Being the parent is one of the most rewarding “jobs” I’ve ever been blessed to have, but also the busiest. 24/7 my mind is always pulled into all kinds of ways, constantly trying to keep track of all of the things I have going on. I will be the first to always admit that it is not easy trying to stay on top of everything: the household, relationships, career, etc. It is really easy to forget even important things and misplace common items constantly, like my keys! Today I am going to share a round up of some tips on how to stay organized as a busy parent.
How to stay organized as a busy parent
Create a family calendar
One of the best thing I did for my family when I realized we were getting busier was invest and commit to a family calendar! I bought one that was a huge erase board and we fill it out together weekly, typically on Sundays. I put it in a high traffic are so we always can see it and reference it. And I also have been eying the Skylight calendar- although I don’t have one yet I think I will be investing on one soon!
Delegate & divide tasks
Another great thing we started doing around my house is dividing tasks. This has helped with the mental load of feeling busy. Delegating tasks is easy to do, but I have found really does make a difference to help reduce stress.
Have a good morning routine
Even though I am not as consistent as I want to be, I have realized that being consistent with a morning routine helps me start my day the right way. For example, I try to take a few minutes to reflect on thins I am grateful for, as well as drink some water (before coffee) when I first wake up. Doing this has helped me ease into my mornings instead of immediately rushing through my to-do list for the day. Don’t have a morning routine? I share mine previously and also made a free downloadable morning checklist in a previous blog post here.
Prep meals ahead of time
Prepping meals ahead of time not only helps to stick to a healthy diet, but also cuts time cooking daily! We like to meal prep 2-3 meals for the week and then eat easy meals in between. This tip also goes along with my next tip below, doing store pick ups for groceries.
Have easy, fun activities at hand
Easy, fun activities are great not only for rainy days, but also to keep littles busy when you need a few minutes to do something, like cook dinner for example. My favorite easy activities are always printable activities or a sensory bin- both of which I have shared some ideas previously. I recently shared some back to school activities in a blog post and have a lot of other printable activities over on my Etsy shop, Shop Wanderbloom!
Do store pickups for groceries
Doing store pick ups for groceries became something that started doing during Covid, but we have done so ever since. Not only do we save time by not going aisle by aisle at the grocery store, but we also save money and stick to our grocery budget when we only get what we have planned for. Every now and then we still do the traditional grocery store trip and walk every aisle, but doing mostly pickup orders has helped us save time and money.
Schedule family outings & events weekly
Making a point to schedule at least one fun family outing is a great way to ensure family togetherness every week. Planning time to spend with family members is beneficial to feeling well rounded and helps with making busy schedules feel more fun for kids. For us, we always do family night on Fridays and either go out to eat or plan a family outing. We also like to spend Sundays doing things together as a family, which can be something like going to the farmers market or playing a game.
Keep a agenda for all personal to-do’s
Keeping a daily agenda (I’ve used a day designer for years!) has helped me for so long and something I always recommend to friends and family. Whether you use a traditional paper agenda like myself or something fancy like a google calendar, I have found that making note of my tasks daily helps staying on top of all of the little things I have to do easier. I shared all the things I love about my day designer in a previous post here.
Do laundry throughout the week
Doing a load of laundry is essential for busy moms and something I learned from a friend. I do small loads throughout the week (and fold as I go), so that when the weekend comes I don’t feel like I have to spend all day Saturday doing laundry! I am one that likes doing laundry, so this tip does not bother me but might not be for everyone.
Create a cleaning schedule
Another favorite organizing tip of mine is to create a cleaning schedule! Cleaning a little bit every day also helps to make sure I don’t have to spend my entire weekend cleaning the house and also keeps my house clean most of the time!
Hire help
When all else fails (or even when it doesn’t!), hiring help if you are able to is always a choice! I have no shame in saying we have hired help in different seasons of life when we needed to. When our little was a baby we had a nanny when I went back to work and we also have always had a house cleaner come to the house 1-2 times a month for as long as I can remember! There is nothing wrong in hiring a little help to eliminate stress if you need to or want to.
I hope the above tips are helpful in staying more organized as a busy parent, or they even help create some ideas of your own! Whether you decide to try incorporating a family calendar into your day or start grocery pickups, finding what works for you and your family can help to stay organized.
XO,
B
