8 ways to stay more organized as a stay at home mom
Do you feel like your life is out of control? Have you been feeling overwhelmed at the amount of things to do and people to take care of? Do you find yourself constantly running around doing tasks, but never getting anything done? You are not alone.
This is a common problem for moms these days with the hustle of the modern world. There are so many responsibilities in being a stay at home mom (or mom in general) that it can be hard to keep everything in order. We have compiled some helpful tips on how to keep your house clean, laundry sorted, and children happy while still having time for yourself!
Most of the time organization is to blame for lack of productivity during the day. If you don’t have a clear cut plan for the things you would like to tackle, you might find yourself having accomplished nothing by the end of the day. This can be extremely discouraging for us mom’s.
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Here are 9 of our favorite tip’s for being more organized as a stay-at-home mom
1-Have a family calendar handy
Whether you use your phone, or have an actual wall calendar that everyone can see, keeping track of important events (family birthdays, appointments), will help everyone stay more organized.
2-Have a designated area for each family member to keep their clutter
Think of this as the “home for misplaced items”. If those sneakers that mysteriously disappeared three weeks ago show up in the laundry room, no problem! Everyone has an assigned space where they can put their belongings.
This can be lockers in a mudroom, or simply baskets by the front door. Just make sure each child knows that’s where everything goes when they walk in the door. Once a week we go through these baskets and organize them.
3-Having a routine is key
A strict routine isn’t necessary but knowing what to expect (for both you and the kids) is imperative for not living each day in total chaos. Things do vary from day to day as far as activities, appointments, etc.. but having a morning and evening routine is what I find to be the most important.
For example:After dinner there is 30 minutes of reading time before everyone goes upstairs and get’s ready for bed. Knowing that at 7PM we all need to start heading upstairs keeps our evenings on track- there’s no fighting or negotiating the schedule.
It’s also easier on kids when a routine is in place because kids like to know what to expect. If they know what’s coming next they generally have a better day because they are getting that sense of control that they crave.
4-Create a weekly meal plan
Even if you are not much of a cook, homemade meals are usually more nourishing because you know what ingredients are being used, it is cheaper when you plan out meals, and you will be more likely to follow through when there is a plan in place.
For example: I like to plan 3-4 meals we will cook at home, and designate 3 days for leftovers or takeout. It’s what’s practical for us, and it’s something I know I will stick to. I KNOW I don’t have the energy to cook every night, so I make sure to plan for that so I don’t buy ingredients I will just end up wasting.
Practicality is key- don’t push yourself to make dinner 7 night a week when you know that’s not something you want to do.
Another note: Crock pot and one pot/sheet pan meals are a life saver! I definitely recommend incorporating some of those in your weekly meal plan. They make things easier when you just don’t feel like cooking or cleaning up after (because cleaning is the worst part!)
5-Have a specific place for your keys, wallet, and cell phone
Again this is something that might seem obvious but having a designated spot ( we have a wire basket next to the door) where the adults know to put important belonging when they come in from work helps reduce clutter and not forgetting important items like car keys.
6-Have a cleaning plan in place
Being a stay at home mom is no joke, especially when it comes to cleaning with kids around.
Some ideas:
- Having designated days you do certain cleaning tasks will eliminate the need to spend an entire day cleaning.
- Making sure the house is picked up before you go to bed for the night will make your morning so much smoother, who doesn’t like waking up to a clean house?
- Do a few sweeps throughout the day so thing’s don’t pile up all day long. This will make cleaning up at the end of the day much easier.
- Do one load of laundry a day and finish it completely. This will eliminate a pile up at the end of the week.
Keeping a house clean with young kids is a hard task, but it can be accomplished so you don’t have to constantly feel paralyzed by your messy home.
Related: 6 sneaky ways to keep a clean house with toddlers
Related: How to keep a small house clean with kids
7-Put your bills on autopay
I was reluctant to do this for the longest time simply because I didn’t want to go to the hassle of calling the utility companies or try to find out how to do it online. This method has resulted in getting more than one phone call telling me a certain utility is going to be shut off because I havn’t paid the bill. Not because we don’t have the money, but because I just simply forgot!
Take the time to set up auto pay because it will save yourself the headache of franticly paying a utility bill, and possibly paying a late fee.
8-Make a to-do list every night
After the kids go to bed or even while you are laying in bed, make a list. Include your goals for the next day, cleaning tasks you’d like to accomplish and any groceries you know you are running low on so you don’t forget anything the next time you grab groceries. You will thank yourself in the morning when you already have everything jotted down!
9-Prepare for the next morning the night before
Along with making a to-do list, doing simple tasks like prepping coffee for the morning, picking out kids clothes for school and yourself will make your morning so much smoother. Everything still seems chaotic with kids no matter what it seems, but doing these simple tasks seem to make our morning go better so i’m not as stressed out.
Finally, don’t be too hard on yourself. If you slip up or forget to do a task for the day take a deep breath and move on because we can all use some grace from time to time. You are doing an amazing job mom!
Lets stay more organized and less stressed as stay-at-home mom’s
I hope you found these tips helpful. If not, let me know what you think and if there are any other ways that have helped you stay organized as a stay at home mom!
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