Organizational tips & tricks

[Anonymous 1]

Both time and home organizing.

[Anonymous 2]

1. Get rid of most of your shit

[Olioxenfree]

Only keep what you actually use. Donate everything else. Really go through and focus on quality over quantity. My kids don't need 5000 stuffed animals, which end up never getting played with because they are buried and forgotten, so we focus on a few each that they really enjoy. We rotate toys as well, keep some in storage and change them out seasonally, so they are like brand new.

Make sure everything has a place. Each member of our family has a basket of shower stuff that is kept in the cabinet of our bathroom sink. That way it's easy to find everything and we don't have a dozen shampoos cluttering up the shower. Which over to reusables. Instead of having big bottles of shampoo, we each have a small tin with a shampoo bar. Instead of having drawers cluttered with boxes of plastic sandwich bags, we have 10 reusable bags

[Rebeccaraev2]

Only keep what you actually use. Donate everything else. Really go through and focus on quality over quantity. My kids don't need 5000 stuffed animals, which end up never getting played with because they are buried and forgotten, so we focus on a few each that they really enjoy. We rotate toys as well, keep some in storage and change them out seasonally, so they are like brand new.

Make sure everything has a place. Each member of our family has a basket of shower stuff that is kept in the cabinet of our bathroom sink. That way it's easy to find everything and we don't have a dozen shampoos cluttering up the shower. Which over to reusables. Instead of having big bottles of shampoo, we each have a small tin with a shampoo bar. Instead of having drawers cluttered with boxes of plastic sandwich bags, we have 10 reusable bags

Essentially this. Declutter and have a space for everything.

[Smarties]

1. Get rid of most of your shit

My grandmother always used to say, "Your possessions are a burden."

Less is more.

[lalaballet]

A way to tell if you/kids/husband actually wear clothes is to hang the clothes hanger backwards on the closet bar and when an item is worn then turn around the hanger and hang it like you usually would. This obviously isn’t for sweaters in summer etc but for every day type items it works well.

My dishwasher is crap and my landlord isn’t good so what I do is use my dishwasher as a giant drying rack and have the kids empty it when it’s full throughout the day. That way I can wash even if I have no time to dry and put away and it looks neater because it’s off the counter.

When you clean it helps (especially if you have ADD like I do!) to have a bucket or laundry basket for things that belong in the room. If you have lots of toys, have one just for toys. When you clean go through the rooms and just toss what doesn’t belong into the basket. When you move to the next room you can put it away, or when you’re finished cleaning you can. This way you won’t feel like you go put something away and are distracted by something in that room needing done.

If it is overwhelming and bad, start with the floor. Get everything off the floor that needs to be put away. This helps me not go crazy because I’m not tripping while I clean and it helps to get that starting point when I’m not quite sure where to start.

Sell the kids, less kids = less mess.
Just kidding. Mostly. I make mine deep clean when they get in trouble for fighting. They each grab a rag and scrub a wall, baseboards in the bathroom, etc. They do help otherwise but I tell them if they have the energy to fight and hit (I have mainly boys!) then they have the energy to scrub a wall together.
Case in point: they’re literally arguing over Minecraft now and all I had to say was “who wants a rag?”

I use Evernote to keep track of school papers I’ve signed and each kid has a folder and sub folders. If I sign for a field trip, get a class welcome letter/about the teacher etc, I add the date on my calendar when I see it and take a document photo of it then turn the field trip form in or toss the flyer. I have four in school and 20 backpack checks a week... it can get freaking insane if I just miss two or three days of checking.

I use vertical storage around my desk in the office and around my small desk in my room. Hanging baskets on the wall for specific things like my planner (happy planner with stickers and colorful pens) helps store them where I can see them while not cluttering my desk.

I get dressed and try to shower. I feel like a human when I shower or at least get dressed (I mean shorts/leggings and a tank or shirt, I have shaved hair and a nose/lip ring and am totally not fancy) because I feel like I can handle whatever comes up. If I’m not dressed and can’t go run outside easily then I’m probably not going to be getting off my butt to be productive with anything.

I have way more and organized for four years, if anyone wants to hear them or has specific questions I’m more than happy to answer! I’m actually doing a talk in September for a mom’s group on tips for organizing.

[Bubbs]

A way to tell if you/kids/husband actually wear clothes is to hang the clothes hanger backwards on the closet bar and when an item is worn then turn around the hanger and hang it like you usually would. This obviously isn’t for sweaters in summer etc but for every day type items it works well.

My dishwasher is crap and my landlord isn’t good so what I do is use my dishwasher as a giant drying rack and have the kids empty it when it’s full throughout the day. That way I can wash even if I have no time to dry and put away and it looks neater because it’s off the counter.

When you clean it helps (especially if you have ADD like I do!) to have a bucket or laundry basket for things that belong in the room. If you have lots of toys, have one just for toys. When you clean go through the rooms and just toss what doesn’t belong into the basket. When you move to the next room you can put it away, or when you’re finished cleaning you can. This way you won’t feel like you go put something away and are distracted by something in that room needing done.

If it is overwhelming and bad, start with the floor. Get everything off the floor that needs to be put away. This helps me not go crazy because I’m not tripping while I clean and it helps to get that starting point when I’m not quite sure where to start.

Sell the kids, less kids = less mess.
Just kidding. Mostly. I make mine deep clean when they get in trouble for fighting. They each grab a rag and scrub a wall, baseboards in the bathroom, etc. They do help otherwise but I tell them if they have the energy to fight and hit (I have mainly boys!) then they have the energy to scrub a wall together.
Case in point: they’re literally arguing over Minecraft now and all I had to say was “who wants a rag?”

I use Evernote to keep track of school papers I’ve signed and each kid has a folder and sub folders. If I sign for a field trip, get a class welcome letter/about the teacher etc, I add the date on my calendar when I see it and take a document photo of it then turn the field trip form in or toss the flyer. I have four in school and 20 backpack checks a week... it can get freaking insane if I just miss two or three days of checking.

I use vertical storage around my desk in the office and around my small desk in my room. Hanging baskets on the wall for specific things like my planner (happy planner with stickers and colorful pens) helps store them where I can see them while not cluttering my desk.

I get dressed and try to shower. I feel like a human when I shower or at least get dressed (I mean shorts/leggings and a tank or shirt, I have shaved hair and a nose/lip ring and am totally not fancy) because I feel like I can handle whatever comes up. If I’m not dressed and can’t go run outside easily then I’m probably not going to be getting off my butt to be productive with anything.

I have way more and organized for four years, if anyone wants to hear them or has specific questions I’m more than happy to answer! I’m actually doing a talk in September for a mom’s group on tips for organizing.

Great tips. Getting showered & dressed helps me SO much. I don’t always do it & on days like today... I can tell.

[QuantumNursing]

All of these are great tips. I kearned several from you ladies. Thanks

[Valentina327]

1. Get rid of most of your shit

My grandmother always used to say, "Your possessions are a burden."

Less is more.

A wise lady!

[LiveWhatULove]

FOR HOME STUFF:

• My entry way & my living room have large, but fairly aesthetically storage pieces. I have a huge sturdy baskets for shoes, then a entry way piece with lots of shelving. And then a very sturdy coat rack/stand for backpacks. This assures I have places to put all things.
  
  I had to get more shelving in the kitchen, so everything has a place. If I get new ingredients or small appliances, that don't have a place. I stop, re-assess what I can purge, move or how I can find a place for it.
  
  I use lots of baskets in the bathrooms, so I can just throw children's things/beauty products in them quickly, but it's easy enough for them to find what they need later. As no one goes in my master bath a lot. I use those clear plastic over-the-door shoe storage organizer to hold all my hair stuff, lotions, ointments, sun screens, bath bubbles, even medications. It's not "Better home & gardens" look, but it's functional!
  
  I agree with de-cluttering your life. Wednesday on my chore list, I have to purge 20 "things" from my home. I also have decluter routine with the kids: DD5 to pick up all shoes and put them in the basket daily; DS9 blankets, pillows & other living room clutter daily; DS11 trash, papers (we have A LOT, as DH as we have amazon or Ebay deliveries daily.) Thursday, purge the fridge& cabinets, Fridays, purge the vehicle, etc...

FOR TIME:
*disclaimer, I'm a working mom. And I am NOT the epitome of organized because I got a LOT going on BUT I hear "I don't know how you do it all" A LOT, and I apologize for being a braggart, but here is what helps me live my BIG and BUSY life:

• I live by an intense schedule. It starts a 5 am and ends about 1030 when I rest. I find it crucial to wake up before my family. This puts I am in a better place to focus on the family when they wake. What I find essential:
  
  Goal planning, I just can't imagine going through life without a clear vision of what type of mother, community member, professional, wife, I want to be. It lets me know what needs to be on my daily calendar and what doesn't.
  
  Purposeful meditation in the morning to do in the morning to clearly visualize my intentions for that day.
  
  Paper planner in addition to my electronic planners, this is a very recent change, it is SO HELPFUL to me, I wish I had done it several years ago.
  
  Microsoft Outlook tasks, calendar synced across all devices. Microsoft One Note, as an electronic filing cabinet for all papers -- also allows me to use my Apple Pen like a real notebook. Brain "dump" at any time with recording on my phone.
  
  Meal planning with my Paprika app on my tablet.
  
  Lists of chores for the members of my family.
  
  I set daily reminders from Alexa, to assure we are making it on the bus, leaving the house, at the meeting.
  
  Signs on my door when I leave, to assure I didn't forget things like my phone, locking doors, kenneling puppy.
  
  Clothes that fit & that I love. I want to walk in my closet & have a flattering outfit for in 2 minutes. I have done the same for all members of the family. Outfits are hung together and simple to find, no battles of "what to wear". LOTS of socks & underwear. We don't have time for that.
  
  Simple hair & make-up routine.
  
  A morning, evening routine, with cleaning activities.
  
  Each child has 1 physical/sport activity & then 1 mind/academic/social activity at a time. But I discourage more than that, so we are only juggling 6 child activities at one time.
  
  And of course, avoid wasting time on social media HAHAHA, you know, like I am doing now!