8 Organization Tips for Moms

Sometimes I wonder why I even bother cleaning when my 2 year old can walk in the room and make it looks like a tornado blew through it in under 2 seconds. Here are a few of my mom-approved organizing tips that have helped me feel less overwhelmed about tidying up at the end of the day.

1. Label everything and anything. Labeling will help you designate a specific spot for your things and you’ll be more likely to put them away after every use. I especially love chalkboard labels (found at most craft stores), so you can simply erase and add a new label if needed.

2. Designate a cleanup basket for each family member. My neighbor recently did this and I thought it was a great idea. She labeled a small basket for each member of her family and at the end of the day they go around and collect whatever is theirs (toys, mail, etc) into the bucket and then it gets put away.

3. Bag outfits together. As soon as my toddler’s clothes come out of the dryer, I put together outfits and place them in plastic bags before putting them away. This is such a huge time saver for me in the morning, I just have to grab a bag and get him dressed.

4. Jars, jars, jars. Upcycle old jars and store pasta, craft supplies, office supplies and more in them. You can also get a case of mason jars on the cheap at many stores. Slap a chalkboard label on your jars and you might just be my newest BFF. You can save plastic jars and use them for small children’s toys.

5. Get your child involved. Sing a clean up song or have a race to see who can pick up the most toys in 5 minutes before bedtime. We sing “clean up, clean up, everybody everywhere, clean up, clean up, it’s time to put your toys away” as part of our nighttime routine.

6. Downsize those toys. After every birthday or holiday, when a new rush of toys floods our house, I go through Logan’s toys and consign whatever isn’t being played with anymore. You can also sell on Craigslist or donate.

7. Start a family binder. You can include important numbers, medical information, the family budget, a menu planning calendar and more in your binder. Stay tuned to see the binder I’ve been working on for my family.

8. Assign certain chores to certain days. Most days I just can’t get to everything and the thought of it overwhelms me. So, I assign certain chores or rooms to certain days. For example, Mondays I clean the bathrooms and Tuesdays I clean the bedrooms. It’s much more manageable if I break it down into smaller tasks.

How do you stay organized?