Let’s face it-mum life is busy! I don’t know about you, but I am constantly run off my feet, multi-tasking and trying to stay on top of it all. That feeling of being run off your feet doesn’t change but over the years I have developed and implemented strategies to better organise my life, starting from the inside of the home. If it wasn’t for these systems I’ve put in place, I would be a total train wreck. Remember, an organised life is a happy life. Here are 5 mum hacks and tips I swear by that every mum needs to implement to minimise stress and bring a little calm into the chaos.
Get everyone involved
In a busy household, it is very important that all members of the family are sharing the load equally (well, as close as possible to equal). Divide and conquer, that is my motto at home. Give everyone, including the kids, realistic weekly responsibilies and chores. Make tasks like meal planning, cleaning, sorting and help preparing meals a part of the daily routine. And at the end of the week don’t forget to reward the kids (and yourselves)!
Set zones and create a ‘home’ for everything
Establish ‘zones.’ This is so important for growing families. An area for work and homework, a drop off zone for shoes, an area for stationery/craft, an area for toys. When you have stations or zones dedicated to specific tasks not only makes you more efficient and productive, but you will be able to locate what you need quickly without wasting time. Setting up healthy habits in the home prevents you from falling back into old habits.
Label Label Label
Labels will change how you organise your home. Label every single storage solution in sight to ensure that the system you put into place is worthwhile. There is nothing worse than having an unlabelled organised space where everything is neatly packed away, yet nothing is easily identifiable. Clear descriptive labels will help you and the rest of the household find items easily, and make sure they are put back where they belong. That familiar guessing game of ‘where is it’ from family members will be thing of the past. Once something is labelled, it has a permanent home.
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Use to do lists and meal planners
For busy mums effective scheduling is crucial for running a stress-free happy household. When all else seems out of control using a planner to prioritise and plan tasks, errands, appointments and meal plans will keep you feeling organised and in control of your daily life decreasing your overall stress and giving you more time to do other important things. I also like to plan the week’s meals, shop and prepare 3 nights meals in advanced every Sunday.
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Find practical ways to be organised
Containers, tubs, baskets and caddies are great solutions to keep everything organised and contained around the home. Investing in good quality containers not only keep all your produce and dry ingredients fresher for longer but having cut up fruit/veggies stored in clear containers means they are easier to access, this way we are making healthier food choices and allows you to plan healthier meals and snacks ahead of time. Also, have an ‘Eat Me First’ tub for anything perishable that needs to be consumed quickly.
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