Get Organized
After two weeks of no internet, I’m excited that I am once again back online. During that time I sold a house, moved into our new house, went to Vegas to throw my sister a bachelorette party, and you know all the other stuff you do all the time when your a mom and wife. Now that I’m back from Vegas I’ve been more focused on getting our new house together. It’s slightly bigger than our previous home but we ran out of room quicker than I would like to admit. I quickly realized I need to get organized.
Use your downtime to your advantage
We all have the same 24 hours, which means how we use them is what determines how productive we are. Whether it’s waiting in line at the store or waiting for the oven to preheat, there are tons of ways you can use your downtime. While you are doing a mindless task call the insurance, cable, and even the power bill providers and find out how you can lower your rates. These extra minutes of your time can save you hundreds, and all while you’re waiting.
Find a home for everything
We spend hours each week cleaning up our homes and trying to maintain some sort of order. While the kids are out of the house, take this time to organize the belongings in your home. Everything in your home should have a home of its own. This includes toys, clothes, and even your keys. This little step now will save you time later.
Start Purging
One way to keep things cleaner is to get rid of stuff. Go through your house and look for items that you haven’t used in the past year. Create a system for deciding what to do with your things as you sort through them. For example, you can use three boxes, one for donation, one for stuff you can sell, ad one to recycle or throw away.
For the items that can be sold, you may want to have a garage sell or you could sell them online through a local sell and swap group on Facebook. For those that need to clean out their pantries be on the lookout for any local food drives. They are the perfect opportunity to clean out your pantry.
3 Products to Help You Organize Your House
After scouring Pinterest for ideas I’ve just ordered three things to make my home more organized and utilize spaces better.
The first thing I ordered was this hairdryer/curling iron holder. It can hang on the inside of your bathroom counter door. I love that it is big enough to hold my hairdryer, curling iron, my straightener, and my brushes.
- Update – This product does not hang low enough for me to be able to shut the door with my hair tools in it. I use it as a caddy basically. I keep my straightener, curling iron, hairdryer, hair spray, and brush in it. When I need it I pull it out and set it on the counter or hang it outside of the cabinet door. I wish I had ordered one more like this
Next up spice holders to go on the inside of your kitchen cabinet drawers. I saw these on Pinterest and it took me quite a while to figure out where to get them. Most pins said this was a mop holder and that is not actually the case. I picked out this specific one because the price was a few cents cheaper and it holds eight more spices than their competitors.
- Tip: Separate each one that way they don’t get weighed down and fall off.
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| Spice racks in my kitchen door |
Last, but not least I ordered this mop/broom/swiffer holder. I actually had one of these at our rent house in Vegas and loved it. It works well. I plan on installing mine just inside the garage where everything will be handy. Update – I loved it so much I ordered another one to hold shovels in the garage.
Shop without the kids
Let’s face it, kids have a tendency to ruin any will power we may have while in the store. Whether it’s a trip to the grocery store or a trip across town to the mall, try and get as much shopping done as you can while the kids are off doing something else. This will help you spend less time at the store, and keep you focused on buying only what you need. Shopping by yourself makes it a lot easier to avoid impulse buys and other distractions at the store.
You could also order groceries online and pick them up the next morning after the kids are at school. By not going in the store you are sure to stick to a budget.
Just say no
There’s a two-letter word that most moms do not use enough. It’s the word NO. One of the #1 reasons people are stressed out is because they try and do too much and every mom I know already has a full plate without adding anything else to it. At the time it may not seem like much when you are agreeing to a carpool, or saying yes to volunteering at your child’s school, but the more you say yes, the less time you have for yourself and your kids. Learn to prioritize yourself and say “No” even when it’s hard.
Better Organize Your Mornings
With a little bit of advanced preparation, your entire morning can improve. Here are some key things you can do each day to make the next morning smoother.
Have each child pick out their outfit the night before. They can lay it out on the floor if they like and include everything from shirts and shorts to hair bows, shoes, and jackets. Be sure to check the weather so they are layered appropriately.
Make lunches the night before and keep them cool overnight in the fridgerator. If your child is old enough to make their own lunch have them do this task right after dinner.
Before you go to bed know what will be for breakfast the next day ensuring you have everything you need and are not scrambling at the last minute to come up with something.
Most importantly, stick to a set bedtime to ensure you get a good night’s sleep.
Nightly Tasks
After your kids go to sleep you have a chance to tidy up a bit. It’s likely that your kitchen countertops are one of the busiest areas in your home as family members gather and eat throughout the day. Every night before you go to bed, try to declutter the countertops as much as possible. It’s nice to wake up and not have to face a mess.
Knowing where all your key items are, also adds to a more peaceful morning. Before you go to bed make sure your keys, purse, checkbook, or other essential items are in the same easy-to-find place. Designating a hook or an entryway table as the spot these items always go will alleviate the frantic morning search when you are pressed for time.
Get the Kids Involved
It’s never too early to teach your children good habits, so give them some chores. Even young children are capable of doing tasks each day to help out around the house. Children as young as two years old can begin helping and most younger children will be thrilled to have a little job and help out mom or dad.
Children can help care for animals or keep a younger sibling entertained while mom quickly cleans something up. Kids can dust furniture, fold laundry, take out the trash, and pull weeds in the garden. As they get older you can give them more responsibility. They can run the vacuum, wash a car, or even mow the lawn.
Put these tips into action and you will become more organized, less stressed out, and your home will stay tidy longer. Plus, you won’t have to worry about a clutter-filled home.
