It's officially the New Year. This of course means we will be barraged with messages to get healthy. But in recent years I've noticed the new year brings a big push to get organized.

Quick! Hide away the holidays away in various sized organizational tubs with color coded lids!

But it's a new year, a clean slate. It is time to get organized. But I find cleanliness is next to impossible with two pre-schoolers around the house.

My grandmother used to say "Keeping a house neat while the kids are still growing is like shoveling the walk while it is still snowing…"

I now know what she meant.

Believe me, I am no Martha Stewart, but here are my attempts at getting organized:

Every time a charity calls to pick up donations, I say, "Yes !" (btw: personal finance writer, Kara McGuire shared a helpful link to help define the cost of donated goods for tax purposes click here)

I'm quite good at creative hiding - those little ottomans with lids are genius. Baskets in the kitchen to stash away things from the counter tops help too.

Enlist the kids to help. We also try to make clean up time fun with music and set a timer to see how much we can get done before the buzzer goes off. And as much as I'm not a fan of the big purple dinosaur, his "Clean up Clean up " song works like a charm as they sing and put away their toys. .

Have a party! Or at least invite company over. Nothing spurs me into cleaning mode more than knowing guests will soon be arriving. We just had a New Year's Eve open house and I am sitting here in relative tidiness (or the time being)

Welcome 2011 - bring it on!

Here is an article from the Sunday Star Tribune with advice from a real organizational pro: Order in the House

How do you keep your home organized with little ones around?

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Other related links you may find helpful:

Real Simple Cleaning Checklist

Organized Home: Cut Clutter After Christmas