Staying organized is something almost all humans (minus Marie Kondo) struggle with to different degrees. Organization allows us the ability to streamline and open up time to devote to things that are more rewarding. For instance, keeping your keys in a bowl by the door prevents you from having to spend time searching for them.
When you become a parent, you have to take your organizational game to the next level. It’s not just your personal belongings, time, and energy to manage anymore. There are mittens to be watched, soccer practice to attend, homework to be completed. It’s a lot of stay on top of.
So we’ve joined forces with our friends at HeyMama, a network for working moms, to share some secrets to staying organized.
If It’s Not in the Calendar, It Doesn’t Exist:
“Use Google Calendar maniacally. Every event in our house from my husband and my work schedule, any after-work activities, every kid activity, who is doing pickup and drop off is on our Google Calendar. We have three kids, an au pair, and two parents and Google calendar helps us all know what is going on in our lives”
Kate Anderson, Co-Founder and Operations Director, iFundWomen
Finding What “Brings You Joy” Really Does Work:
“Life has a way of causing all kinds of items to be moved around constantly. Setting time aside to go through the daily (or weekly) pile of things really does make me breathe easier. When I do this, I can evaluate if I really need to keep something, or simply put it away to where it belongs. This process has been incredibly helpful in keeping the clutter to a minimum.”
Melanie Neumeier, Marketing Communications, Sittercity
A Mom Bag, Never Goes Out of Style:
“Always have a “GO” bag/emergency bag ready to go with what you need! It makes getting out of the house before 3 pm easier!! The simple things, diapers, wipes, maybe a snack or food, change of outfit… the necessities. When I needed to get out and survive especially in the beginning, I could just hop in the car knowing I had the bag even if everything else was a sh*tshow.”
Ali Levine, Celebrity Stylist and Fashion Expert, Ali Levine Design
Invest in Storage:
“If things have a dedicated place, they don’t get misplaced. If it’s not worth having a specific place in the house for, it’s probably not worth keeping.”
Tyler Travitz, Lead Product Designer, Sittercity
Online Drive-Up is a Gift to Busy Parents:
“Order groceries online….tell the family you have to go to the grocery store and pick them up. BOOM…..magic-Instant 2 Hours of Me time.”
Bree Clarke, Founder and Creative Director, The Iman Project
Set Non-Negotiable Tasks Before Bed for the Whole Family:
“Beyond the set bedtime routine, like teeth brushing, we all have a chore that needs to be completed every night before we can head to bed. Packing school bags for the next day, cleaning the dinner dishes, putting away any toys from the day. The small-time investment every night really adds up.”
Aubry Parks-Fried, Brand + Content Strategy, Sittercity
When all is said and done, organization is about forward-thinking. Taking a few extra steps throughout the day, like putting things in a designated place or washing the dinner dishes right away, will prevent it from becoming a big, overwhelming project in the future.
What’s one small thing you can add to your routine that will keep your family more organized this year?
