10 habits to organisation heaven

These few simple, actionable steps can easily become very healthy habits if you follow them on a daily basis.  They are easy to implement and will help you become a highly organised mama in no time!

1. Use a (digital) calendar

   I enter each and every appointment into my calendar.  I add my husband as a guest to anything he needs to attend to, help with or needs to know about.  Of course it also works vice-versa.  If you prefer a physical calendar or diary, go for it.  The downside to this is you cannot share appointments and you need to make sure you take your diary with you wherever you go.

2. Use reminders

   Saying I am forgetful would be an understatement.  This is probably due to the fact that I rely so much on digital reminders, I will absolutely forget anything I have not set a reminder for.  In any case, I am a firm believer in freeing up your mental energy to focus on what really matters.  Loading your brain with 101 things to remember is not exactly a recipe for being productive in my books.

3. Stay away from the bargains

   Do not let sales and offers taunt you into buying things you do not really need.  Buy things only when and if you need them.  If you happen to catch yourself a bargain when you are looking for a specific item, good luck to you!  If not, buy what you need and remember you will have no remorse – you truly need this!

4. Keep your main living area clutter-free

   It’s hard sometimes to keep the house in shape with the kids around.  My main objective is to at least keep our kitchen-living-dining area clear of clutter as much as humanely possible.  I shuffle bits and pieces off to different rooms whenever I can, then declutter the other rooms later.  This eases the mental exhaustion which surfaces if I try to spend my day in a messy living area.  This easy tip helps me feel in control.

5. Declutter regularly

   I like to dedicate 10 minutes a day to quick decluttering, and longer periods of time to target specific areas or projects.

6. Give everything a home

   If this has not yet become a part of your routine, start planning to give all of your belongings a specific area to call home.  Be it a drawer, shelf, little box, specific container – giving all of your belongings an exact place to reside can give you peace of mind.  Forget about looking for anything, you know exactly where to find what you are looking for.  Unnecessary overstocking will also become a thing of the past, because you know exactly how many highlighter pens you have stored in that little bag in the office cabinet.

7. Leave your keys & phone in the same place

   We have a little pretty box next to the door, and that’s where all our keys go.  Phones also go on this same shelf.  Buy a nice tray, box or choose a drawer for these items and save time searching high and low.

8. Have a to-do list

   Getting things off your mind and onto paper (or anywhere digital for the matter), is already a relief in itself.  This is an easy way to make sure that you do not forget to do anything.  I love the triumphant feeling of working my way down my list as my day progresses!

9. Make a plan for unwanted stuff

   That dress you’ve fallen out of love with, your kid’s baby toys, the old garden chairs that are in good condition but do not use anymore…
   You can very quickly start hoarding unintentionally, not because you want to hold on to stuff, but because it is easier (short-term) to stash something away rather than deal with it.  Long term?  Not so much.
   Instead, each and every time you decide that something is not worth keeping any longer, make a plan.  Decide if it needs to be tossed or donated.  Be specific.  If it needs to be tossed, see how and when, and enter an appointment into your calendar.  The same goes for bits and pieces which you are donating.  Do not procrastinate.

10.  Have an errand bucket list

    I can completely relate to the fact that our lives are so jam-packed, that less than urgent errands tend to take a backseat.  Yet these little bits and pieces pile up, and start to weigh us down.  So, next time you think of an errand which can wait, but needs to be done nonetheless, add it to your errand bucket list.  Use it regularly, so you can quickly cross off errands if you are in the same area, or have half an hour to spare.

    Want more?
    My book, ‘the Mama Manual – How busy mums get organised’ is packed with actionable tips that will get you organised and will save you time like never before! I promise, even if you just have 10 minutes, you will walk away with something valuable.  You can buy it online here!