DOOM!

Now that I'm a stay-at-home momma once again I

am trying VERY hard to keep my house clean, neat, clutter-free and company-ready all the time.

With three kids, y'all, that is very hard to do. I found myself constantly picking up the kids' stuff and making a little pile somewhere in the living room and then yelling - I mean, gently reminding them - for the objects to be removed from my sight.

So one day while the little darlings were at school I got this brilliant idea. I took an old box, covered it in wrapping paper and then got out my trusty Sharpie marker - I created The Box of the Doomed.

It clearly states on the side of the box the fate of objects found inside.

Simply put - if I find it out of its place, I put it in the box of the doomed. After 24 hours, that object is destroyed. Plain and simple.

Now, instead of constantly gently reminding my children to pick up the things I've gathered throughout the day or after they've gone to bed, it just goes in the box.

Here's the really awesome part - I have yet to actually throw anything away. The kids check it in the morning before school for things I might find after they go to bed. They also check it as soon as they come in from school for things I find during the day. I'm also finding that over time, the amount of objects going into the box is less and less. Glory be, they are actually PICKING UP THEIR STUFF. Added bonus - they're looking out for each other and letting a sibling know if something of theirs is in the box.

Hey, it works for me.

Check out other Works for Me Wednesday posts over at Shannon's blog.