I don’t know about you but when September arrives and the kids go back to school it almost feels like a fresh start. Whilst shopping for the back to school essentials and getting the little ones all organised, it makes me want to join in too. So with this in mind, I’ve pulled together 5 ideas that will help you get organised this Autumn. Let’s go!
Write lists
I’m a big fan of the old fashioned list and I genuinely couldn’t get through my busy day of being a Senior Account Manager without one. With many tasks that need to be completed in a day, it’s surprising how satisfying ticking things off a to-do list can be! The same applies to home life as well.
I work full time as well as being a Mum to an eight-year-old so there is always something that needs doing and with so much going on, it’s easy to forget the odd few things – this is where the list comes in handy! I have a master to-do list that is full of things that need doing. These aren’t always tasks that require completing today, tomorrow or even this week, but having them on a list keeps the job at the forefront of my mind, so it will get done at some point. I really couldn’t go a day without a list!
Plan your days, weeks and months
I have always been a huge planner fan. I hate not knowing what I’m doing and when I’m doing it and much to my families annoyance, I insist on putting everything in a calendar so that we can all see what’s going on. We’ve tried all kinds of methods and whilst I love an online ‘synced; calendar, sometimes, the old fashioned methods prevail and a good traditional calendar on the wall is the best way forward.
Wall calendars can’t be ignored. When placed in a prime position that everyone walks past every day (try by the snack cupboard!) it’s a good reminder to everyone to get involved in helping the family get organised. I always love to make ours personal to us too. Personalised calendars are a great way to add some fun memories into the mix. What’s nicer than seeing your favourite family pictures on the wall in the kitchen every day? I love to theme ours too with pictures from the month of the previous year – great if you have kids as you can see how much they’ve changed in a year!
Tidy up at the end of each day
If anyone is qualified to make this suggestion then it’s me. I live with two people who have the worst habit of leaving things lying around the house and there is nothing more frustrating than this if you’re someone who likes everything to have a ‘home’. That pile at the bottom of the stairs is real and apparently, invisible to everyone but me!
The best way around this, that I have found is to spend five or ten minutes at the end of each day and just go round each room and put the ‘stuff’ back where it should be. Even if it’s small things, like that roll of sellotape that’s sitting on the mantlepiece after being used, or that bottle of squash that’s not been put back in the cupboard earlier on. By doing this, you’ll be waking up to a clutter-free and tidy house the next morning which will give you a better mindset from the beginning. Get everyone involved too. Take a room or two each and it’s done in five minutes. Job done!
Get clothes ready the day before
This is another little trick I’ve learned since having to be super organised in the morning. I travel quite a distance once or twice a week for work and on the other days I work from home, so on the days I have to travel it can feel like quite a shock to the system. Time runs away with everyone in the morning and you can lose half an hour easily just figuring out what to wear. I’ve now started to do this the night before.
By planning clothes and packing my work bag the night before, it doesn’t matter if I take longer doing so, because I can decide in my own time and I’m not panicking about making me and the little man late. I lay them out or hang them up ready to go in the morning. I’ve also started to do the same for my little boy too, so there’s no excuse for him to not get himself ready for school when I ask (however, he will always find a reason!). It’s a quick win to get organised and it’s always good to have one less thing to think about.
Have a good clear-out
Now I have to admit that this last tip is on my ‘master to-do list’ that I mentioned earlier! We all keep far too many things that we don’t need anymore. Whether these things are kids clothes that no longer fit or toys that they don’t play with or have simply outgrown. Or, handbags and shoes that don’t see the light of day anymore, old cosmetics that are well beyond their use-by date – we can all always find something that we can get rid of.
By having regular ‘clearouts’ every two or three months, we can stay on top of our possessions and prevent our homes from getting cluttered with unimportant items. I especially like to do this in November in preparation for the December carnage (Christmas and our little boys birthday always create chaos!) And for a short while, it feels like the house is so much lighter!
So there we have it. Five ways to get organised this autumn. I hope they’ve inspired you and you will use some if not all of the ideas to help you moving forward. Let me know which one you’re going to try first in the comments – and if you have any of your own tips, feel free to leave them below for my readers to see.
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