Step1
You have to understand that your house and life may not always be perfect! Just because you see those picture perfect kids in the grocery store who don't dump gold fish all over the ground or pull things off the shelves, or scream the whole way through the store, believe it or not no family is perfect.
Step2
Instead of cleaning up after the kids all day (or maybe not cleaning at all) pick two designated times to do a quick run through of the house and pick up! I usually do a quick pick up in the mid morning and at night right before bed. Get the kids to help you, even if it means letting them throw the toys into a toy box, it's teaching them to clean up and help you. My kids know when I start cleaning up their rooms they need to help and they start cleaning up with me on their own now!
Step3
Instead of freaking out if the floor's dirty, just try and keep the floors clean once a week minimum. I can never keep piles of dirt together when I sweep long enough before the kids walk through them so I now sweep everything onto the carpeted areas and just vacuum the carpet! Then I wait 'til the kids are both in bed and do a quick mop job! I've found that if I mop when they're awake all I do is stress trying to keep them off the floor and keep them from slipping, so it's easier to spend 5 minutes and do it quick without them! Once a month I also do a carpet shampooing instead of worrying everytime the kids spill anything or wipe stuff on the carpet.
Step4
Downsize the toy selection! I used to spend hours picking up the little toys I would step on all day! Now instead I got rid of most of the small toys. every couple of months I go through the kids rooms and take out the toys they don't play with and put them in a plastic bin and stick them in the garage or attic. My kids never miss them! I've noticed that usually the only time they'd play with most of their little toys is when they dump the toy box on the floor, then they leave them or just throw them all over the house. I make sure they always have enough books and educational toys to play with and all the little toys and noisy toys that drive me nuts, I take them out of the house after I notice they lose interest in them! You can also rotate toys in and out of the house! after a month of being in the garage, you bring the toys in and take some more out and they think they got all new toys! I also throw away ANY toy or book that's broken, damaged or missing parts! Less toys means less mess and my kids usually don't even notice their toys are gone!
Step5
Get your kids on a schedule! There is the cry it out method which I am for depending on the situation. I myself had a 1 year old who slept through the night in my bed and a 2 year old who woke up all night in my bed. I finally put my foot down and did the "cry it out" method! I was way past the age they say to start which I had read was anywhere from 4-6 months old. So, I put them both in their beds at 8pm and they cried for maybe 2 minutes and fell asleep. I didn't wake up with them when they woke up and in the very FIRST night they both figured things out! I put them to bed at 8pm and got them out of bed at 7am every day! Now they know! They've even started getting tired earlier so their bedtime has moved to 7pm! They're always happy, smiling and bouncing in their cribs when they wake up! Sometimes they do still whine when it's bedtime, but it's only for a minute and they go to sleep! Of course use caution if you use this method when your child is sick, I'd never leave a sick child crying in their beds!
Step6
Let your kids watch TV! I don't mean ALL day, but specific times! It's actually helped my son develop more skills and vocabulary! He now recognizes things from all his favorite movies! Also, so many of the animations these days focus on animals that it's helped him learn about different animals without me trying to get him to sit down and concentrate on it in a boring way! There's even DVDs that help your kids learn things, so if you're against the animated movies, go for a more educational DVD!
Step7
if you have two kids of the same sex and they're close in age, try and always buy the same socks! I know my kids being a year apart have almost always worn the same size sock since they've worn shoes, and it's so much easier just grabbing two socks instead of trying to match them!
Step8
CHILD PROOF YOUR HOUSE! I can't begin to tell you the patience it's saved me! All of our cabinets, trash, doors, toilets, toilet paper, medicines, cleaning supplies, fireplace even appliances are child proofed! It's so nice to know I can relax when My kids go to their rooms and not have to worry about what they're getting into. Everyone who has kids loves my house because they know there is nothing their child can break or get into! They can actually relax and enjoy an adult conversation!
Step9
When people come to visit, offer them a place to put their stuff where it's out of reach of your children! For one there can be many hazards in one persons purse. For two it saves you the yelling when your child wants to look for goodies!
My two monsters!
Enthusiast 
Comments
Speedy-Max said
on 2/24/2008 Great article, I have a co-worker who is a Foster parent of two children and I enjoy listening to her experiences.
amylaine said
on 2/23/2008 I two boys about the same age and these steps are the only way I have found to be sane. Great article.