other,
no worries, I'm there.
Speaker 2 (30:03):
Well, thank you so much, and we've just loved chatting
with you today. You well, I'm feeling like more like
I want to just burst home and start implementing. Like me,
I just want to go home now and start doing it. No,
I don't, but can you come to mine after? I
want to do it in my mind, I want to
do it, but I don't actually want to do it.
(30:24):
I'd rather be doing that than being at work.
Speaker 3 (30:26):
Though I'd love for someone to do it for me.
Remember that's what I said.
Speaker 2 (30:29):
If I could have anything for Christmas this year would
be a declutter us or as mine was a personal
assist for life. Yeah yeah, yeah, Well hopefully You guys
have also got a lot out of this episode, and
I'll chat with Anita. Thank you so much for listening
to this glorious mess. We hope you enjoyed the episode,
and if you did, please leave us a rating or review.
This episode was produced by Tina Matlov with audio production
(30:52):
by Jacob Brown.
Speaker 3 (30:53):
To see you next time, I'm fine.
You're listening to a Mamma Mia podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Mamma Mia acknowledges the traditional owners of land and waters
that this podcast is recorded on Hello and welcome to
this glorious mess. We are embracing the chaos together and
ditching the judgment. I'm Teaguinatoley and I love being organized,
(00:35):
but rarely ever, I am so good to have goals Teak,
and I'm Anali Stot. I'm a single parent to a
teen and tween age sons and my house just feels
like it's in a constant state of piles and things.
Oh no, see, this is why today we are so
thrilled to have Anita Burgess on the show. She's the
founder of miss On Plus and one of Australia's leading
(00:58):
professional organizers who has transformed countless chaotic family homes into functional,
peaceful spaces. I am her personal fangirl, yes, and with
her practical approach to tackling everything from toy room disasters
to paperwork nightmares, Anita has become the go to expert
for overwhelmed parents like Moi and looking to regain control
(01:23):
of their homes without losing their minds in the process.
But beyond her hands on decluttering services and expertise. Anita
actually has four kids a blended family, so she definitely
understands tackling household clutter and chaos. That would be a
lot of the different ages too, and having the two
different houses are going between, it's a lot. So her
(01:46):
hacks about finding better, quicker, and easier ways to get
organized have gone viral, so she knows what she's token. Oh,
I know, I've spent many hours deep down her organizational
rabbit holes on Instagram, Like they're just so addictive and
you can't stop watching them because they're just so handy
and helpful. And we need her help and she's coming
(02:07):
in today and we're going to ask her all the things.
But first, here's what's happening in my group chat. Okay,
so one in one of my group chats the other day,
one of my girlfriends asked the chat, does anyone else.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
Have shit neighbors?
Speaker 2 (02:22):
So they've had these new people move in down their street,
well actually next door, I think in their street.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
They're apparently very grubby.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Like don't maintain their house, their gutters, their gardens, but
also steal their male Well don't you mean steal their male?
But their male may axit them, their their deliveries might
accidentally get delivered to them, and they take absolutely no
initiative to return it back to them the thing, Yes,
they kept the things anyway. This made me think, like.
Speaker 3 (02:52):
I do have a really bad neighbor.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
She's an elderly woman and tea. I know it sounds horrible,
but she honestly is she do? Oh she's just like
that typical like one in the street, like like missus
what was it, like mister Wilson from Dennis and Menace,
But like.
Speaker 3 (03:14):
Missus Wilson grumpy.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
You know, she lives alone and like we go above
and beyond to lend a hand or help out or
you know, do what we can. She bites the hand. Oh,
she said, yeah she does. And so that made me one,
did you have any bad neighbors? Not currently, but I
definitely have had bad neighbors. I've been a terrible neighbor
when I was younger, like so awful with parties and music. Oh,
(03:39):
you're one of those annoying neighbors, Like you're the kids
with the family with the kid who always as the parties. No,
I was just like as an adult, Oh, when you
are when you're living on your own currently. I don't
have any bad neighbors. I'm probably the bad neighbor because
with all the like I live very close, you know,
confined houses that are joined, and my house is loud
(03:59):
with music and yelling, and people next to me don't
have kids. So I'm probably the bad neighbor.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
Actually, no, you are a bad neighbor.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
You're the bad neighbor. Okay, you're lighting up my group chats. Yeah,
everyone else is on my streak.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
Actually, what street do you live in? Maybe this is
what she's just talking about. How your gunners looking terrible?
Speaker 2 (04:21):
All right, well, look, I'm very very excited for our
guests today, Anita Burgers. I have ended up down many
a rabbit holes on your Instagram mes on plus because
you are an organizational queen and I like you who
I aspire to be.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
But no, I never will got I've got so far.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
To go, you'd be you'd be surprised how easy it
is to get.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
Well, this is the thing. So this is why I
love all the things you do. And I end up
watching your videos for hours because I'm like, that is
so simple, so smart, so clever. But I would have
never thought of that. So that's why you're here to
think of all of those things us and I thank
you for us by osmosis.
Speaker 3 (04:59):
Yes, I'm just in your presence today.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
I know.
Speaker 4 (05:02):
My mutto is actually this year is learned something new
every day. Okay, that has been my mutto.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
So every day go to Anita's Instagram and I would
teach you something new. So you tell us a little
bit about yourself, about your family, about what you.
Speaker 3 (05:16):
Do every day. Okay.
Speaker 4 (05:17):
So basically I started my business when I was actually
pregnant with my second child.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
Can you believe it?
Speaker 4 (05:22):
I actually did my first decluttering session. I think I
was about seven months they were, yeah, and I kind
of was like at that period of what do I
want to do with my life, like when you become
a mum, and it's like, you know, I was in
the restaurant business. That's how I had my name meson plus,
which is actually a restaurant term for everything in its place.
(05:42):
So I was in hospitality for a long time and
then I kind of pivoted to real estate and then
you're kind of like, how can I juggle the kids
and work? And maybe I need to pivot. And I
really am not afraid of the pivot. Okay, So I
started like decluttering and doing all this kind of stuff
like in real estate to prepare people's homes for sale,
(06:04):
right right.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
And I didn't know.
Speaker 3 (06:06):
I enjoy this kind of thing, loved it, but I
didn't know there.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
Was even a term.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
Yeah right.
Speaker 4 (06:10):
I had to actually google one night. I was like,
what exactly am I doing? So the real estate part
I loved, the preparing of the home for sale, didn't
like the selling of.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
The real estate part. Didn't like that game.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
There you go, I know. So it was the launching
pad into figuring it out right correct, So I.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
Think I had to go along those steps.
Speaker 4 (06:29):
And then when I was pregnant with Tyler, actually somebody
put up on one of those mum's Facebook pages, does
anyone have an idea of how I can actually get.
Speaker 1 (06:39):
Rid of things from my home?
Speaker 4 (06:40):
And I kind of googled, Oh, there's something called decluttering
and it's actually professional organizing.
Speaker 1 (06:45):
And it was very popular in the states that had
started here. It was very new.
Speaker 4 (06:49):
Actually, the first article that was ever written was a
Mum and mea article of me in twenty sixteen, and
the tagline was, did you know you can get somebody
to organize your pantrick.
Speaker 1 (06:59):
And don't you think how far it has come? Right?
Speaker 4 (07:02):
Okay, So from that I have got my kids are
now eleven, thirteen, fifteen, eight, So it sounds like lottery numbers,
but sometimes remember.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
Which you know.
Speaker 4 (07:15):
And we're a blended family, so two of two are
mine and two of my husbands. So I've been able
to really engage in all the stages from baby to toddler,
to primary to twin to hormonal changes to like and
it really is about getting into the routine of it
all to try and help everyone in the.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
Family understanding what each person in the family needs in
their space.
Speaker 4 (07:41):
Correct, because you know what, every family, every home, every
space is different. So what might work for you in
your home, like I can give you some great tips,
might not work for you.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
Yeah, do you know what I mean?
Speaker 5 (07:53):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (07:54):
Because I think as parents, it's like it's not even decluttering,
it's just keeping the house tidy because kids have so
many things and sports bags and instruments and footy shoes, like,
and it just feels like it's literally caving in on
top of the top of it. How do you what's
your philosop Managing that for parents is routine.
Speaker 4 (08:13):
First of all, with the kids, it's got to be
about routine. Now, whether you start them young, like say,
for example, when you're organizing your kitchen, and if you
just want to start off with something very simple with
young kids is make sure their items that they're going
to use, whether it's like malemine plates or the little
forks and little spoons or straws of that. Put that
at a bottom drawer where they can reach. So if
(08:35):
you're making things easier for them, then therefore it's easier
for them then to put it away after it's like
come out of the dishwasher or something like that. Starting
little habits like that also things like when they come
home from school. Once we're in that school or primary phase,
my kids always undo their lunchbox, clean their lunch box,
put it on the drying rack, put the lunch box
(08:58):
cooler bag in a spot. You'd be surprised once it
only takes about five days of doing the same thing
with your child and showing them, not just telling them,
I'm saying, we walk them through the step. This is
now your lunch box straw. So after you wash it
and after you'd write, you're then going to put it
in the lunch box straw.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
So it's a part of it loving.
Speaker 4 (09:18):
Which is also I think giving them accountability. But also
people and kids want to do the right thing. We
don't want to do the wrong thing, so that if
they're going to do something that they think they might
be putting in the wrong draw right, they'd rather not
do it at all than do the wrong thing.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
Do you get what I mean?
Speaker 4 (09:38):
So if we give them the right tools of here's
the hook for your school bag and actually show them and.
Speaker 5 (09:43):
Explain, make it a nice and simple for them, correct.
I think that's a really good thing to start. I
actually taught my daughter this weekend. She just turned eleven
how to do the laundry. No, like I'm trusting her,
Like that's a big step for me to let someone
else do the laundry.
Speaker 3 (09:59):
And I've taught her how to put on a load.
Speaker 1 (10:02):
She's loving it.
Speaker 3 (10:04):
Yes, she's loving it.
Speaker 4 (10:05):
She actually the next morning was like, oh mom, look
at me. I actually took to the condensed up.
Speaker 1 (10:10):
Out of the dryer. She took the water, you know,
tip the water out.
Speaker 4 (10:13):
And did the lint tray, put the stuff from the
washing machine.
Speaker 2 (10:17):
I know, I know, she's a thing and you know what,
I think my problem is I need to ditch that.
Oh it's quicker and easier if I do it myself,
because what is then going to happen is once they've
learned how to do it. Yes, the first few times
are frustrating, but once they've got the gist of it,
it's one less thing off your plate. So then you
don't have to do it faster and quicker because you
can concentrate on other things. So I think, like even
(10:39):
that lunch box, like is just mind blowing to me
because that is my most dreaded part of every day
is cleaning up three kids lunchboxes and then washing them
and getting them ready for the next time.
Speaker 3 (10:49):
Make that there.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
I'm a single mum once a single mum too.
Speaker 2 (10:54):
I make them do more. Yes, they's a silver lining. Yes,
they do things quicker because you're like, I don't have time,
you've got a sort of yeah.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
Correct.
Speaker 4 (11:01):
And also again take them on the steps, show them
what your expectations are, because if they know what your
expectations are, Okay, clean, I wash, I put it in
this place, they know they're doing the right thing and
they want to please you.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
Yeah, a lot of kids you want to do.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
When you talk about leaving kids out of the decluttering process,
what is that and why?
Speaker 4 (11:21):
Okay, so from about let's say, when they're born till
about five or six years old, you should know exactly
what they play with and what they like, and also,
for example, you know the size of clothing that they're
wearing and what they've grown.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
Out of up until the age of five.
Speaker 4 (11:36):
I really feel like it's your decision to make that space,
Like you've got to take on that responsibility. You know
exactly what your daughter or your son's favorite toy is,
you're obviously not going to get rid of that. A
really good tip I can give you as well, Say,
for example, if you're using toy baskets and stuff like that,
the top twenty percent is usually the stuff that they
are using and loving. The things that are right at
(11:57):
the bottom. That bottom eighty percent, yeah, is clutter.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
They forget about it, so that can go. It can go,
and now resurface it because then all of a sudden
it's their favorite toy again.
Speaker 1 (12:07):
You have no idea. It's such a rule.
Speaker 4 (12:09):
If I've done a big toy declutter and we've got
all the toys, say ready to go to be donated.
Speaker 1 (12:13):
And I've separated them all and at the front.
Speaker 4 (12:15):
Door, and one of my clients might be like, Okay,
I've got to go pick up the kids and I'll
be back up, but get this out of the front
of because as soon as they walk in, they're like,
if they see one little like a leg of a
barby sticking out, then they just oh, but is it all?
Speaker 2 (12:28):
They have memories attached.
Speaker 4 (12:30):
Correct, they have memories, but these things are tangible.
Speaker 1 (12:33):
Okay, it's those little things.
Speaker 4 (12:35):
It's it's the other things that are sentimental are different
to toys. Yeah, of course, So I would say, definitely
get it out of your house. Do not let them
see it, get rid of it. You as a parent
know what they love and what they don't love. But say,
for example, right now, with my son who just turned thirteen,
the lego he wasn't letting go of.
Speaker 1 (12:52):
Yeah, okay, only a week ago.
Speaker 4 (12:54):
And I've many times done his room and he's like
kept the Arndau books and kept all those you.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
Know, tree house books.
Speaker 4 (13:01):
And only a week ago he said to me, Mum,
I think because every time I've gone into the room,
I'm like, are you ready?
Speaker 1 (13:08):
Can I get rid of the Lego, Please, are we
done with the lego yet?
Speaker 4 (13:11):
And just takes up a lot of room and he'd
be like, no, no, no, because that's a memory fit.
But I think now turning thirteen starting high school has
switched his wants and needs and what he wants in
his space. So I told him this school holidays, you
know what, let's do it. We're going to do it together.
Now I'll include him.
Speaker 3 (13:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (13:31):
So after that, when once they get to an my
daughter was ready to already to clutter with me, probably
at the age of eight. Yeah, she was ready that
I sat with actually did her clothes over the weekend
with her. Yeah, And it was great because we actually
did a pile of clothes that she then sent photos
to her friends. Oh that's not to say along with
their friends, do you want this pair of sneakers? Do
(13:51):
you want this? And then the rest will go to
donation and then the rest will go to also the
school secondhand shop. So but what it felt so good
to do it now I can't tell you because then
I knew what didn't fit her in summer, it's not
going to fit her next summer.
Speaker 1 (14:03):
Suddenly is it? She only gets bigger?
Speaker 3 (14:05):
So off it went, I feel so good.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
This is why I love watching your Instagram, just because
even watching someone else do it feels so good.
Speaker 3 (14:13):
Like I'm like, it's not even my parents, You're not.
I love it.
Speaker 1 (14:16):
And it's not that hard.
Speaker 4 (14:18):
When I say, it's not that hard and it doesn't
take that much time, because I feel like the reward
speaks volumes much more than that. You know, we maybe
did it for three hours, Tyler and I and sitting
down and doing it together. Yeah, and like you know,
and I actually pull out the draws, so say, for example,
if you're trying to do a chest of draws, I'll
pull out the drawer and bring it onto the floor
so we can sit and be comfortable instead of leaning
(14:39):
over if you're uncomfortable.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
Bad idea.
Speaker 2 (14:41):
And I think the idea of doing these things is
so much harder and worse than actually doing it. So,
you know, the three hours and that thing that you've
been wanting to do or thinking about doing for months,
it's done. But also you did it with your daughter,
and then that's time to connect and have those we.
Speaker 1 (14:56):
Had great conversation.
Speaker 4 (14:57):
Actually needs that right now, and I felt that that
was a time to do that. And while we're sitting there,
she's like, oh, you know, this one might like this,
or this one might like But when you were saying,
you were just saying how overwhelming it felt to maybe
to like, that's why you keep putting it off. A
great tip. So let's say, use my daughter's wardrobe for example.
If I said to my daughter, up, we're going to
(15:17):
do your whole wardrobe today, she would yeah, you know,
I've got other things to do. So I said to
tells today, we're going to just do your top drawer
of your little tops.
Speaker 1 (15:27):
Once we started that, she wanted to keep going, Okay,
do you get it?
Speaker 2 (15:32):
But even break it down into that little bit and
save the restira.
Speaker 1 (15:36):
To break it down into bite sized pieces.
Speaker 4 (15:38):
You can break down a room into twenty bite sized pieces.
Speaker 3 (15:42):
Yeah, so you're going on a stroll rather than a
big hike. Correct that? Correct? Love that? All right, we'll
be back after this short break.
Speaker 2 (15:56):
So, Anita, I wanted to ask you about the idea
of family drop zones. And I love this and I'll
get you to explain what it is. But for me,
I'm in a tiny townhouse and two bedrooms. I don't
kind of have any sort of zones. Where you could
drop things that aren't in view. So what do you
do in that case? Okay, smaller space.
Speaker 4 (16:14):
And I've done it before as well. First of all,
I'm already designing something called the launch locker, which is
a smaller version which is actually more narrow than say
the cube system that I've used and hacked before, like
the Ikea hack system.
Speaker 1 (16:26):
If you've seen that, I'm sure you've seen it.
Speaker 4 (16:28):
It's hard sometimes, especially in a small space or in
a terrace, to bring in another piece of furniture.
Speaker 1 (16:34):
Right.
Speaker 4 (16:34):
A really simple way to do it is you can
even attach a drop zone to the back of a door,
of the back of your bedroom, like at the back
of your kid's bedroom door, which you just even have
a couple of really good hooks, a couple of baskets,
a basket for the shoes. The drop zone is really
about giving one central place for when your kids come
home and for when you leave so everything. So it's
(16:57):
not having ten pairs of shoes. You should only have
maybe the soccer booths or the school shoes, and the
sneakers and maybe a pair of flip flops or thongs
during summer, do you know what I mean. We're talking
about that, and then things like their excursion, their sun hat.
Speaker 3 (17:11):
All those every day stuff.
Speaker 1 (17:13):
Every day stuff you need a drop zone.
Speaker 2 (17:16):
Imagine how like even every morning in my house, where
are my shoes?
Speaker 3 (17:20):
Where are my shoes? Or where's this? Where's my bat?
Speaker 1 (17:22):
So by having that, that does not happen in my
house at all.
Speaker 2 (17:24):
Because they know exactly where to go because it's exactly when,
it's exactly so when.
Speaker 4 (17:29):
And that's the whole thing again with the lunch box thing,
because I make the lunch in the morning, but they
know then their lunch boxes already on their drop zones.
Speaker 1 (17:37):
They pop them in their bag. They're water bottles there.
Speaker 4 (17:39):
And I think another thing is also really important now
to add to the drop zone if you have to,
is the charging station. Now I've taken my mine are
not available for my kids. But I do know a
lot of teachers have been riding to me, especially this year,
and either you've got to teach them now because so
many of them will arrive with iPads that are.
Speaker 3 (17:58):
Not charged the shops or laptops and.
Speaker 4 (18:00):
All that kind So I've actually set up a separate
drop zone just for devices now because I don't want
them to have access to it during the night, so
that set up in the office. But then again in
the morning, I know everything's been charged. I put it
on their drop zone.
Speaker 1 (18:15):
That's it.
Speaker 4 (18:16):
It's there, and then they have to put it in
their bag. You need a place for the jacket. You
need a place for extracurricular stuff like the ballet or
the soccer or jiu jitsu, whatever it may be. Every time,
after it's washed, that extracurricular bag then gets put in
the drop zone.
Speaker 3 (18:30):
Love that. So when you're not looking for the soccer,
where's the soccer on Saturday?
Speaker 1 (18:35):
Correct? So you do the wash, put it in the bag.
It's there.
Speaker 4 (18:39):
So and listen again, play around with your drop zone.
It doesn't have to be a cookie cutter drop zone.
Add in an extra hook, add in an extra basket
if that's what you need, and that's what your kids do.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
You know. I've got some clients that kids have four
extra curricular activities.
Speaker 4 (18:53):
Yeah, you know, So we set it up and you
kind of make it your own. And also what I love,
one of my favorite things to do is put a
whiteboard there so then your kids actually can see what
days of the week they have things on. So then
they can even help even more if it's there for
them tomorrow.
Speaker 3 (19:10):
I need my library back tuesdays?
Speaker 2 (19:12):
Is this?
Speaker 1 (19:12):
Yeah? You know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (19:14):
Yeah? Yeah. They should be more and they should be
more in charge of their belonging to the days and
what they did. Yeahuse otherwise are we just doing everything
for them? They're going to be useful.
Speaker 4 (19:23):
I have to tell you my son and my daughter
are two very completely different children when it comes to
being organized, even though they were.
Speaker 1 (19:29):
Brought up raised. Okay, right, my son.
Speaker 4 (19:33):
Is meticulous, meticulous, whereas my daughter is like cancel and gretel,
Like she needs literally stuff all the way through the house.
Speaker 1 (19:43):
I know where she's been.
Speaker 5 (19:44):
Do you know?
Speaker 1 (19:44):
I know exactly where she's been.
Speaker 2 (19:46):
I feel like now that I'm a mum, and so
many days I find myself going, oh my god. My
mom used to say this to me. It's like everywhere
I go, I see pieces of you. I know exactly
where you've been. And I'm like, now that's what I
say to my kids, And I'm like, I'm so sorry, Mom,
Like I'm so sad.
Speaker 1 (20:00):
Okay, so you want me to give you a tip
for that.
Speaker 4 (20:02):
I have a box now, right, It's called the Go
Elsewhere box, anything I find of Tellia's around, if it's
the claw clip, if it's a hair andastic, if it's
a lead pencil on the lounge room floor. Yeah, I
just literally put it in the box and I give
it to her and say you put it away now
where it's supposed to go in your room. I'm not
going to be going around and like, do you know
(20:23):
what I mean? Time is our most important asset. So
if I can teach Talia how to use her time
more valuably, like more valuably, then I've done the right thing.
Speaker 3 (20:32):
It's so good.
Speaker 2 (20:32):
Yes, I'm doing them an injustice by doing everything.
Speaker 3 (20:36):
It's true.
Speaker 1 (20:37):
I'm sorry, it's true. It's true.
Speaker 4 (20:38):
You've got and I've actually learned that the hard way
as well. Whereas in like with Talia being the youngest, yeah,
and she had three older siblings, I really did.
Speaker 1 (20:46):
I think I did too much for her.
Speaker 2 (20:48):
And I know in my head, I'm like, it's just
quicker and it's just done, and then it's less like
less you know, choose your battles, like, oh, like less
having to repeat yourself.
Speaker 3 (20:55):
Yet I'm like, once they know, they know right.
Speaker 4 (20:57):
Yes, And then again, being a single mum was very different.
When I had tolls. You know, she was two when
I separated from my ex husband, so it was really
I almost felt like to compensate for that.
Speaker 1 (21:09):
I was trying to make things easier for her, you know.
Speaker 4 (21:12):
And I think now and also working with single mum's,
blended families all this kind of stuff.
Speaker 1 (21:18):
If we really teach.
Speaker 4 (21:19):
Our kids from the beginning to take responsibility for the
for their items and they take ownership for it, they
actually will take ownership of their whole space.
Speaker 6 (21:27):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (21:28):
I love that.
Speaker 2 (21:28):
It's a life skill that it is.
Speaker 3 (21:30):
Yeah, it really is. You mentioned before the go Elsewhere box.
Speaker 2 (21:34):
Yes, So what are some other strategies for encouraging kids
to keep their rooms tidy or age appropriate responsibility systems
that we can try and get them involved in this
to avoid us doing that constant nagging.
Speaker 4 (21:47):
Okay, so first of all, they go Elsewhere boxes like
a lifesaver.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
I love that the lunch box, the lunchbox.
Speaker 4 (21:53):
When I say the lunch box box, I actually have
an area in my pantry which is called the lunchboxes.
And it's also great because on then school holidays where
you're gonna put them, Yeah, you're going to leave them
on the bag and then hope, or on the bench, yes,
the bench. The bench seems to be the most popular
place of course, so place for the lunchboxes. Also, another
thing I love with the kids is to have like
(22:14):
a homework area that they know library book area is
a really important part of that drop zone area.
Speaker 1 (22:20):
And again just making things.
Speaker 4 (22:21):
At their height, yes, I think makes a big difference
as well. So like if you're going to ask them
to hang there, okay, let's I'll go back to my
daughter hang her towel. Yeah, okay, don't even if you
could see my face reaction right now.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
To the towel.
Speaker 4 (22:36):
Why why it's like her Achilles. I actually become a
joke in our house. Okay, not only did I bring
down the railing, woh, I did at all.
Speaker 1 (22:46):
Tried to make and I think it's only taken with.
Speaker 4 (22:49):
Me for her to put But again you're dealing with
different personalities.
Speaker 1 (22:54):
So again picking your battles, as you know, that's where
I do like pick my battles with my kids.
Speaker 4 (22:59):
But that is and also the donation part with kids
when I'm getting them to let go of toys, and
now I do it with my kids, okay, because I
want them to be part of this process, and I
also want them to learn how to donate and where
things can go absolutely and what is really what can
be repurposed, what can be reused. I think having a
(23:20):
donation box always in every child's cupboard, you have it
there all the time. So that's one of my biggest
tips for parents and also for you kids. So let's say,
for example, you're trying something on, they're like, oh, like,
you know, my son shot up in six months from
like going from small to like literally in six months, I.
Speaker 1 (23:38):
Think you like fifteen centimeters. It was crazy. So all
of his pants were then shorter.
Speaker 4 (23:43):
So instead of putting it on, saying doesn't fit and
putting it back in the drawer of the cupboard, it
goes in the donation.
Speaker 2 (23:49):
Right away, and then it saves that time when you
are doing the wardrobe clean out.
Speaker 3 (23:54):
Correct again, did you I can't exactly.
Speaker 4 (23:58):
Yeah. So a donation box to have going in the
house or in a cupboard at all times, I say,
is necessary in every single person's home, especially with the kids.
Speaker 3 (24:06):
Anita.
Speaker 2 (24:07):
One thing I'm finding is my little storage shed is
just filling up with sentimental boxes of things like kids art,
Like there's so many things where you're like, you don't
want to chuck it out. Obviously you can't donate a
terrible drawing for all of those. And I've even got
like a sentimental bag of like you know, a rumper
(24:28):
and like I've got I've got all the hospital blanket.
When you're a sentimental order, how do you declutter that area?
Speaker 1 (24:40):
Do you can give yourself a sentimental yes?
Speaker 4 (24:44):
So I want to ask you, so you have your
your memory boxes for each child.
Speaker 2 (24:49):
I don't have it in it's it's not that it's
in plastic tubs.
Speaker 3 (24:52):
Okay, plastic tubs, I think.
Speaker 1 (24:54):
Okay, is it a label on it?
Speaker 2 (24:57):
Yes? Okay, they're not up to date, like they're not
for each child. They're in like kid's art.
Speaker 4 (25:04):
Okay, Okay, I'll give you a couple of especially if
it's in the shed, is this an out.
Speaker 2 (25:09):
Theor no, it's undercover parking.
Speaker 3 (25:11):
It's exposed, it's not exposed to their elements.
Speaker 1 (25:14):
Okay, a couple of things.
Speaker 4 (25:15):
If those type of sentimental things, I would say from
births to about beginning of primary school you can do
with just about a fifty two or an eighty liter box.
You have to set yourself parameters and limits. Yeah, okay,
so it's either if it doesn't. So for example, I
have like that's like the baby box and then you'll
(25:36):
see then when they move into the primary school, high school. Yes,
you should not be keeping every single drawer air okay please?
And I know can I ask tell you saying my
mother brought me down years ago my box of paintings
that she had kept from my kindie this is we're
going in the eighties, mate, My mum had kept it,
(25:56):
and I was.
Speaker 2 (25:57):
Like, I don't want that. Yeah, my mother in law
dropped off my heart is trophies, which now sit on
my son's bedside tape.
Speaker 3 (26:03):
I'm like, thank you for.
Speaker 4 (26:05):
More correct, But I was actually like, do you think
that they are going to want to see it again?
Speaker 1 (26:09):
Do you think so?
Speaker 4 (26:10):
Like the things like maybe they made for Mother's Day
or maybe something that you feel that they you know,
some cards are really beautiful, you know.
Speaker 1 (26:18):
My daughter's very creative, or I'll do that.
Speaker 4 (26:20):
But I think really thinking about who is is it
sentimental to you or is it sentimental to them? And
where what's the reason for keeping it? Is it because
you want to be able to show them later?
Speaker 2 (26:31):
It's more just the guilt of like I feel bad
for throwing that.
Speaker 3 (26:35):
Don't feel bad.
Speaker 1 (26:38):
Don't feel bad, don't feel bad because you know what, Yeah,
go for it.
Speaker 2 (26:41):
I was going to say, do you think that someday
you're going to frame it? Because that's id Like that
was a good drawing. One day I'll frame that. But you.
Speaker 4 (26:49):
Know, when they're at kindie and when they're in like
you know, the like they're learning centers and stuff like drawings,
the drawings, and there's a lot of it. And you
know what I learned when because I actually started, like
I said, when my daughter was when I was pregnant,
so I actually went through that whole phase of her
and my son of the time of bringing home every
day the reflections, well are they the reflections that I
(27:11):
think you now get digitally, but we would get it
in paper, so and I would keep the reflections, keep
the reflections. And then I got to the stage of
kind of being like, Okay, why am I keeping this?
Speaker 1 (27:21):
Like what is the reason for all of this? And
when you go through it all, it's not the when.
Speaker 4 (27:27):
And when I was talking to the teachers at the
you know, the cares at the daycare, they actually said
to me, and he does so many people have all
the things and all the all the crafts, all the lego,
all that at home.
Speaker 1 (27:39):
But we actually already provide.
Speaker 4 (27:41):
This at the at the daycare or the you know,
the priest school or whatever, so you don't actually have
to double up on that at home. So those art
things and all that, yes they did it at school.
Yes I want to show you, mum, but that doesn't
mean that's something that they even want.
Speaker 5 (27:55):
You to keep.
Speaker 1 (27:56):
Yeah, you know, stick it on the fridge maybe fine,
And I don't mind doing it.
Speaker 4 (27:59):
I don't mind a little fridge display for a little
bit and then clean off the fridge because they've they've
evolved and they've got something newer to put it.
Speaker 1 (28:07):
Yeah, how old as your children now?
Speaker 2 (28:08):
Thirteen and ten?
Speaker 4 (28:09):
Okay, so you're thirteen year old? Now it's what have
you got now?
Speaker 2 (28:14):
Yeah? Not only memories, but yeah, sometimes he'll do like
a drawing at home. I'm like, that's beautiful.
Speaker 3 (28:19):
Okay.
Speaker 4 (28:19):
So a different box then, is not a memory box,
like let's say, for example, you can actually get a
filing box, which I find has been great and I've
got from you. You can you can start at year
six or year five, doing year one year two, year three.
Speaker 3 (28:30):
I didn't still worked for me, do you mean? Right?
Speaker 4 (28:33):
And so what I did is I put in those
file holders into a filing, like you know with the
gutters that you have those little things on the side,
and I have year five, year six or seventy eight
because most of the things I'm putting in there are
like a certificate or something like that, and then that's
something I feel that then I can hand over to
them when they leave it any one.
Speaker 3 (28:52):
I kept this, but here you go a giant tub.
Speaker 1 (28:55):
Yeah it is.
Speaker 3 (28:56):
But you know what.
Speaker 4 (28:57):
I went into my son's school bag this morning just
to have a little schmooze, and I was like, you
didn't show me you got this certificate of appreciation from
the librarian. And he was like, oh yeah, I think
it was because I was the only one being quiet.
Speaker 3 (29:10):
Trust me.
Speaker 6 (29:11):
I took that out. It was a laminated well it
wasn't just a piece of it was a certificate. I
was like, this isn't you know? It was laminated with
a printed name.
Speaker 2 (29:22):
And it will go well in your filing that's where,
and then I'll put it in that little memory.
Speaker 3 (29:26):
But it was probably under his.
Speaker 4 (29:29):
Screen mate would thrown it out I'm the one.
Speaker 3 (29:32):
That kept it.
Speaker 2 (29:33):
Oh well, Anita, thank you so much for joining us today.
It's been the highlight of my absolute week. And I've
got to see you in the flash rather than at
three am on my phone when I can't. I will
reveal that I definitely am because you're everything I will
never be and.
Speaker 1 (29:48):
I just you can you have got potential? You please
come in.
Speaker 2 (29:57):
Yeah, and also you can just drop into mind for
a while.
Speaker 4 (30:00):
We'll just go on the way from one to the other,
no worries, I'm there.
Speaker 2 (30:03):
Well, thank you so much, and we've just loved chatting
with you today. You well, I'm feeling like more like
I want to just burst home and start implementing. Like me,
I just want to go home now and start doing it. No,
I don't, but can you come to mine after? I
want to do it in my mind, I want to
do it, but I don't actually want to do it.
(30:24):
I'd rather be doing that than being at work.
Speaker 3 (30:26):
Though I'd love for someone to do it for me.
Remember that's what I said.
Speaker 2 (30:29):
If I could have anything for Christmas this year would
be a declutter us or as mine was a personal
assist for life. Yeah yeah, yeah, Well hopefully You guys
have also got a lot out of this episode, and
I'll chat with Anita. Thank you so much for listening
to this glorious mess. We hope you enjoyed the episode,
and if you did, please leave us a rating or review.
This episode was produced by Tina Matlov with audio production
(30:52):
by Jacob Brown.
Speaker 3 (30:53):
To see you next time, I'm fine.
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