5 Organization Tips for Busy Families
If you’re a busy family struggling to stay organized while still making the most of the summer break, you need these five organization tips! Not only will they save you time and let you spend a little more of your day soaking up the sun or playing with your kids, but they should also help reduce your daily stress.
Create a Family Calendar
One of our favorite organization tips for keeping the family more organized is by keeping a family calendar. It can be a physical calendar that hangs on the wall (try creating one with photos of your family for even more fun) or a shared digital calendar. It can even be a whiteboard hanging in the kitchen or an entryway that everyone can add in their schedules to. You can even use color-coded markers to quickly see who is doing what, where, and when. Include all important dates, such as appointments, school events, and extracurricular activities. This will help everyone stay on the same page and avoid scheduling conflicts. Make sure to update the calendar regularly.
Declutter, Declutter, Declutter
Clutter is the nemesis of organization. And clutter happens so quickly! One kid might drop their book bag in the entryway. Another might take off their socks and leave them in the living room. Another might leave homework on the kitchen table. But decluttering is such a quick and easy task when you just make it a daily habit. Enlist everyone’s help by having them go through the house and quickly gather all of their own stuff to put away. On a monthly basis, take a tougher look at your home’s clutter and decide what items you no longer need that you’re able to toss out, donate, or recycle. Toys that are no longer used, clothes that no longer fit, and paperwork that can be shredded or tossed out should be managed monthly so that it doesn’t become a huge and overwhelming burden.
It’s a Family Affair
The burden for keeping a family organized should not fall on one individual. Everyone in the family should play a part in helping to keep the house organized. These organization tips are meant to be shared. One of the best ways to keep your home organized and running smoothly is to assign chores to each family member. This not only helps distribute the workload, but also teaches responsibility and accountability. Make a list of daily, weekly, and monthly tasks that need to be done, and assign them to each family member based on their age and abilities. Be sure to rotate tasks regularly to avoid boredom and resentment.
Embrace Storage Containers
If you’ve spent any time on our website or on one of our courses, you’ll know how much we love storage solutions and especially The Container Store. Baskets, clear plastic bins, door and closet hangers, shelves, and even wine glasses (Cris uses them in her bathroom for makeup brushes) can be used to help you stay more organized. Investing in storage solutions can be a game-changer for busy families. Use labels to identify what goes where, and make sure everyone in the family knows where things belong. Utilize vertical space by installing shelves or hanging organizers on walls. And don't forget to regularly declutter and donate items that are no longer needed or used. A clutter-free home can lead to a clutter-free mind and less stress for everyone in the family.
Everything Should Have a Home
One of the most important organization tips for busy families is to have a designated spot for everything. Everything in your home should have a home, from toys and books to kitchen utensils and paperwork. When everything has a place, it's easier to find what you need and put things away quickly. By having a designated spot for everything, you can save time and reduce stress in your daily routine. Having a place for everything also helps you identify when you have managed to collect too many of one thing or have things you really don’t need. It can be a helpful tool to force you to declutter.
Do you have any organizing tips for busy families that you would add to this list?
Let us know!
If you’re struggling to organize your home, get in touch! We have several programs available to help with different challenge areas and certified professional organizers who can help you with projects large and small.