Organizing Our Chaos

As a mom of three wild boys, there are days I feel like I'm constantly breaking up fights or picking up after everyone.  Actually, most days are like that!  I'll admit that I'm not the most organized person - I'd rather pile than file, I have 5 calendars - none of them are completely in sync and there are many birthday presents that are bought while on the way to the party!  BUT, there is one thing I do in my house that has helped organize my boys and eliminate some of the fighting.

Color-Coding!

I decided a few years ago that we would color code common items.  

Blue for The Chief, green for Con-man, and red for Monkey-man.  

The colors are used for towels, wash cloths, cups, plates, bowls, lunch boxes, folders, Christmas wrapping paper, even some toys.  We don't color code clothes because it's easy enough to distinguish the sizes right now and we LOVE hand-me-downs in this house!  

Why I love this system:

Before Color-coding:

Me: Who left their wet towels on the floor?!

Chief: Not me, must have been Monkey-man.

Monkey-man: Nuh uh!  Con-man!

Con-man: I didn't even take a shower!

Me: If someone doesn't get in there RIGHT NOW, you're all in trouble.

(And guess who usually had to go in there.  That's right, me.)

After Color-coding:

Me: Chief - you left your towel on the floor.

Chief: How do you know?!

Me: It's Blue.  Pick it up.

Ahhh, so much nicer.  Same goes for dishes left out on the table or counter, lunch boxes with food left inside, etc.  And speaking of dishes - it's so nice to hand each boy a cup to use all day without them fighting about which belongs to them, someone slobbering on their cup and spreading cooties!  

Well, not cooties - in this house we say that only girls have cooties.  Have to keep those girls away from my boys for as long as possible.