7 sanity-saving tips to be a more organized mom

Some days the responsibilities of being a mom can feel never-ending. Chores. Homework. Carpool. Errands. The list goes on and on. Depending on how your day is going, any of us can quickly start to feel like a “hot mess” mom.

I get it. 

Some days are hard and messy.

On those days, it can be hard to remember motherhood is ministry.  You are created to nurture, love, and lead your children, even on the hard days.

So what can we do to make the hard days easier? How can we better manage our responsibilities as moms so we can better enjoy motherhood?

Creating organizational systems that work help you use your time more effectively and efficiently. They helps us go from being overwhelmed by motherhood to thriving in motherhood.

Start practicing these seven sanity-saving tips to be a more organized mom.

1. Have morning and evening routines that work

One significant way we can become overwhelmed by our responsibilities is because we have poor routines.  Taking time to intentionally reflect on what routines you need to start and end your day is essential. 

Write the routine you need as a woman before considering your routine with your family. 

In your morning routines, consider everything you need to begin your day well. Do you have time for proper skin care, to study your Bible, or to eat breakfast? Maybe you want to start your day with a workout.  Whatever matters to you, spend time writing those things down and identify how much time you need BEFORE you start your day as a mom. Once you have your routine, then draft the routine for the rest of your family.

For your evening routine, think about what you need to end your day well. Do you want time to journal, go for a walk, or your haircare routine? Remember, a well-planned evening routine will help your morning routine run smoothly.

2. Write things down

One of the biggest lies we tell ourselves is that we will remember the important date, the one item we need at the grocery store, or the medication we need to pick up.  As moms, we are often juggling many responsibilities, and it’s easy to overlook something.

A few ways to write things down:

• Keep a notebook in your purse, car, or baby bag.  Date each page and update your calendars or list at night.
• Use apps like Evernote, Microsoft OneNote, or Stickme Notes.

Making lists and writing things down is an efficient way to stay organized.  Remember, writing something down without reviewing it later doesn’t help.

3. Use digital calendars

I love paper (no secret).  Even though I use a traditional paper calendar to organize our family schedule, this does not help everyone else in my household.  Using a shared digital calendar helps our family stay run more efficiently.

We share upcoming events, birthday reminders, and school activities.  Now that our children are older, they are responsible for sharing information; we need to know their upcoming tests or deadlines for projects.  Each week you can spend time at your family meeting reviewing dates and adjustments.

4. Plan your meals

Nothing can get on your nerves quicker than trying to get things done when you are hungry or having hungry people asking you, “When are we eating dinner?”.  Meal planning and prepping is a game-changer for our family. 

Suggestions for meal prep:

• Use containers to store your prepared meals
• Do large batch cooking  items like soups, sauces, and other meal basics
• Cook based upon items on sale that week to help save money
• Use a shopping list to keep you on track and make sure have purchased everything you need

Planning your meals, including snacks, helps you to be an organized mom, especially on the days you are overwhelmed.  Plus, meal prepping can help you stay within your grocery budget and help you eat healthier as a family.  I can’t promise it will stop the dreaded “When are we gonna eat?” questions though.

5. Create a cleaning and decluttering schedule

Cleaning is my least favorite thing to do around my home, but it must be done.  Just the idea of having to clean the bathroom and wash the dishes makes me feel kinda blah.  Having a cleaning and decluttering schedule helps me get those chores done that I just don’t want to do.

Some items to consider putting on your cleaning and decluttering schedule:

• Create a quarterly schedule for purging kids clothes and unused items around the house
• Daily cleaning areas: Examples include bedroom tidying, bathroom tidying, or kitchen
• Weekly deep cleaning routines: Examples include cleaning out the car, bathroom, shredding documents, or cleaning fans.
• Monthly cleaning: Examples like cleaning baseboards, changing air filters, cleaning vents, and cleaning windows.

Creating a cleaning or decluttering schedule means identifying everything that must be done and considering the cleaning needs of the season.  How often you need to clean an area will depend on the season and the activity of your family.  Also, momma, be sure you are including your family.  Just because you can get it done doesn’t mean you should do all of the work alone.

6. Rest

Every organized mom knows rest must be an intentional part of your day. Staying up super late to clean your home and cook dinner may seem like a good idea, but not at the expense of you getting a good night’s rest.  Proper rest helps you experience less stress and have an overall better mood (your spouse and kiddos will thank you). 

There are simple ways we can build rest into our day:

• Have scheduled time to put away electronics
• Sit down and do nothing.
• Pause for a few minutes of deep breathing

Rest is more than sleep.  It allows your mind, body, and spirit time to be still in the midst of your day. Intentionally creating time for rest will help you be more effective and feel less overwhelmed.  Give yourself permission to rest.

7. Strategically use baskets around the house

Learning to use baskets around my home strategically was a game-changer, especially when my children were younger.  When you effectively use the baskets around your house, you will find clean up time more manageable and clutter decrease, plus you have cute, functional décor around your home. 

Some location suggestions to use the baskets effectively are:

• Near couches or chairs: you can use the baskets to house blankets or pillows for the living space, collect books, or as a toy collector.  It’s easy for blankets and pillows to end up on the floor and make your area feel cluttered. 
• Nightstands: Using a small basket on nightstands helps keep up with all of the small items that can easily get lost and create clutter.  Consider a basket for remotes, electrical items, or your nighttime routine items (like journals and pens).
• In the car:  keep a basket in the backseat and the trunk. Use the basket in the back seat as a catchall for all the items your children use and need to put up.  It helps to minimize clutter.  Keeping one in your truck to hold small items like cleaning items, first aid kit, or even sports items.

These seven sanity-saving tips for being an organized mom are meant to help you be more available for who matters in your life—your children.  Above all, don’t lose sight of building and nurturing your relationships with them.  Systems and routines are necessary, but they are not meant to be the main thing.  Use wisdom and listen to the Holy Spirit. 

What organizational tips help you be an organized mom?