TIME SAVER: Being Organized!

Organizing!

I love this word.  It makes me think of order and pretty baskets and  clean spaces.  Be organize is all these things AND also a TIME SAVER!  Maybe it goes without saying but without having things where they should be, without having a plan, without the calm of organization, there is chaos!  "Where are my keys?" "Where is the diaper bag?" "Who ate the lunch I was going to take to work?"  Do these sentences sound familiar to you? To avoid the chaos of the morning (or any time of day you experience it) you need to follow these few simple rules:

1. Take a few moments and think/plan ahead
This is crucial for a day to run smoothly.  If you're going to be away from home for several hours with the kids you need to think of ALL the things you'll need.  Diapers, bottles, snack food, a bathroom somewhere if the kids need it, entertainment for the kids, and anything you may need too.  Sunglasses, wallet, house keys.  These are all very important.  You'll likely find, as I do, that the same list of things will occur over and over again.  Keep these items together or in close proximity to each other.  If you write out the list this often helps prevent the forgetting of that ONE item ("I forgot her bottle again?! Ack!").  Once you've used your written list, instead of relying on the list in your head, you'll be surprised how quickly you'll put the written list to memory and not forget those needed items.

2. Take time the night before to create an overview of your day
The is important especially on days when you have ALOT to do.  This could be just a list of "to do"s, more specific (like the order of the things to be done) or VERY specific (exact times to be done.  I love this one.  I get the most done when I have a time-based goal).  Many Moms HATE the to-do list, so I'm calling it an overview list.  It helps to guide your day BUT if you can't get everything accomplished don't worry.  It was just an overview of how the day looked in your head.  It wasn't set in stone.  Don't beat yourself up over not getting it all done.  Forgive yourself and don't plan so much for yourself tomorrow.  Adjust your expectations.

3. Put things in their place
Nothing is worse than trying to leave the house and the kids can't find their shoes, or backpacks, or favorite teddy, or whatever!  Spend a set amount of time making sure your morning will go well.  You set the time.  Maybe 5 minutes to look over the mud room and check that all shoes are present and accounted for, maybe 10 minutes to tidy the counter so you're not searching for your keys in a sea of stuff.  I like to tidy the house at night also because it allows me to sleep better at night knowing I have fewer messes awaiting me in the morning.  My house is cleanest during the hours I am sleeping and that's okay.

4. Get the family on board
If you have a plan in place and things in their place you need to let your family in on the plan.  The kids will be running around looking for their shoes not expecting them to be in their place.  They're not usually there so the kids won't think to look for the there.  Also you can train your kids to leave them there once they know that is where their shoes will live from now on.  Having a husband on board with a plan (or routine) also eases the amount of work you need to do.  It's easier to do what your know you are expected to do.

I hope these tips help you save time and create more peace in your morning routine!

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Tomorrow " SANITY SAVER: Being Too Organized"