Feeling overwhelmed is a common problem for moms. Between kids, housework, jobs, spouses, and errands the to do list can seem never-ending. One way to help with overwhelm and feel more in control is to be more organized.
A few simple changes in your day can save you time, energy and stress. If you need help keeping it all together, check out these 10 daily habits to be a more organized mom.
10 Habits of an Organized Mom
Looking to get more organized? Here are 1o simple habits to work on to make you a more organized mom!
1. Make a To-Do List
One of the easiest ways to be more organized is to make a to-do list. This can be as simple as a small notebook or as elaborate as bullet journal. But whatever style you choose, a to-do list is key to being a more organized mom.
I write my list out the night before. I spend about 5 minutes each night and sit down to make a list of everything I need to do the next day. I check all the calendars, paper, phone, and family. Then I check in with my spouse and kids.
Everything I have to do goes on the list. And I cross them off as I accomplish each item. It is extremely satisfying. And it ensures I don’t forget things, especially on busy days.
2. Meal Plan
Meal times can be stressful for moms if you don’t have a plan. If dinner rolls around and you’re still searching the pantry or flipping through recipe books to figure out what to make your evening can start to really unravel.
Save yourself the stress by meal planning! Spend a few minutes each week figuring out what you will have for dinner over the next few days.
Then buy all the ingredients when you shop. Knowing what you plan to make and that you have everything you need on hand makes evenings more relaxed and your day more organized.
3. Start Dinner Ahead of Time
While you’re meal planning, be sure to include some slow cooker or freezer meals in your plans. With many slow cooker meals, you can start dinner in a few minutes in the morning and have it ready to serve at dinner time.
Imagine how much better your evenings would be if dinner was ready to eat without a lot of prep time after work.
For meals not made in a slow cooker, consider if you can chop vegetables the night before or make the sauce ahead. Any prep work you can get done ahead of time will make your evening less stressful and your day more organized.
If you want to be a truly organized mom, consider freezer cooking! With freezer cooking, you can spend an hour or two on the weekend prepping your meals for the entire week. It’s an easy way to save time and money on groceries while making dinner time less hectic.
4. Get Up Before Your Kids
This one can be hard if your kids are early risers, but getting up before your kids makes a big difference in how your day begins.
Even 15 minutes can be enough of a head start to get yourself ready before you have to start worrying about everyone else in your family.
If you’re fortunate you may even have time for a cup of coffee and a little quiet time before your kids are awake.
5. Pack Lunches the Night Before
Mornings are one of the busiest times of day for many moms. Anything you can do to lessen the stress of getting everyone out the door on time is worth it.
If you pack lunches for your school-age kids, food or bottles for daycare, or lunch for yourself or a spouse, that can eat up most of your morning! Packing lunches the night before will help you be a more organized mom.
At my house, everyone has pretty much the same lunch. I make sandwiches assembly-line style right after dinner. I pack them all up with a few sides and everyone is all set for the next day.
6. Layout Clothes the Night Before
Similar to packing lunches the night before, laying out clothes for the next day can be a real timesaver. Let your kids choose their own and look it over to make sure it’s good for the weather or appropriate in general to avoid any morning arguments or last-minute searches for missing socks, shirts, or shoes.
Layout your own clothes so that when you get up a few minutes before your kids, you can quickly dress and enjoy the quiet time.
7. Schedule Household Chores
If your plan for household chores is usually based on when you have time for them, chances are you struggle not to fall behind.
The easiest way to be a more organized mom when it comes to housework is to schedule time for chores. Put routine chores on your calendar and on your to-do list to make sure they get done.
And this isn’t just for you. Your kids should have their chores scheduled as well. Give them a day and a time when they will be working on them. Building it into the daily routine can reduce the number of arguments about chores and the number of chores that get forgotten.
8. Schedule in Time for Breaks & Delays
When you create your daily to-do list or schedule, make sure you allow time for things to get off schedule. Because they will get off schedule.
If you build some downtime into your schedule you will feel more relaxed. And not feel like you are constantly running behind when things take longer than expected.
9. Declutter
Clutter causes stress. Just seeing it raises the stress level of many moms. And lost toys, missing shoes, and misplaced keys are often a direct result of too much clutter.
Decluttering can take some time upfront but over the long term, it will save you time and stress. Not to mention you’ll love the way your house looks when it isn’t bursting at the seams with too much stuff. Organize your stuff, organize your life.
10. Delegate Without Guilt
We can’t do it all. There are simply not enough hours in the day. One daily habit of organized moms is they know when to delegate. This could mean hiring a cleaning service, joining a carpool, or even offloading a few more chores to your kids.
These are all reasonable choices and nothing a mom should feel guilty about.
