Clean up made easy

okay at least a little bit easier.  One of my New Year's resolutions is to become more organized (our home, schedule, etc.)  If any of you know me or have followed me for a while probably know this is going to take a miracle for me to accomplish.  I am hoping as I go along I will find a system that works for me (someone who is not naturally organized, can't keep her house clean, and thinks schedules and plans aren't very fun).  I am sure none of you can relate :)  but hopefully there will be a trick or tip that you find useful and of course please share you ideas with me. 

So here is the first thing I have done that I absolutely love.  It makes cleaning up so quick and easy.

Here's my supplies:a laundry basket, a grocery sack, and a small bucket (or whatever you have around your house)

Pick a room to start in.  toss all of the trash in the grocery sack, all of the little items such as buttons, crayons, legos,etc. into the little bucket, and everything that doesn't belong in that room in the laundry basket.  Straighten up the rest of the room (if you are like me there probably isn't a whole lot left to do).  If you basket is pretty full its time to empty it.  I glance to see what I have in there and then do a circle around my house stopping at each room and dropping off what belongs in there.  Then carry your supplies to the next room. 

This may not seem like much but it eliminates the multiple trips in and out of the room.  I often get distracted on these little trips and start cleaning other spots or doing something else and the end result is nothing really gets finished.  This system keeps me focused and  rooms get finished.  It also eliminates little piles that I would normally worry about later by being able to toss them into the laundry basket or garbage keeps everything under control.