How to Stay Organized + Not Lose Your Mind as a Busy Mom

Am I the only one who despises mornings? No? Good, glad I’m not alone! Mornings with kids just makes it even more hectic + difficult. You’re trying to change a diaper + one kid’s like, “Hey mommy, go fish.” Really?!?!

I have to have some kind of order in the mornings or I won’t survive. I’m not a morning person by a long shot, so having everything organized + ready helps me tremendously when I’m fumbling around trying to get everyone ready.

Staying organized comes natural to me, but I know for a lot of people, it doesn’t. So I’ve compiled a list of my best tips for staying organized as a busy mom of littles. These are easy to implement + once you get in the habit, it will become effortless.

#1 When you get home from picking all of the kids up, get everything out of your car right then. If you come in + leave it all in the car, chances are you will forget it. This will ensure that your car doesn’t accumulate a bunch of junk. It will also help remind you to get all the bookbags + lunch boxes unpacked + packed again for the next day.

#2 If your child is at the age where they have homework, have them do it as soon as you get home. If you say you’ll wait until later to do it, you will forget or remember right before bed when they’re sleepy. Have them sit down as soon as you come in + get them a snack to eat while doing their homework.

#3 Get everything ready for the next day before you go to bed. Sometimes I am really ambitious + do it as soon as I get home from picking them up, but other times I wait until they’re all in bed. Either way, DON’T WAIT UNTIL THE MORNING! If you’re like me, you’re usually cutting it close on time, + if you have to get things packed + ready, you might seriously be late. Plus it makes you rushed + that sets the tone for your whole day. Have all the bookbags packed, ready, + in the car. Have all lunch boxes packed + in the fridge ready to grab on the way out the door. I sometimes also have my kids a drink + breakfast ready in the fridge so we can save time there too.

#4 I lay out my kids’ outfits for the week on Sundays. I look at what the weather is going to be + then pick out 5 outfits for each of them. I set them aside in their closet from left to right–Monday through Friday. This way I just have to grab their outfit each morning + throw it on them. I don’t have to think about what I need to pick out when I’m just waking up + in a hurry in the mornings.

#5 Have a calendar with everyone’s schedule. We use Cozi Calendar. It’s a free app that my husband + I both have access to. So if I add an event in the calendar or an item to the grocery list, he can see it on his phone too. You add your family members in + can specify what events are for what family members. It is a great way to stay on top of your schedule. It can also send you reminders so I have it remind my husband to take the trash out every Wednesday night. It’s a great tool for our family.

#6 I do all of my kids’ laundry on Saturday + Sunday every week. Saturday morning I start throwing loads in the wash. I do each kids’ separately, so once Cooper’s come out, I put Camille’s in, + so on. Then on Sunday, I fold + put everything away + lay out their clothes for the week. This helps make sure they never run out of socks or jackets or something + it helps to not have the loads get so big. I have been doing this for years + it really helps to have a specific day that you stay consistent on, otherwise you’ll just keep putting it off.

#7 I always try to go to bed with the kitchen + living room semi-clean. I like for all the toys, pillows + blankets to be picked up + the kitchen counters cleared of clutter. My husband always does the dishes every night before coming to bed. I can’t stand doing dishes for some reason, + it’s one chore he actually enjoys so that is his one thing he always helps me with! It’s so nice to not come downstairs to a mess + a sink full of dishes in the morning. This helps set the tone of your day to go smoothly!

#8 Before going to bed, we always make sure the garage is closed, all the doors are locked, all lights are off (inside + out) + make sure our alarms are set to get up the next morning. I normally reflect on the day + think about what the next day will hold right before going to sleep. If you have a lot of things to do the next day, I would make a list! This way you can delete things as you accomplish them + it will ensure you don’t forget anything!

Which one of these are you going to try? What’s another way you stay on top of things as a busy mom to littles?!? Let me know in the comments!

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xoxo,

Lindsey