Without Being Asked: How Can Dads and Kids Help Organize and Declutter to Reduce Family Burnout? (Unabridged‪)‬

Moms didn’t ask to be the household manager, yet many find themselves coming home from work to a team that struggles to help. Other handbooks put the onus on mom to figure out how to motivate the team, but what if dad and the kids got together and figured it out for themselves? What would it be like to no longer have to ask for things to happen, but they happened because that’s just the standard – clear counters, floors, and a clutter-free environment?

In Without Being Asked: How Can Dads and Kids Help Around the House to Reduce Burnout?, a pharmacist dad and his triplet eight-year-old daughters work to find their own decluttering way. After a few weeks of missteps, the house now remains consistently clutter free. Progress continues on new organizing projects and the general level of stress and anxiety that comes with a multiple-kid household is much lower.

Imagine after a long day at work, having a completely uncluttered walk from the entrance of the house to the bedroom. The kitchen countertops and floors are clear of clutter, the kids’ coats and shoes are on hangers and in cubbies, and the laundry baskets stand empty. You ask your kids why their hair is wet; they say, “Dad gave us baths.” Then, when you ask about dinner and homework, they say, “Maybe you need to relax in the bath, Mom, we already finished it. By the way, Dad left some food for you in the fridge.”