Babyproofing Helps Kids, Cleans House

I've heard a lot about babyproofing, but didn't realize how necessary it would be until I saw my son and daughter chewing on the phone cord.

Then the cable cord, the Playstation cord and anything that might say AC/DC or fit into a hole of some kind.

My kids are 7 months and really exploring their worlds. My son loves to work his way around the room, always in the direction of the DVD player and discs. Meanwhile, my daughter methodically takes apart their foam playmat's interlocking pieces and gently places them in her mouth.

As much as I want to call them baby geniuses for their ability to manipulate the world around them, I realize it's time to protect my children from their own curiosity.

But this is no easy task for a messy person like me. I'm ashamed to say I have a pile of clean clothes in my bedroom, unsure where to store them and too tired to even try. It doesn't help that our closet space is a joke and that we now have even more items to contend with.

Most days I focus on getting the children, fed and changed, again and again, and then some more. I sneak in some laundry, dishes and vacuuming -- because they love to watch -- but I'm not that good at housework, especially now.

My son reminds of this as he attempts to jam a ball of dog fur in his mouth and my daughter nibbles on a price tag from an outfit she's outgrown.

So in my effort to protect our kids and our stuff, I'm going to first clutter-proof my house. That's where the Fly Lady comes in. I stumbled upon FlyLady.net through a search for decluttering." The site recommends doing the "27-Fling Boogie."

It goes like this. You take a garbage bag and fill it with 27 items to throw away. Then take an empty box and fill it with 27 items to give away. Once you fill the bag, toss it. As soon as you fill the box, put it in the car. There is no looking back.

At first I thought there was no way I'd have 27 things to part with. I know I have clutter due to disorganization, but I use most of what I have.

How wrong I was. I could have filled the bag with 54 items if it held that many. I trudged through clothes that weren't nice enough to donate, random gift bags that were too beaten up to recycle, dirty dog toys, a broken broom that has no business in the pantry and a fractured dish I never got around to repairing.

Then it came time to donate, which was even easier. I have clothes for every season and occasion that I don't wear or never have worn -- the items that were such a good deal but not the perfect fit.

With some of the clutter absent from the high-traffic play areas, I realize that it's still not enough. I'm not tossing our DVD player, after all, and my laptop and cell need to be charged.

I will also use baby gates to corral the kids. A neighbor with twins generously gave me her interlocking gates that make for a nice play area. I feel guilty imprisoning the babies, but it's for their own good and my sanity.

Now I can get more stuff done without having to move them away from power cords. I can rest assured they aren't going to pull a dog tail or stuff a stray paper clip down their throats.

With my kids in place for about 30 minutes here and there, I start plugging up unused outlets, clearing all floors and vacuuming while keeping my eyes open for potential hazards that would appeal at two-foot-high eye level.

In the process of making my house safer, I realize that it's also cleaner. I am sure my children are going to continue to find new ways to test their limits. But for now, I am on my way to a babyproof, clutter-free home.

Just think, in a few years they might even be able to help me.

Laura Lewis Brown is the mother of infant twins. Her column appears every other Thursday.