When I had 3 kids under 4, I was a hot mess. Our house was a disaster and I could barely keep it clean. My kids stayed up until midnight and we went grocery shopping multiple times a week. I envied other mommas that seemed to have it all together. I laid awake at night wondering what it would take for me to get organized and I spent hours searching on Pinterest for the perfect solution. But nothing really worked. We always ran late (if we remembered to show up at all). And it took all of my brainpower just to get dinner on the table at night.
Riding the struggle bus is no fun! When you’re spinning your wheels and living in survival mode, it can seem like you’ll never be able to get organized. But once you know the right steps, it’s actually pretty easy! And that’s what I want to share with you today!
If you are wondering how to get organized, you’re in the right place! This tutorial will show you exactly what steps to take in order to start organizing your home and your life. This process is super easy to follow, even if you’re messy and disorganized. So let’s get started!
Organize Your Family & Streamline Your Schedule
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step #1
jot down everything that bothers you
Scrolling through Pinterest looking for organizing tips won’t get you anywhere without a plan.
If you want to get organized, you need a detailed list of issues that are specific to your situation. And the best way to come up with that list is to make it yourself!
So first and foremost, grab a blank sheet of paper and start jotting down every single thing that bothers you on a daily basis.
This could be issues like the kids staying up too late or rushing in the morning to get out the door on time. Shoes tossed all over the house, laundry piles stacked on the couch, or old food taking over the fridge.
NOTHING is too small or insignificant. If it bothers you or gets under your skin, write it down.
The first time I completed this process, my list had 40 items on it. Yes, 40! I wrote down problems like:
- Irritated and rushed in the mornings
- Having to fit something into my schedule at an inopportune time
- Smaller toy cars left out on the floor
- Spices fell out of the cabinet every time I opened the cabinet doors
- Paper clutter on the dining room table
- Pacifiers taking over every table in our home
- Inconsistent kid’s sleep schedules
- No time for self-care
- School supplies scattered in multiple rooms
- Cluttered coffee table
You may very well be able to immediately knock out 20 items off the top of your head just by scanning your home and walking from room to room.
But in order to get a complete view of all the chaos, I recommend carrying the list with you for a few days. If it helps, you can set an alarm on your phone to remind you to fill out your list throughout the day.
step #2
START CATEGORIZING
Once you have a pretty good-sized list, the next step is to categorize everything you’ve written down.
Using the example I shared above, my categories might look like this:
- Cleaning
- Organizing
- Schedules
- Routines
You might also have categories like home projects, work, meals, parenting, or family life. Remember, the goal is for YOU to get organized. So there are no right or wrong answers – everything should be specific to your home life.
It’s not 100% necessary to categorize your pain points. But if you have a lot of items on your list, it will probably be helpful to break your list down into manageable categories. And this will make it easier for you to tackle the next step!
step #3
TACKLE EACH PAIN POINT ONE BY ONE
Okay, so now you’ve got your list of pain points and you’ve grouped them all together. The next step is to start tackling each of those issues one at a time! This will look different for everyone depending on what types of problems you listed in step #1.
You may have to brainstorm some solutions for each of your pain points. But having a detailed list of issues to work from will give you the perfect starting point for getting organized!
If you’re having trouble figuring out where to start, scan through your list and take note of your biggest pain points. You will probably be able to spot which ones have the largest impact on your day-to-day life. Start with those first!
Going back to my example from above, one of my categories is our schedule.
The problems that fall under this category include having to fit appointments in at the last minute, inconsistent sleep schedules, and no time for self-care activities.
Looking at this list of problems, I’d say that I could definitely benefit from using a planner consistently!
Some of the other problems I listed were school supplies scattered everywhere, a cluttered coffee table, and pacifiers taking over our house.
Here is what it would look like if I tackled each of those problems one by one:
- Organize my kid’s school supplies and group everything together in a commonplace
- Analyze what types of items tend to clutter the coffee table so we can figure out a solution
- Purchase a small basket so my younger children’s pacifiers are streamlined in one location
When you have a concrete list to look at, brainstorming solutions is actually pretty simple. You might be surprised at how quickly you can come up with solutions for the issues in your life!
your turn
Well, there you have it! My go-to process for where to start when you’re ready to get organized. You now have all the steps you need to get started with your own list of pain points. So go get started listing those issues that annoy you on a daily basis!
If you’re ready to take the next step, get your FREE COPY of The Organized Mom’s Household Binder below. 👇 This free printable pack will help you get organized and streamline your life so you can stop stressing and start finding more time for yourself!
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