I am on a roll aren’t I? Have I inspired you yet? I have had lots of emails/tweets/FB messages so I must have done something right!
Ok point form for these organising tips:
1. Eat in ONE spot only. No roaming, no lounges, no hallways, no bedrooms. Less cleaning!
2. Vacuum little bits more often. Don’t leave it for just one big job a week. Lots, little and more often.
3. Set yourself a time limit. It might be 4.15pm and I tell myself I have to have the washing in, folded and all away by 5pm. This works! The best little tip ever is to set yourself a time for everything you know needs doing, but detest doing.
4. While talking on the phone do a job. I can cook, pack up, fold washing all while talking. Because I am so busy talking by the time I hang up I am surprised at what I have done.
5. Shoes have a spot! Not at the door or in the lounge room. I put a tub in the garage for older shoes and good shoes go in wardrobes. Kids are responsible for their own.
6. Get an iPod. I refuse to do washing without it. Makes life much more pleasant. I think I should even get a tv in the laundry. What do you think? Just kidding!
7. Make the kids do jobs. Give them all something to do, but you need to reward them. They are kids after all and think the world revolves around them! Or sometimes I tell them we won’t be going to the park or for a walk until certain things are done. They will then go like rockets! Jobs could include taking rubbish out, packing up the toys, winding up playstation cords, putting the DVD’s back in cases…. yes my kids do pull everything out and make the biggest messes. I let them. I am not silly about them just being kids. I don’t care if they make a cubby house inside with 15 pillows and 5 blankets, but when I see they don’t want to play with it again, and they are moving on to the next activity, I ask them if they’ve finished and I will help them pack it up. You are probably rolling your eyes here and imagine my boys are robots hahaha. I don’t lay up on the lounge while they are doing jobs, I am helping too!!! I swear I am. I just got a visual of how nice that would be though (to lay on the lounge while little robots worked away….).
8. Set the kids up with an activity while you do what YOU want to do. This might be talking to a friend, watching tv or getting on the computer. Find them something to do so they are busy. The day shouldn’t be all about the kids and leave no time for you to do anything. I hear parent’s ask me “how can you find the time to…..?” Simple. I have taught my kids to amuse themselves and to play on their own. I don’t always have to do everything for/with them. Although, we love a good game of SNAP and like to laugh at the little one who is a terrible sport! 3rd child = spoilt.
9. When you are motivated, go with that feeling. Go like a bat out of hell while you can, so on days when you are flat you don’t have to beat yourself up about not getting things done.
10. Don’t stay up late to get things done. Once the kids are in bed this should be downtime for you and hubby or whoever. I do everything that needs doing before 8.30pm and after that I am either dead on the lounge or in bed watching tv and tweeting (hehehe).
Part 1 and 2 were in earlier posts, so scroll down.
Have a great weekend!
Katrina xo.
