Getting organized in 2020
Hey mommas! Can you believe another year is about to start? I’m sure you’ve been reflecting on 2018 and thinking of what things you can do differently in the new year. Getting organized is probably at the top of your list!
2018 was my first full year as a mom and man was it an adjustment!
All of the things I used to pride myself on got neglected.
No longer was my home clean and organized. Stuff was everywhere. I couldn’t even hide it when my mom came to visit.
When I managed to do laundry it never got folded. I was constantly living out of the clothes basket. I even stopped matching my socks. As long as they were clean and in the same color family, I was fine.
Needless to say, things will be changing in 2020
It’s time to get back to some semblance of functionality and productivity. For that, we have to return to the basics, being organized.
So, for the next 7 days, I’m going to be sharing some tips and hacks on how to use organization and automation to regain control of your life.
Remember momma, you can be a career woman and a great mom!
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Need help getting started with your command center? Join our Free 5 Day Challenge! Have your command center completed by the end of the weekend!
Benefits of Being Organized
Did you know there are actual health benefits to being organized?
For one thing, it’s a major stress reliever. When everything around you is in disarray and you’re failing miserably at juggling your various responsibilities, it’s difficult to relax both mentally and physically. Having a system in place gives you the freedom to unwind and let go.
When you’re organized you also sleep better. There’s nothing hanging over your head and you can just relax. We all know that as a mom you need all of the help you can get in the sleep department!
One of the most important benefits of being organized is being able to have time for you! When you’re busy writing in your planner, don’t forget to schedule “me time”. Having time for the things that you enjoy outside of being a mother will make you happy, less irritable, and more patient with those around you.
Having organizational systems in place can really be life-saving!
Today we are going to talk about using a family command center to keep the family organized and on the same page.
What is a Command Center?
A command center serves as information central for the members of your home. It’s the place where everyone in the family can go and instantly see what is going on with everyone else. This communication center is typically located in an area that is easily accessible and highly trafficked by the family.
The whole purpose of it is to keep the family organized by providing a place to keep track of appointments, meetings, and activities amongst other things.
It doesn’t have to be something fancy, just functional. Size doesn’t matter either as long as it incorporates some of the following key elements of a family command center.
Command Center Must Haves
1. A Monthly Calendar
A monthly calendar is necessary to be able to visualize what you have going on for the month. You can make note of you and your husband’s work schedule, monthly meetings, doctor appointments, school projects, and daycare/school closures.
It’s best to have more than one calendar so you see more than one month at a time. This will increase your ability to plan ahead and not overextend yourself.
The combination of a paper calendar and a reusable calendar may work best.
Use the reusable calendar for the current month and have the paper calendar to note what is coming up in the next month.
3. Storage Baskets
You can never have too many storage baskets.
Ideally, you want to have one for each member of the family.
The baskets can be used to hold mail, homework, the family binder, your wallet, cell phone and even your keys.
Think of it as a place to grab things as you head out the door or the place to put things when you come home.
Label the baskets so you know who they belong too.
4. File Holder
These are great to store receipts, recipes, bills, coupons, manuals, and children’s artwork.
Think of your family’s needs and what categories would work best for your home. You may find that you need multiple file holders!
5. Bulletin Board
It’s nice to have an area to post invitations, leave messages, visualize your to-do lists, and grocery lists.
You can use bulletin boards in a variety of ways. This flexibility makes them an essential component of your family command center. It’s probably one of the most used items because it literally becomes the family message center.
6. Mail Storage
If you decide that you don’t want to utilize the baskets or the file holder for your mail, you can use a mail sorter instead. With this, you will be able to really organize your mail into outgoing, trash, and important.
You can also organize the mail by the person.
7. Weekly Menu
Having a weekly menu will help you stay organized. By using meal plans, you’ll know what you’re making ahead of time and so will your family. This makes grocery shopping easier and efficient.
Menu planning has been shown to reduce stress as well as save time and money. Both of which are essential as a mom.
8. Hanging Hooks
You can use hanging hooks for coats, book bags, purses, keys, and reusable shopping bags.
This is another area where you can use personalization. Each member of the family can have their own hook.
This is especially useful if you don’t have a mudroom area.
9. Magnets
You’ll need magnets to attach your grocery list and other to-do lists to your dry erase board or chalkboard. These days they come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors which really brings pizzazz to your family wall organizer.
10. Different Colored Pens and Markers
Organization works best when you have a system to identify different categories.
Each family member can be a different color. If your color is red, everything concerning you would be written in red on the family calendar.
If you don’t want to use color in that way, you can instead use color to identify various obligations and commitments. For instance, doctor appointments can be in black, meetings can be in red, and project deadlines could be in blue.
Now you know everything you need to create your family command center. You can build your command center by purchasing each component separately or you can buy a pre-configured command center.
Either way, you can’t go wrong!
If you need more family command center ideas, be sure to check out Hobby Lobby. I absolutely love that store and it was my source of inspiration when creating my family command center layout!
Ok, now that you know what you need to get your family organized, join me for a FREE 5 Day Challenge. Fellow mom, Hilary Erickson, will teach us how to conquer the trouble zones in our homes together! Sign up below.
For more accountability on getting organized, join my FREE group.
How does your family stay organized? Do you use a command center? Tell us below what components you think are most important.
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Don’t forget to come back tomorrow! We will be discussing how to grocery shop without leaving your home.