Whenever it comes to balancing a family, including young children, a home and perhaps a full time job to boot, you have choices. If you find that your workload sometimes seems like it is just too much, take heart!
From an outside perspective, I would say that the key to success in organizing is the ability to prioritize your various commitments, enlist the help of others, and not sweat the small stuff.
Do you feel overwhelmed? If you would like good time management skills, practice the COPE method.
COPE is an acronym for Capitalize, Organize, Prioritize, and Energize.
- Capitalize on the ability of every child to assist with household chores such as setting the table, clearing the dishes and vacuuming the floor. Teach them from a very young age to put away their toys and make their own beds. Put all of your perfectionist tendencies aside while the kids are growing up. Do more with your children and less for your children. If you do all of this, you will be blessed.
- Organize your home to make it easier to find and store things. Large shelves or a huge toy chest and hangers placed where children can reach them are good examples. Keep things in see-through containers, hang an essential rack on the wall, keep storage bins on casters beneath the beds and then centrally locate a lost and found basket to stash items left lying around the home.
- Prioritize each of your tasks. You cannot do everything but you can do lots. Pick the most important activity and then concentrate on getting it done. If something falls through the cracks, let it be the laundry but not the family outing. Do what is really important, not simply the things that need to be done.
- Energize yourself by getting plenty of rest, eat all of the right foods and adhere to an exercise program. Being physically fit and mentally alert will allow you to handle those stressful situations, which always pop up. Choose a form of exercise that you enjoy that way you are more likely to stick with it. The best way to ensure that you eat a balanced diet is to plan ahead and work out a menu for the next 4 or 5 days. Make sure you eat lots of fruit and vegetables. And incorporate some relaxtaion techniques into your daily life. Do not do chores at the expense of sleep time. Let the house collapse all around you before you do.
For more home organization tips and advice, check out these articles:
Declutter your house
How to get rid of house clutter
Declutter your house