i thrive off of staying organized. i’m thankful that it typically comes very natural to me to keep my space organized, but i understand this isn’t the case for everyone, so i’m going to share the things i’ve done to keep my life organized, especially since having a baby.
use bins/baskets
i love a good basket or storage bin. you can find them pretty much anywhere, but i love the ones from target especially. recently i have found some thrifting and typically those ones are more unique & cheaper! bins can be used for anything and everything. in my son’s nursery, i use a bin right next to his changing area to keep cream, wipes, diapers, etc. bins allow you to store more but it looks like you’re storing less due to the minimal clutter. i have bins in hudson’s closet to store excess toys, diapers, wipes, diaper genie bags, etc. other areas of our home that we use baskets/bins are in our personal closets (socks, cards, hats), bathroom closet (products, hair accessories, makeup), tv console (remotes, polaroid accessories, movies, journals/bibles), and car (extra sun shades, back up diapers and outfits for Hud).
bins can be used as cute decor that people see, but they can also be used to hide things you don’t want company to see. i’m not a huge fan of doing this, but sometimes, it must be done haha. for example, we have a bin in hudson’s room that holds our cords and router because those are killers of aesthetic and is the only optimal place to keep them. get creative and stay organized simultaneously. 🙂
use labels
i love to keep things organized with labels (must be a teacher thing). this goes hand and hand with the first idea because once items are organized in bins, it makes your life even simpler to then label that bin with what’s in it. then, when you go to find the size 3 diapers, for example, you don’t have to search through the diapers and examine them to know which basket holds the size you need. label makers you can find for fairly inexpensive on amazon, and the label itself doesn’t have to be super large and be all you see. but i can guarantee you that it will be helpful. i would say that labels are probably the most effective for bins that are super large, not transparent, or out of reach. reading a label is much easier than grabbing a ladder and climbing up to grab a clunky bin only to search for 5 minutes not to find what you’re looking for. i’ve started using labels on our bins in storage and it makes the world a difference when my husband goes out to find something specific i’m looking for.
use a shared family calendar
organization doesn’t just stop at physical organization but includes mental organization as well. my husband and i began using a shared calendar a few weeks ago, and i would say it has been a game changer to keep us on the same page. we spend 15 minutes or so every sunday afternoon to go through our week. we set goals, plan meals, talk about chores around our place that need to get done, etc. then, if one of us needs a reminder on what’s for dinner or where the other one is, the calendar has it all. we not only have our personal schedules planned but are on the same page when it comes to each other’s schedule as well.
have you or your significant other ever brought up an event or meeting right before it started and they thought they told you but it slipped their mind? we’ve been there. it creates stress and tension due to plans changing last minute and potentially expectations for a night being ruined. keeping a shared calendar reduces the potential that this would happen. yes- things do come up last minute, but at least every week we have down what’s already planned for both of us so we can schedule our date night, sabbath, etc. based upon that.
staying organized will minimize stress and clutter- 2 things no one needs more of in this day and age. start with one room/space in your home and go from there. i promise you, you’ll be thankful you took the time to organize. then the next step is keeping it that way. 😉
tia marie 