The Secrets of How to Stay More Organized

On a scale of 1-10, 10 being the most organized, I’m honestly around an 8.5. Being organized makes life easier, and who doesn’t want life to be easier? I’m less overwhelmed by having to keep up because I already know my plan. In reality, you don’t need to be a 10 because it’s not about perfection. It’s about putting systems in place that make each day the best it can be. 

So, what’s the answer to how to stay more organized? Small, consistent habits.

Declutter First—Less Stuff Means Less Stress

It’s not the first time my content has highlighted the value of decluttering. It is an absolute game changer to have strategies in place to declutter when and where it’s possible. 

Decluttering takes a different approach depending on the size of the job, but by not allowing things to accumulate where you can, you will find peace and ease.

Daily decluttering: Tackle small tasks each day. From not letting the mail accumulate to walking through the high-traffic rooms and getting rid of the daily build-up of living in a house with other people, small wins make a big difference.

Area decluttering: Plan time to declutter a space in your house. It can be cabinets in your kitchen, the front closet, or the overwhelming junk drawer. If you designate the time, you can accomplish so much.

Seasonal change decluttering: When it’s time to switch out seasonal clothes or decorations, don’t just pack everything up, toss what you don’t want, need, or like anymore. 

Mindset Shift: One In, One Out Rule: Create a philosophy of one item out for every new item. Keeping a baseline will help keep chaos at bay.

         Bonus Tip: Keep a donation bag in a closet or garage to collect unused items regularly. Then, you can drop off your donations (or call someone to pick them up) when you’re ready.

Streamline Laundry to Avoid Piles

Do laundry every day.

There, I said it. 

Why would you want to spend the entire weekend working on a week’s worth of clothes? By doing laundry each day, you are actually making your life easier! 

Being organized also means that you put the clothes away after each load. Don’t wait for piles of clothes to build. It will demotivate you from wanting to tackle the pile.

If your kids are old enough, have each member of the household put his or her clothes away before bed each night. If the habit is formed, you will take the load off of you and make it easier to keep yourself organized!

Bonus Tip: Keep a small basket in each bedroom for a quick collection of dirty clothes.

Meal Plan and Grocery Shop Smart

Just like keeping up with laundry helps you stay ahead, meal planning is another game-changer when it comes to running an organized home.

Don’t wait until the last minute to try to create your shopping list. By using apps to your favorite stores, and the Notes feature on your phone, you can keep a running list throughout the week. Then, by the weekend, you have everything ready to go.

Another great way to keep life organized is by planning what you want to eat. What meals do you want to have? Get the ingredients and get cooking!

If you’re feeling like a rockstar, you can even take the time to batch your cooking or even batch your ingredient prep. For example, if your family eats a lot of chicken, buy 4 pounds of it and divide it up into ziplock bags with different marinades. Dinner can be slightly different each night. It also helps you stay healthy because you’ve prepped the food already.

Bonus Tip: Simplify your planning by having set meals for different days of the week. My sister’s family, for example, used to have pizza every Wednesday because it was a busy day for the family.

Create a Cleaning Routine That Works

The best tip for being organized is to not let things pile up! Keep a routine where you have chores daily, weekly, and semi-monthly (seasonally).

Each night before going to bed, plan on scanning the most frequently used rooms and put away all of the clutter that accumulates for a day in the life of a family. It only takes about ten minutes, but you will be happy in the morning!

Don’t forget to get the family involved! Assign chores to the kids! Alternate weeks so that there’s balance. My kids switch each week with emptying the dishwasher. They have to put their own clothes away, and we are working on them starting to pack their own snacks/lunch the night before.

Bonus Tip: A friend of mine recently shared that, when we met, I told her that when I leave the room, I’m sure to take one thing with me to put it back in its place or toss it out. That way you’re always making progress.

{Related Post: Here's Exactly How to Start Spring Cleaning This Week}

Create Drop Zones for Everyday Items

Make all daily-use items have a spot in the house. Whether it’s your keys or the kids’ backpacks, designate a spot for your daily-use belongings will help you know where to look when you’re ready to leave the house. 

If you’ve read any of my organizing content, you know how much I love a basket or bin! Taming the kid clutter gets so much easier when it has a home. 

In order to make any of this work, you need to get the family involved! You don’t want to be the only one who is using these homes. The family will all benefit from knowing where to find whatever it is that they’re looking for. 

Use a Family Command Center

This is going to look different for everyone, but by having a spot in the house where the family can find schedules, important school papers, and basics for completing school assignments, you are organizing your whole family.

Whether it’s an Insta-worthy room with everything labeled or color coordinated, or a cabinet in the kitchen, designating a space close to where the kids will do their homework is an organized way to help the kids achieve while also helping you do less to make that happen.

It’s also the perfect spot for the family calendar and everyone’s schedules to help with tracking what needs to be done and when.

While you’re at it, create folders with important school and doctor information that you want to be able to find easily. 

Bonus Tip: Keep a small message whiteboard or post-it pads here for quick reminders.

Keep Toys and Kid Clutter Under Control

The first step in keeping all of your children’s clutter under control is designating a space that is for them - a playroom or play area that is all their own. 

This can be as big as a room or as small as a cabinet, but it is a space where kids know they can go to find what they want to play with.

Another great addition to your plan is adding baskets and bins to your decor that offer storage for all of the things that your kids love. This is perfect for rooms that are used by the entire family because you don’t want to have to see all of the toys all of the time. 

Bonus Tip: Implement a “two-minute tidy” rule before bedtime to help kids learn responsibility and provide you with a little assistance.

Time-Blocking Household Tasks

I keep a running list of what it is that I want to get done. Each day or week (depending on the size of the task), I select 2-3 tasks that I will make sure get done. Then, I plan when it will take place.

My weekends are loosely planned, and they include when I will get up, when I will go to the gym, and when I will do my chores. By scheduling the time, I am making a commitment to getting what needs to be done in order to be organized.

Set an end time to make sure you get everything done. Don’t let it drag on. When you know you need to be showered and ready to go out by a certain time, you’re more inclined to stay focused and avoid dragging tasks out.

Make Use of Hidden Storage Solutions 

Unless you have a mansion with closets galore, you need to get creative with how to store your stuff in an organized way.

By using under-bed storage, labeled containers, baskets, and furniture with storage, you can keep your home organized. 

Be sure to label what you can’t see and keep up with putting everything back in its spot. This will help you stay organized all year. Want to learn about different ways to keep your storage working for you? Read the post below.

{Related Post: Inexpensive Home Organization Ideas: Budget-Friendly Tips for a Tidy Home}

Bonus Tip: Declutter storage spaces every few months to keep them functional.

Give Yourself Grace—Progress Over Perfection 

There are some days that you will feel like you’re killing it, and there will be days where it feels like it’s killing you. 

Accept it.

Remember that the ultimate goal of staying organized is to make life easier. That means that there will be days where you don’t get to make it look Pinterst-perfect, but small daily efforts will add up over time, and you will become more organized as time goes on.

Bonus Tip: Be proud of your small wins—whether it’s organizing your closet or a planning a week of meals! 

Organized Life

By decluttering, creating routines, and using simple organization systems, working moms can keep their homes in order without stress. Try starting with one or two strategies, build from there, and remember—done is better than perfect!

{Related Post: How to Organize your Kitchen Cabinets}