If you haven’t read my about me section yet, here is a quick synopsis… I work full time from home for a tech company with my two toddlers and I run a blog in between. The key to juggling all of this is organization and I’ve definitely learned a thing or two about maintaining that. But I’ll be honest with you, I get overwhelmed easily and definitely have days where I feel defeated or like I’m not doing enough. So my overall goal is to simplify just about everything in my life. Here are a few things that have worked for me to stay organized.
- The right planner – This is the planner I am currently using: The Blue Sky Day Designer. I love it because of its simplicity, there is so much space for each individual day and it offers a visual overview of my time. I am someone who thrives on writing down to-do lists and checking things off so having a planner that I can count on is a huge must.
- A large calendar – We have a giant whiteboard calendar stuck to the front of our fridge. Every time you walk in the kitchen it hits you smack in the face and you can’t miss it. It’s not cute, it’s not Pinterest-worthy, but I need it. NEED it. We write everything on there.. kids activities, husband’s work travel schedule, my pre-planned girls nights, even the things that happen every week at the same time, like Thursday dance class. It helps me to visualize the big picture and plan accordingly.
- Plan ahead – Although I appreciate a good spontaneous adventure, I am definitely a planner. Things like meal planning or scheduling a meal delivery service (we love Hello Fresh) can help relieve stress by not having to worry about it in the moment. Even planning ahead for small things, like “today I am going to wash my hair when my husband gets home from work” can help you feel less overwhelmed and give you something to look forward to. Overall, planning ahead allows for better preparation and communication with my family.
- Devote time to exercise/self – To be honest, I am still working on this one. But when I do take the time to exercise or for myself I notice a huge difference in my mood. Sometimes that time away is just what I need for a fresh start. A fresh start at parenting (not exhausted from a million tiny demands) or at work (from feeling overwhelmed and suffocated). I think it makes me a better mom with more patience, which in turn makes my kids happier. Win-win!
- Declutter – When our house is unorganized it makes my brain feel unorganized. I definitely don’t have the neatest house (it’s like a bomb went off most days) but even the small things, like containing the majority of toys to one room can help make a difference. Keeping my desk/workspace clean helps to make me feel more focused even if the rest of the room is disorderly. I try to do one load of laundry a day, makes this chore feel a lot less daunting and keeps it from piling up.