Keeping a family organized can be difficult. Between school, work, and sports schedules and everything in between, it can be easy to get behind on cleaning and other things that need to get done in order to keep your home running smoothly.
The following are some organization tips for families:
Know what’s going on.
•A large dry erase calendar is an excellent way for families to stay organized. Put it in the kitchen, entry through the garage, or another area everyone will see it. Write down any meetings, sports events, practices, and any other events those in your family need to attend. At the beginning of every week, take time to erase old events and update the calendar. Be sure to check it every day or night so you know what to expect the next day.
•You may also want to consider keeping a more detailed individual planner, either in a day planner or PDA. This can be a great way to stay organized.
Coordinate errands.
•You’ll save time and gas if you can organize your outings so you run errands at the same time. If the bank is by your kids’ school, stop by on your way home. If the dry cleaning is a block from the grocery store, plan your outing so you can get the most done at once. This will help eliminate unnecessary or last minute trips.
Do things the night before.
With a family that has kids in school, mornings are often the most unorganized, chaotic time of the day. You can cut down on morning chaos by doing the following:
•Pack book bags the night before. Make sure your kids all put their bags together the night before. This way, they won’t forget any books, homework, materials, or gym clothes they may need for the day as they’re rushing around in the morning.
•Pack lunches the night before. If your kids take their lunch to school, try and get them all packed the night before. Make sure they are refrigerated if they need to be.
•Set out clothes. Setting your clothes out the night before ensures that clothing is ironed, clean, and ready to be worn. It also eliminates frantically rushing around looking for a shoe, matching sock, or specific shirt.
Make lists.
Lists are for more than just groceries – lists are an excellent tool for staying organized. Make lists for things you need to do each day, from errands to chores you’d like to accomplish, and then check them off as you go. Not only are they a great organizational tool, but they also provide a feeling of accomplishment.
Organize your home.
Keeping the house organized can be difficult with a family, but it can be done. Consider the following tips:
•Assign chores. Your kids should pitch in around the house with chores like tidying up, unloading the dishwasher, or taking out the garbage.
•Sort mail upon arrival. To keep mail organized, separate it into piles and have baskets or envelopes for each pile. Throw away junk mail immediately, and separate bills, cards, and statements into separate categories.
•Keep toys under control. To keep toys from taking over the house, keep one container of toys in the family or living room, but leave most of them in the kids’ rooms.
These organization tips for families will help your day to day activities run smoother.
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