10 Routines That Help Families Stay Organized

Today, families are busier than ever, and its easy to get overwhelmed with keeping up with it all. The following is a list of helpful routines that can make all the difference in maintaining order and reducing stress at home as the weeks roll by.

1.  Daily & Weekly Routines   
We all function better once a system is in place. Routines are especially important for children, so forming habits that take place daily or weekly, like having set times for homework, and chores and having consistent bath and bedtimes can be soothing for both parent and child.  Parents having set weekly routines for getting things done, like paying bills, filling the dishwasher and doing laundry are also helpful. Routines not only help keep families organized, they reduce stress and enable us to feel more in control.
 
2.  The 15 Minute Family Huddle   
Every week, have a short family meeting to discuss the weeks upcoming appointments, activities and other details. Use this planning session to go over all of the upcoming weeks to-dos, this is when details can be added to the calendar, like errands, deadlines or phone calls that need to be made.  These meetings help families feel more in control as the week progresses and forgotten details are less likely, ensuring that stress levels stay low and last-minute emergencies are avoided.
 
3.   10 Minutes Each Night  
Have each family member take 10 minutes before bedtime to get ready for the next day.  Choose outfits, prepare lunches, pack everything that needs to go to school and set it by the door.  Also, gather together after school supplies for activities.  Doing this will make the mornings run smoother and will prevent items from being forgotten. 
 
4.   Delegated Household Tasks  
This should never be a one-man job even for a stay at home parent.  Each family member should be engaged in this process and can be assigned age appropriate household tasks. Even if your kids are busy, making them responsible for completing scheduled chores, will teach them valuable skills that transfer to adulthood.  It takes teamwork to Keeping a family running smoothly, reinforcing this fact when kids are young will solidify this attitude as they grow older.  
 
5.   A Place for Everything  
Having permanent homes for everything ensures that clutter is kept at bay and time is not wasted looking for things.  Assign homes to everything you own and make sure other family members know where things go.  Reinforce the rule that things need to be returned to their permanent homes when they are not being used.
 
6.    Clutter Cutting Habits  
By teaching kids helpful tidying habits like making their bed each morning, hanging up their back packs every day, cleaning up one toy or project before bring out another, etc. they learn valuable skills that will carry over in to adulthood.  Reinforcing these important habits will go a long way not only in keeping the home organized now, but in helping kids develop automated organizing skills that will last a lifetime.
 
7.    Twice a Year Purge  
Families today have a substantial amount of stuff coming into the home on a regular basis. For this reason, it is important to take time twice a year to de-clutter and purge items that are no longer being used.  By moving unwanted items out of the house on a regular basis, you balance what is coming in with what’s going out.  Establish a box labeled DONATE and communicate with each family member so that everyone knows where to put their unwanted items. Then make it a priority to move it all out twice a year.
 
8.   Practice Saying No  
Today, many families overbook their days, not wanting to miss out on activities and opportunities.  We also struggle with saying “no” to our kids and to requests for commitments because we feel pressured.  But learning to say no when we have reached a limit is the best thing that we can do for ourselves and for our kids.  Limit the number of activities you and your children participate in. This will ensure that your family has time to get important tasks done and stay organized on a daily basis.  It also it will allow you to build in “down” time into each day.  Scheduling “down” time where nothing is going on will ensure that every family member including yourself has time to unwind and refuel.   
 
9.    One Family Calendar  
It is helpful to have one central family calendar that everyone uses, whether that be a paper calendar or a digital one that everyone’s phones are synced to.  Having everything on the calendar and having only one that everyone uses will ensure that nothing is forgotten.
 
10.   Don’t Put Off the Predictable  
​Just as it is much less stressful not to wait until the last minute to do a homework assignment, it promotes peace to get predictable, scheduled activities out of the way ahead of time rather than waiting until the last minute. For Example: Shopping for Saturday nights’ dinner party well in advance rather than waiting until Saturday morning allows extra time for any unexpected surprises that might pop up. 

---