THIS CONTEST IS CLOSED
I made a couple of fairly simple new year’s resolutions this year; the first is to try harder to make it to my bus on time in the morning. The second is not to sweat it if I don’t. I’ve been pretty successful at the second resolution, but much less successful at the first. Getting myself and my three kids out the door by 8:00 am (a full hour after my husband has left) can feel like the ultimate Survivor challenge. When I’ve finally taken care of figuring out whether they need and have their lunches, homework, swimming stuff, gym clothes, sports equipment, signed forms, etc., I’m often still running around the house like a mad woman trying to locate and stuff my iPod, my cell phone, my datebook, my camera and various to-do lists into my purse.
First put a calender on your refrigerator so you can write things in. Write things in like doctor appointment, hair, meet with teacher, You must write everything in childrens schedule , husbands appointment. Then it is easy you sit down plan what you have to do then work your plan. So Plan your work . Work your plan try it as it does work.
Have the kids backpacks ready at the door in the morning. Lunches and snacks packed the night before and have the breakfast table set……having a few basic organizational skills really helps reduce the stress in the morning!
I keep all sandwich fixings in a separate bin in the fridge. I wash the lettuce, and other vegetables and seal them, and sandwich meats and cheeses in separate bags or containers and place them in the bin. I keep all the condiments together as well. I have found that this saves time and keeps me from getting stressed. I label the sandwiches and stack them, its easy for everyone to just grab and go.
I organize everything the night before, including outfits, breakfast (cereal already in the bowls) and bags packed. By doing that, things are less likely to get missed and everything seems to run more smoothly!
The best/only way I can get up and get going on time in the morning is by setting my clocks 15 minutes ahead of time. I know this is pretty lame but until I get or better yet, win a Palm, it’s the best I can do.
I use reusable cloth bags. I have one for each kid. they can put mitts, hats and other personal stuff inside and hang it under their coat on their hook in the closet.
Plan it two days before.
Pack it up one day before.
Pick it up and go to it on the right day!
Hi Jen,
Here’s a couple tips on how I manage to get out of the house and to my desk at work on time…well most days anyways!
1) Make your lunch the night before: I find it really easy to add cut up veggies, fruit and snacks to my next day’s lunch while prepping out dinner at nights.
2) Organize your outfit the night before: I don’t like to wake up earlier and have to make my fashion decisions while half awake; so when I do laundry during the weekend, I organize my closet with the outfits I want to wear all week, hung in order so when I wake up; it’s really easy to grab a coordinated outfit with no a.m. stress.
Have a great day
Have a place for everything and return it there, then things don’t go missing. Have a shelf by the door for car keys, phone, gloves, etc so they’re ready when you grab your lunches (made the night before) from the fridge and out the door you go
prepare everything that you need for next day the night before
i always organize my stuff the same way so i don’t forget any items
Make your lunches the night before and even on the weekend and bring the whole supply to work on Monday.
Wow…help someone else get out the door on time? Thats a good one1
I guess if I had to offer some advice it would be to have as much as possible done the night before. i.e. the dishes, the lunches planned out, and clothes washed, ironed and laid out etc. all the night before. Have a plan for breakfast ahead of time, something simple like even a breakfast drink or cereal. Make sure your car or truck is in the garage (if you live where there is snow like we do;) That can save ALOT of time not scraping off the vehicle!! Keep your alarm clock well out of reach so there is no ‘SNOOZING” going on in the morning;) Other than that I’m not sure what other adivice I cn give?!! Pre-plannin is very KEY!!
I am following you on twitter! @ciesla504
email: ciesla504(AT)charter(DOT)net
Here are a few tips that hopefully will help your dilemma Jennifer:
Designate an area (near front door) for all essentials that can eliminate the crazed morning syndrome when you’re trying to leave. Shoes, backpacks, car keys, cell phones, purses, etc can be placed here sometime in the evening elimating you from having to search for them in the morning. Also, you can keep your cell phone charger in this area so your phone is charged for the day.
Consider staggering wakeup times for greater efficiency. Starting with kids who need assistance first, or the ones who are real sleepyheads or mope around like turtles.
Set all your clocks and watches to the same time. At my place I have them set 5 min ahead but dont tell your kids or you’ve defeated the purpose.
Pick out your clothes and kids clothes the night before (don’t forget your underclothes and shoes).
Make sure they get baths the night before.
If you do cold cereal in the mornings then have a bowl all poured out the night before with a lid on it to keep it fresh and a spoon all laid out too.
Have them empty backpacks everynight before they do homework and then nothing goes back into the backpack until it is checked by you and/or hubby. This way you will have forms all signed that might have been missed and any thing that doesn’t need to be in there can be thrown out. You can then put their organized backpacks in the car the night before.
Lunches should also be prepared just before bed and easily grabbed from the fridge.
I wish you luck. I had 3 children myself so I know what your going through. Its tough but needs to be done. Just remember a routine works best if you stick to it.
I would love to win this Palm Pre package. Thanks for the chance.
Set your clock ahead 10 or 15 minutes, don’t use the snooze button, have everything ready the night before and if you have a progamable coffee maker be sure to set it up.
Prepare everything the night before. Prepare your lunch and put the clothes you will be wearing in another side. Only thing you have to do next morning is to wake up and shower.
When doing the kids laundry ( ages 5 and 3)
I fold it and put it back in the laundry bin by the drawer they go in then the kids put it away themselves … it does not always stay nicely folded but it is put away and they feel great about doing it!
I get my kids to help organize some of their own stuff. Before bed, they are responsible for packing everything in their backpacks, except their lunch. I do the lunches in the morning and that is all I have to worry about.
I get my kids to help organize some of their own stuff. Before bed, they are responsible for packing everything in their backpacks, except their lunch. I do the lunches in the morning and that is all I have to worry about.
The best way to get organized is to get your kids to share some of the responsibility. Give the kids a list each morning. They will be responsible for everything except lunch. They can check thins off once they are complete. If they forget something, they will learn very quickly the consequences and it likely won’t happen again!
The best way to get organized is to get your kids to share some of the responsibility. Give the kids a list each morning. They will be responsible for everything except lunch. They can check thins off once they are complete. If they forget something, they will learn very quickly the consequences and it likely won’t happen again!
The best way to get organized is to get your kids to share some of the responsibility. Give the kids a list each morning. They will be responsible for everything except lunch. They can check thins off once they are complete. If they forget something, they will learn very quickly the consequences and it likely won’t happen again!
I have a few ways I became more organized. I bought a cookbook called Make a Mix Cookbook where you cook up large batches of different meat sauces that you freeze in meal size portions. I make these once a month to use throughout the coming weeks. I take one out of the freezer each morning and then I just add a few things after work to make dinner. This leaves more time in the evening to help with homework, get clothes out for the next day and still get to bed at a reasonable hour. I also make things like Pizza buns and freeze them for lunches so I don’t have to make sandwiches every morning. They are great for days things don’t go quite as planned and you need to pack your lunch fast. I always have containers of prepared fruits and veggies ready for lunches. Another thing that has helped me get going on time is if I need to be gone by 8 I tell everyone we have to leave at 7:45. I just find whatever time you say you have to leave that is when the kids start getting their things together. This gives you a few extra minutes to find the lost mitten, run back to get the lunch bag left on the counter etc.
Besides doing as much as possible the night before such as laying out clothes and making lunches, for my son I like to put out his eyeglass cleaner and cloth, and his vitamins and supplements on the table so they are ready for first thing in the morning. Our whole family likes to use those pill cases that you can fill for the week with the vitamins, supplements and/or medications that we take daily – it’s a great time-saver!
Besides doing as much as possible the night before such as laying out clothes and making lunches, for my son I like to put out his eyeglass cleaner and cloth, and his vitamins and supplements on the table so they are ready for first thing in the morning. Our whole family likes to use those pill cases that you can fill for the week with the vitamins, supplements and/or medications that we take daily – it’s a great time-saver!
Wow what an awesome prize!! Making sure lunches are made the night before helps save me time in the morning!
on sunday’s we prepare her clothes for the week, we color code them and push everything else over,leaving what she is going to wear during the week. we make it into a fun time with music and conversation. as for lunches we prepare them for every one the night before. it works very well. thanks
I would lose my head if it wasnt’ attached!
i make sure my kids shower and have clothes picked out the night before..
i make sure my kids shower and have clothes picked out the night before..
We have getting ready in our house pretty much down to a science. My DH makes the sandwiches the night before while I iron his work shirts.
In the mornings, I wake the kids up (6&9) and they HAVE to come to the table dressed and beds made. I give 15 minutes for this. They also have to pick out their snacks for their lunches. Makes it easier for foods not to come back home uneaten.
We give the kids responsibility of certain tasks. Many hands make light work. Now if only after school was as easy as the morning….
On weekends, I try to do as much food preparation as possible for the following week. I wash and cut fresh fruit and vegetables and store them in plastic compartmented containers. I also cook in large batches and freeze in individual portions. The evening before, I pack fresh fruit and yogurt in one side of a double compartment to have for my breakfast when I get to work and greens, vegetables and protein for my lunch. Salad dressing is individually packed in a small plastic container and my snacks of fresh fruits such as apples and nuts are easily prepared. I also decide the evening before what I would like to have for dinner the next evening and take a precooked meal from the freezer to defrost in the refrigerator while I’m at work. The meal is often stand-alone or I steam some fresh vegetables or add a side salad, which is easy to do because the food is already prewashed and cut.
check the weather the night before and set up the clothes based on the weather. Make sure you got dry snacks ready to go (in the car or on the way out) along with a juice box!
Try to wake up a bit earlier so you can go down stairs and get everything ready before they wake up, plus if you have a little time to cook… nothing will get them down like the smell of nice omelet.
In the evenings we make lunches, get breakfast dishes out and ready, backpacks put by the front door, and clothes laid out. I also keep a magnetic dry erase board on the back of our front door to right what we need before we leave for the morning – library books, skates, etc. That way we can’t forget anything because it’s written in front of us before we open the door.
I do as much as I can the night before (putting out clothes, packing lunches, doing forms, etc.). Without actually putting them in the car the night before. Although some days that really seems like a good idea.
Stay organized, cook double meals and freeze for when your running late.
clothes get folded and put on the bottom steps and it is everyones job to take there own clothes upstairs to put away.
I always have clothers organized and layed out for the following morning. Saves lots of time.
A bag of gymn clothes ready in the car,
My wife and I try to keep things flowing easily in the morning. One does breakfast the other gets the kids going and makes sure the bathroom is left clean.
We both cook and often make double so their will be a family meal in the freezer if we are running late after work.
The best tip I can give you to get everyone out of the house by 8 am is to aim to be ready earlier, say by 7:30am, and recruit your husband to help get some of the tasks that the kids can’t help with underway or done before he leaves.
The Palm Pre sounds like a wonderful device to cut down on all the various paraphernalia we tend to lug around with us. Thanks for the info.
Do as much as you can the night before. Make the kids be a little more responsible for their things, daily check off charts can be a help
I do all the organizing the night before as others have suggested. I also get the kids to help me get everyone ready in the morning and off to school by getting their own recess snacks. I have four bins each full with healthy snacks and they can pick from any two bins for recess and break snacks. Giving them the power of choice cuts down the arguemtns in the morning and makes for an easier transisiton out the door. I then track “good” mornings and if there are so many “good” mornings (ie we are all out in time and not major problems) in a row they get a reward/incentive.
Most importantly I try and simply things…..re-evaluate tasks and only do things that are necessary. I find setting out everyone’s work/school clothes and lunches the night before is crucial. I ALWAYS set reminders on my PDA and I have found this is the number one organizational tool (hope it will be the Palm Pre soon!!) in the evenings on making sure I remember to have everything in my purse for the next day (cell phone, keys, wallet, etc.) and bookbags ready and set in front of the door the night before. So taking just a few minutes the night before to prepare for the next day is more effective than doing it all in the morning.
My biggest organization helper is a magnetic calendar on the fridge. At one easy glance everyone who can read (!) can see what shift I am working, who has appointments or school trips, or whether it’s pizza day.
It’s easy to see what’s going on any given day and if the phone rings inviting my daughter to a birthday party or the dentist calls with a cancellation I can look and make an informed decision right away !
That being said, I would love to win this prize and take my organizing to the next level !
So, Jen, seeing as you watch the trends…I think I may have the answer for you on this one…
I JUST received and absolutely LOVE it…it’s fun,trendy,colourful and very compact…and everyone I meet LOVES it and wants it…so, you’ll never want to leave it behind…which means you’ll be organised FOREVER!
It’s the new Moleskine Colour a Month Planner/diary…I blogged about them too…I just want the WHOLE World to know…
http://weblogartists.blogspot.com/2010/01/they-arrived.html
You’ll love them too!!!!
Moleskine ROCKS!
Char
Do as much as possible the night before. Pack everyone’s lunches and put them in the fridge. Have your clothes and the girls’ clothes ready to go the night before. I have the coffee pre-set the night before as well and I wake up to a wonderful aroma!
As with most of the other comments the key is to do as much as possible in advance therefore making the morning routine much less hectic.
i have a big board in my kitchen that you can write on and erase. At night I make a list of what i need to do the next day. I check mark each chore when I finish it. At the end of the day when I am thinking i havent accomplished anything I just look at my board and see all the checkmarks….. and I suddenly feel as sense of accomplishment
In order to keep everything in order, I used to add all events/appts to my outlook calendar however ever since I was laid off in ’09 and my routine has totally changed. I now ask my husband to add everything to his smart phone, although keeping track of everything works for us this Palm Pre would be ideal to keep me in the loop and help plan things out properly.
Like many of the other comments, I’ll also prepare as much possible the night before (laying out clothes, pre-pouring cereal, prepping all lunches and snacks.)
My toddler, is notoriously cranky in the morning, so I’ve taken to dressing him at bedtime in his clothes for the next day and I’m no longer having to wrestle and fight with him to get dressed in the morning.
Prepare everything in the evening, lunch bags are packed and clothes picked and laid out. If I switch purses, that is done in the evening. Thank about what is being served for breakfast the night before. That way I am not running around in the morning and likely forget something.
Hi, to save time and what i think is a great tip, is have a meal planned for every day of the week, so you know what you need and what your cooking, i found that i would think from morning on till i made dinner what i was going to have, so if i know weeks in advance, it is easly,
I can’t live without my over-sized fridge calendar. It’s big, but that’s so there is lots of room for everyone’s activities–doctors appointments, hockey games, dance practice etc. This helps keep our family organized time-wise.
We are like two peas in a pod. Getting three kids is a lot of work so you need to do a lot of planning. Plan what you need to do for the week beginning Sunday afternoon and go from there. Plan your meals, appts etc..
I put my alarm out of reach so in order to turn it off I actually need to get out of bed to turn it off and by then I am awake. I work full and part time so in order to ensure I get my stuff done my day starts at 5. You will get a lot more done if you start earlier while the kids are asleep. I know I can’t get anything done once my three troublemakers are awake.
My biggest tip would be to pack everything that can be packed the night before, lunches, backpacks, make sure your purse has everything you need it, even pick out your clothes in the evening. Then make a list of what you have to still do in the morning and leave it on the kitchen counter so it is the first thing you see in the morning. I really find lists keep me on track! If I don’t write it down I will forgot something 🙂
Set your alarm clock 15-20-30 minutes ahead, then set your normal wake-up time. You’d be surprised how valuable those 15-20-30 minutes are to get get you ahead of the game firsts thing in the morning.
While I make dinner I make lunches and the kids either help with lunches or do their homework. I have to have their input for lunches or else they don’t eat them so if their lunches are made during the dinner prep/setting table time, they can ask for a lunch that I know they will eat.
Since the goal is get organized by 2011 I’ll say- get the kids involved. If they are 3 or up they can actually shave minutes off your daily routines once you’ve taken time with the initial learning frustrations. This is great for the whole family since chores like putting away laundry, groceries, table setting and meal prep can easily be fun family time activities, killing two birds with one stone as they say.
I have a checklist in the bathroom that the kids check while they brush their teeth before bed. The list has things like 1. school forms in backpack, 2. gym clothes etc to remind my kids of things they have to remember so they are not rushing around in the morning, forgetting things they need for school.
HI
At our house we set the breakfast table the night before. This helps cut down on the morning madness a little bit. Also I have now delgated responsibility for school snack making to my kids, if they don’t fill their water bottle or get a snack ready and put it into their backpack then they are out of luck. It also means one less thing for me to do which lets us all get out the door on time.
On Sunday nights my kids and I make healthy lunch snacks in ziploc bags and each child has a plastic bin where they store their snacks. Making lunches in the morning means making a sandwich while eating breakfast and then grabbing a bagged snack, fruit and juice box.
I encourage the kids to write everything on the white board in the kitchen. The kids now try to organize their own shcedules so if it says “library-Thursday night” all the kids know where we are going and can organize their own schedules to go or find another activity that they can do on their own.
I keep an electronic to-do list that I also print and put on the refrigerator. I post the things that need to get done as well as the things that we have accomplished so that everyone in the family get an idea of the things that need to be worked on, but also, everything we have accomplished together.
My suggestion is to plan your week in advance and then split it day by day. Have the kids help as much as they are able. Have everything ready the night before, it saves so much time in the morning when you already know where everything is.
A few things that I do to keep organized…
1. Pour cereal into bowls the night before with spoons beside the bowls.
2. Meal plan – I use my gigantic fridge calendar so meals are easy to look at for the whole family (just in case someone decides they want to help)
3. Make school (and my) lunches the night before
4. Get to bed earlier than you think you need too..a rested momma is a happier momma.
5. check backpacks and sign agendas the night before
6. Enjoy the chaos of the mornings…it is part of life, your life, and it too is good!
I set my alarm 20 minutes ahead, and do EVERYTHING the night before.
wow…what an amazing gaget…
My tips on getting organized is to seek help from professionals (for decluttering). But if it is to just get better time-wise I would try getting up earlier (even 10 mins). And get showered and dressed for work BEFORE heading downstairs for breakfast and coffee. It seems to get the whole morning off to a bit of a “kick-start”. Now getting the kids up and out of bed, dressed and feed that I’ll have to pass because every morning has a different challenge in that department!
I always layed my clothing out the night before and made my lunch the night before to save time. I also always got up a half hour before I had to so that I could relax and not have to run around at 6 a.m.
My time saver is have my husband in charge of lunches for the kids (he needs something to do late late at night!) and of course have clothes picked out the night before.
When my 3 children were young it was a nightmare getting them out the door let alone myself. Back in the day, we didn’t have pre palms, cell phones or any other high tech helpers. All I had was the stove timer. Set for 15 minutes/washed and dressed. 10 minutes/breakfast. 10 minutes/gather books, homework etc. 5 minutes/better be dressed and heading out the door. Worked quite well!
My calendar had 5 different colors on it, one for each child, myself and my husband.
From across the room I could tell who had something going that day but the Palm Pre would make that system obsolete!
Hmmm, the main idea I can offer (which has already been mentioned many times) is to have everything ready to go the night before.
Thanks for hosting this contest! Great prize!
I always lay out my cloths for the next day before going to bed at night. It saves me alot of time in the morning trying to decide what to wear.
When we built our house we installed 3 lockers in the mud room. The kids leave everything in them the night before so were not running around like crazy in the morning. It was a small investment that is going to pay off as they continue to grow.
I always lay out my cloths for the next day before going to bed at night. It saves me alot of time in the morning trying to decide what to wear.
Organization! This is key in my house.
We use a couple dry erase boards.. one main one with all my bill payment and banking info in my bedroom. We have a small one for the back of the door, last thing everyone looks at as they leave the house, this has magnets and clips on it, that we attach important info on. And lastly we have a large calendar on the fridge, everything is noted! Same in my house that after grocery shopping I wash all fruits and vegs and get ready for the week. Plus Sunday is my one day that I cook 3 or 4 meals for the week. Pays to be organized!!
PS. Would love love love this prize;)
The way I try to stay organized is with my Family Organizer Calendar – which the Palm PRE would nicely compliment and/or replace. We put everything on it, from everyone’s activities, appointments, when books are due, etc. Like others, I made lunches the night before and make sure my daughters backpack is packed and always ready for school. I also check the calendar to see what the next days activities, etc. are and plan out my day the night before including putting out what I will need to take with me. This helps elevate stress the morning of, as you already have your day planned.
I stay sane and organized by using a lot of the tricks already posted but lately the biggest lifesaver for me has been meal planning and grocery shopping only once per week with a list. Saves time and money!
Also cooking in the crock pot frees up tons of time to spend doing all the other chores on that never ending to-do list.
My best organizational tip is too get everything as much as possible ready the night before and have everything that is leaving in the morning in place by the door. Have clothes laid out including socks and shoes paired and ready to jump into in the morning. Have the breakfast dishes out and plan ahead what the meal will be. I find advance planning to work the best for me.
As a few other people have said make sure you do as much the night before. Packing their backpacks, making lunches (which I get my daughter to help me with), laying out clothes, for both the day and outdoor clothes so they can just put them on themselves without asking you where everything is. If you do that you’d be amazed how much time you save not having to worry about the little things.Hope this helps.
Most comments contain the secret formula: prepare as much as possible the night before. Also, delegate…even 5 year olds can be responsible for picking out clothes the night before, getting back packs ready and laid out in a designated place and help choose snacks for their lunch. If kids are showing their true colours (read: lazy and forgetful!), implement rewards. After a certain period of consistent help and preparedness, everyone gets a reward (pizza, movie etc, etc)
I make my lunch the night before and it saves me time in the morning. Also, set your clock ahead a few minutes!
Pick out your clothes the night before, then you don’t have to do it in the morning!
I pack lunches, lay out clothes & set the breakfast table the night before. I also make sure that I have a bus ticket in my pocket if I need it. If I think the morning will be extra rushed I will shower the night before so I can just do a quick washup in the morning.
My best tip is:
Plan ahead and make a list!
Doing these is a great starting point to getting organized.
Here are some of my organization tips..
On my computer I have a calendar and I put every activity into it. I even taught my kids how to add their numerous events on it too. I consult it every evening so that I don’t miss anything and I can be prepared the evening before. We pack lunches, backpacks and lay out clothing in the evening so that we are not scrambling in the morning.
Thanks for the great giveaway
Hello,
I would really like to win this so I will share my organizing tips.
Each night I prepare a lunch and lay out the clothing I need to wear so that when i wake up all i have to do is shower and run.
Setting the alarm clock a little earlier will also help you make it to the bus on time.
hope that helps
pick me!
I try very hard to get as much done the night before as I can. Lunches, clothes (especially since Mommy’s closet is in the playroom), and all bags ready to go by the door. Otherwise, they get forgotten.
I have a big calendar in the kitchen with all of our appointments, hockey games, meetings, etc. so that I can see what we are going to need for the next day.
Now, if only I could schedule the messy diaper changes that always seem to happen as we are getting coats on…..
I try very hard to get as much done the night before as I can. Lunches, clothes (especially since Mommy’s closet is in the playroom), and all bags ready to go by the door. Otherwise, they get forgotten.
I have a big calendar in the kitchen with all of our appointments, hockey games, meetings, etc. so that I can see what we are going to need for the next day.
Now, if only I could schedule the messy diaper changes that always seem to happen as we are getting coats on…..
I always make my lunches for the week on the Sunday before. I freeze them and when I’m on my way out the door I grab one for lunch that day. Normally I try to make a variety of lunches – chili, pasta with sauce, chicken lasagna, macaroni and cheese – you get the picture. I try, whenever I can, to use low fat everything. About once a month I’ll treat myself by getting take out or going out to lunch. You have to do that every once in a while!
I always make my lunches for the week on the Sunday before. I freeze them and when I’m on my way out the door I grab one for lunch that day. Normally I try to make a variety of lunches – chili, pasta with sauce, chicken lasagna, macaroni and cheese – you get the picture. I try, whenever I can, to use low fat everything. About once a month I’ll treat myself by getting take out or going out to lunch. You have to do that every once in a while!
1. Get an alarm clock for the kitchen and set it for the time that you need to head out the door. When the alarm goes the kids know it’s time to go (and so do you!). Set it with just enough time for coats and shoes and a slight margin of error for those mishaps that catch you by surprise.
2. Shower at night.
3. Do what you can on the bus to maximize your time spent there ie: make to do lists, clear up electronic clutter on your devices…
4. Have a basket by the door or in the kitchen that you place all those easy to lose items in instantly as soon as you’ve finished using them. Dump the basket into your purse in the am.
5. Realize the cost. What happens when you miss the bus? For me when I was taking the bus to work if I missed it I had to call a taxi because the buses did not come frequently enough. It was clear to me how much missing the bus was costing me — about $15! That adds up! So does the stress… Even if the cost isn’t monetary it still “costs” you…
5. Reward yourself when you do catch the bus. Chocolate would be great, but then you could develop a whole separate problem! Instead you could do a point system — one point for each time you catch the bus on time. 50 points equals a massage or whatever would work for you!
Thanks for the giveaway!
All the best in getting organized and catching the bus!
To become more organized for the morning, I get things ready the night before. I pick out my clothes and lay them out. I make my lunch. I have the towel ready in the bathroom for my shower. My purse, keys, coat and shoes are ready by the door.
I carry an organizer and keep track of appointments, special days, and when bills are due.
My best organizational tip is to clear out those closets. Anything I haven’t used in a year or more I get rid of. I offer my clothes first to my friends or relatives and whatever is leftover I give to Goodwill. The same applies to anything else I have with the exception of Christmas items. Every year when I unpack my Christmas items I ask myself if I still want the item. If I don’t I offer it to a family member or friend and again what’s leftover I donate to Goodwill. This only works for items in perfect condition. If there is something wrong with it, it goes in the garbage. Good luck with the organizing.
Humm…to get more organized. The only way I know how to get organized is to offer myself to my friends. Nothing is more uplifting then a second pair of hands to help sort thru many things. From helping them finish a reno job with free help, cleaning their house after hubby decided to insulate the attic just before Christmas , there are so many ways. I especially love helping friends clean out their childrens closets by having them pass the clothes on down the line. My kids love getting bags full of new clothes.
Organize my time to help with helping many others. Someday I may even go bigger but for now my friends and family count the most.
a recurring theme seems to be to get things ready the night before – completely agree
to take things a step further have different bags for kids special or personal activities be it gym, or swimming, karate… that way the activity specific bag is always packed and ready to go in advance of that particular class
having coats, sweaters, jacket, gloves, boots/shoes etc (basically outerwear) ready or located in a specific spot is a time saver like nobody’s business
To me being organized is not having clutter. Clean out your closets so you can see what you have , what you want to keep and what you want to donate. This includes you kitchen. Get rid of the old plastic containers with discolors and smells and replace with space saving options. When you finish grocery shopping clean all your fruit and vegetables so when you need to prepare a meal you do not have to spend time cleaning. I have a calendar on my bedroom closet door with a list of the clothes l am going to wear each day. I line up the clothes in order on the weekends so that every morning l just put them on.. no fuss..no thinking.. no wasting time.
I make lunches while I’m cleaning up after dinner the night before. I am already in a mess so why not get it done at once. Lunches are in bags in the fridge. The kids can get them out of the fridge and put them in their packpacks themselves.
As a single mother of 3 grown children, and now 2 grandchildren, plus always having worked full time, I can only repeat ALL the comments about preparation THE NIGHT BEFORE. I know, some nights the bed is screaming at you to crawl in, but it so helps in the AM. I always set the breakfast table the night before, cereal in bowls, toast plate on top. Each childs chair had their clothes on it, so they would take their clothes and get dressed before thier toast was ready. ALL book bags, including mine, were packed by the door. Lunches were made and in the fridge. Coffee machine was ready to be turned on. And I always made sure to run the dishwasher in the AM when I left instead of at night. That way I come home to clean dishes and an empty sink. And I can just unload the clean dishes onto the table for supper! And trust me, you WILL miss the chaos when there is only YOUR bag by the door in a few years!
I take the kids with me when I go shopping and they help me to pick the lunch items they want. I spent years packing lunches, just to find they were throwing them away. Now they eat the lunch and help to make it because they picked it out. We check the flyers and see what is on sale and that helps them to learn to get things on sale and budget their money.
I pack my daughter’s backpack with signed notices, library book, money, etc. the night before. I place her water bottle and bag to put her snack in on the island so I only have to put the snack in it in the morning.
To save my voice, sanity and time I have devised the easiest system for organizing my 2 boys and husband. I give them each a basket (big enough for a couple of binders). When they come in and empty backpacks, pockets and wherever else they have stuff – they put it in the basket. When the basket gets full I yell at them to put it away (asking nicely for the first 50 times of course). They are lazy so they end up throwing out what they don’t need (laziness does have perks). They then put the other stuff in its right place. Then we start the whole process over again.
sounds crazy but I set my clock ahead 15 minutes. So I actually get up 15 minutes earlier but I don’t feel like I did. Then I am not so rushed for time
It is cheaper to order the Big Cook cookbook from Chapters online than it is to buy it in the store.
http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Big-Cook-Have-fun-friends-Deanna-Siemens/9780973961409-item.html?ref=Books%3a+Search+Top+Sellers
I suggest prepping the night before. Getting lunches ready ahead of time and ready to go in the fridge, make sure to remove your juicebox/icepack from the freezer so it begins to thaw overnight. Putting out the clothes etc. you will need, and if they need to be ironed, do it at night.
My biggest time saving tip however is to start to use the Big Cook. http://www.thebigcook.com/ The basic premise is that you can take a day on a weekend, and prepare many meals and store them in your freezer. Then a day or two ahead of time, take your meal out of the freezer to thaw. The day you want to eat your meal, the prep work is already done, and you can serve a healthy, delicious, homemade meal. This saves me a TON of time, and helps me to avoid the “what to make for dinner” dilemma.
Wow, I’m not sure there is much more I can add…a lot of comments have been left! I am, however; the Mom of 3 children and my youngest is only 22 months but has Down Syndrome so I have to be organized! Doctor, Specialist and Therapy appointments keep me on the go and my 10 yr old daughter dances competitively 3 nights a week. My best friend right now is a HUGE calendar that is on our fridge (not exactly trendy!!!!) that I have to mark everything on and is color coded for each member of the family. My grocery list and to do list is also beside it. Having all of this on the fridge keeps it in view all the time which saves having to look for it! Also, like many others have stated…getting things organized the night before is a MUST. I also have the 2 older children set out their clothes the night before so there’s no “where’s my favourite shirt” 5 minutes before we are supposed to be leaving!
To save time in the morning, I have the older kids make their own lunches. While they eat breakfast, I make up the little kids lunches. Backpacks and notes are all handled the night before. If I have an appointment, I always make sure I aim for 15 minutes before the actual time. My keys and camera are always in my purse, so I never have to search for them. The cell phone is usually within arms reach at all times as well.
I put purse, keys etc. on a table next to door so everything is ready when I leave. I put out breakfast dishes at night and try to have all clothes ready the night before also. It makes the big “departure” less stressful.
My best advice is when you don’t feel like doing it….DO IT! I do most of my work the night before if I can. That’s everything from laying out what it is I’m going to wear to getting supper planned for the next day. It’s the only way I can stay on top of everything. Start simplfying your life with easy heatlthy dinner solutions. Tis the season to fall in love with your crock pot all over again!
There is only one thing to say about getting out the door on time every morning. You can’t make your lunch that day. Make it on the weekend. Put it in the freezer, and just grab one of what ever you batched on the weekend. Put in in your satchel, along with a couple pieces of fruit, and you are done, and gone. Everone has a microwave at work, right? You have a nutritious meal, with a couple pieces of fruit, something we never seem to get enough of. You have the nutrition, to keep you productive. No going out for a calorie/fat laden burger and fries. We all have to keep in shape. This is my way. No muss, no fuss!!!
The key is to plan the night before. Put out clothes, plan what to eat, plan what you need to accomplish and plan something nice for yourself – all work and no play makes me grumpy!
Mornings never work for getting things done. Something unexpected always comes up and your whole schedule is blown.
Prep the night before. Get lunches ready. Set out the clothes for both the kids (or get them to help) and yourself (no- grey and black socks don’t match). Try to get as much accomplished before you go to bed. You’ll sleep better and you’ll wake up with fair less chaos.
Mornings never work for getting things done. Something unexpected always comes up and your whole schedule is blown.
Prep the night before. Get lunches ready. Set out the clothes for both the kids (or get them to help) and yourself (no- grey and black socks don’t match). Try to get as much accomplished before you go to bed. You’ll sleep better and you’ll wake up with fair less chaos.
plan your meals for the week ahead BEFORE you go grocery shopping
My best organization tip is learn to say NO to certain things. By trying to take on too much, sign up for everything, attend every event, you’ll always be busy and won’t necessarly have the time to enjoy.
As a mother of 5,the best time saving tip is to teach your children to do all the prep work themselves.Make your own lunch,pack your own lunch and clean up after your done.One forgotten lunch is all it takes!! A missed meal is the perfect reminder.
A Palm is essential in my world and one that combines a phone would consolidate everything and make a huge difference!! It would be my “office” on the go. While I consider myself organized getting my older children to follow suit can be tricky. It has become an essential to get my jr. high daughter to figure out the night before what she’ll be wearing the next day! Helps her avoid the stress in the morning and helps me avoid being a wardrobe consultant while I make lunches, answer work e-mails, get two kids out the door and plan my day. Planning as much as possible the night before is essential to a stress free morning; this means backpacks packed, clothes picked out, money and forms signed, etc. The more the kids can help with this the better, they feel prepared and it helps them learn the skills they need to be more self sufficient.
I used to be one of those moms rushing around the house, flinging things into backpacks, hustling the kids out the door, hopping into nylons while brushing my teeth. Forget the make-up, that was done at stop lights on the way to work!
A few small changes I made in our house made such a huge difference!
Take showers at night. Some people enjoy a morning shower. If it doesn’t matter to you, then take it at night. This works really well for me to unwind after the day and I can spend the time in the shower thinking about tomorrow!
If you have a hard time getting up in the morning, try moving your alarm clock to the other side of the room. That way you’ll have to get up to turn it off. Also turn your clock forward a few minutes earlier too!
Crank up the tunes! Some people have a hard time getting motivated in the morning. There’s nothing like a little energy, dancing in the kitchen to start the day (with the added bonus of cardio), lol. Sometimes the kids join in and it’s a great way to start the day!
Don’t allow the tv to be on! No t.v on school mornings! It’s such a brain drain and will cut into precious time and battles with the kids. They will just want to finish the show. Cut it out completely!
These are just some fun tips that have greatly decreased time getting ready in the morning.
They have also made me a happier mama in the morning and that leads to a happier day.
Cheers!
Tamara
2 out of 3 of my kids are early risers, so getting them up has never been my problem although getting them out the door is sometimes easier said than done. Some of the things that I have found to help keep my sanity is when I bring home the groceries, I place all the school food supplies on one shelf so when I make the lunches I go to that shelf and grab what I need. I also keep the fruit and veggies in the fridge already washed, cut and ready to go. So lunches are quick and easy. I have the kids pack their bags the night before, so there is no running around looking for lost homework or missing agendas. I also make certain that at the end of the day all the coats, shoes, umbrella’s ect. are placed by the door along with their school bags so that they can get out the door in one stop. Lastly I keep a note pad on the fridge so when anything comes up during the day I can add it to the list and at the end of the day I organize it onto the calender or the list it needs to be placed on.
The best advice I have is to stream line the amount of things you need. Any item that does double duty is great for example i have a key lanyard that i attach my cell phone(which is also my mp3 player and camera) to so it’s 3 less things to find before i leave the house.
Pre plan for the next day. Make a shedule and stick to it. Kind of like making appointments for chores. Not much fun, but things will get done!
What I always did when my son was in school and I had to run for a bus was to pre make things that will go in the lunches this way come morning just pack the lunch bags and voila u are done , besides at night u r not as stressed for time so it is not like a chore making lunches .
At the end of each calendar year I write all my families birthdates on the next years calendar, with their ages updated each year right next to their birthdates….its so much easier to remember them this way and its so accurate…especially if you have a large extended family.
The best tip that I have is try and pack the lunches for the kids the night before. I even put everything in their lunch bag and put the entire thing in the fridge so that when I get up in the morning I don’t have to worry about it!
My advice would be when you are putting laundry away put outfits together so they can be grabbed quicky and the kids don’t have to search through drawers. Also keep breakfast simple don’t give choices during the week, save the time consuming stuff for the weekend
One of my ultimate “ready on time” strategies is to prepare as much as possible the night before. If my purse is packed, the kids’ clothes are laid out, snacks are ready in the fridge and breakfast is planned, the morning can’t help but run smoothly!
I always make lunches part way the night before fruit, cookies and granola bars go in the bags I keep all sanwich items in one container in the fridge so I don,t have to look for anything , breakfast items are put out the night before so there is very little work just add milk! Kids clothes are put at the foot of the bed while they sleep and busfares keys ect are kept in a pretty dish on the counter so nothing is missed!
Wow could I ever use this…good by sticky notes all over the place even my cell. I guess my biggest organization trick is keeping a calender with everyone’s events and appointments. We have alot going on and with work and sharing custody with my ex-husband there is alot to keep track of.
My best suggestion is to get stuff ready at night. I know, it’s tough when your tired. But it makes toe mornings go much easier. Who knows, you may even have time for a cup of coffee and a quick snuggle before you leave in the morning!
We always keep a post-it pad on the side of the fridge – all family members add things to this when we run out of a certain item, then when grocery day comes – we have a pretty complete list!
Even if you are super exhausted in the evening, I find if you get everything ready for the next day at that time it is easier getting out of the house in the mornings.
Every evening before I have “my time” I charge up the cellphones(in an outlet near the door to leave), I program the coffee maker, I make sure the school bag is packed and sitting by the door with my daughter’s coat and boots. I will set out all our clothes the night before, (also my bf’s dress clothes, but shhh don’t tell anybody I pick out his clothes lol). I pack the lunches, (when I do this at night it allows me time to leave little love notes or drawings in their bags). I make sure everything I need is in my purse and waiting at the door.
When I feel like everything I can possibly do that night to prepare for the following day is done, I will finally have “my time” with a cup of herbal non-caffeinated calming tea.
I also play a little game with my daughter in the mornings. She knows that if she can get dressed before mommy she will get a treat for the car ride to school. That actually helps get her moving quickly!
I never feel rushed in the mornings since I started this routine. The hard part is pushing yourself the night before even if you are super tired!
My tips are as follows: you or your kids pick the clothes that they are going to wear the night before and have the clothes ready and hang in their rooms. After dinner, get all the fruits washed and for some fruits cut them in pieces and get them ready in the fridge. For snacks, if they are going to have cookie or the like, get them packed and put in their lunch bags. Get the lunch bags line up on the kitchen countertop before you go to bed.
For cell phone, charge it before you go to bed and thus it will be ready in the morning. For other electronic stuff, if they can use rechargeable batteries, then always have extra batteries at home so that you can always use them when you need and you can always recharge them later.
If there’s things that need to do the next day, get the list ready the night before and stick it on the door (or somewhere that you must have seen it), therefore you must not miss it.
Have a certain day each week for household tasks so at the end of the week your home is clean and there is time for the entire family to enjoy. also cook double portions so that a couple days a week there will be no cooking needed.
Make your to do list for next day, have clothes and breakfast planned the night before. When the alarm goes off, get up immediately, do not shut it off and go back to sleep even if it is only for 5 minutes.
There is a secret to being organized? Why didn’t anybody tell me this before?! I have an hour long bus ride to get my step daughter to school and have to get her and my almost 2 year old son (who now has to sit on the bus for 2 hours) out the door before she is even out of bed when she stays with her mom. Laying clothes out the night before doesn’t work as we have to do the 6 outfit change in less then 30 minutes (“Hannah Montana does it!”). Lunches and snacks are preprepared as well as the breakfast table is usually set the night before. My secret? Sticky notes. They can go anywhere but there is usually a collage of them on the front door. Lunch? check. Bags? check (Key’s, wallet, phone may as well be painted there as they are the 3 most commonly forgot on my part). They come down every morning as things are prepared. I probably go through a stack of them a week. Close second to the sticky notes are lists of what needs to be done (the problem is I can never find the list when I need it). Does the Palm come with a find me sensor?
Make your to do list for next day, have clothes and breakfast planned the night before. When the alarm goes off, get up immediately, do not shut it off and go back to sleep even if it is only for 5 minutes.
I am a mom with an older daughter in grade 1, and a younger one with a totally different schedule, since she’s only 5 months old! So all my morning rush is also conducted in scurried silence, so that we don’t wake the baby!
My best organizational tip is akin to party cooking – do it ahead of time! I make lunches the night before, and have them ready in the fridge. Same for the back-packs and purses/totes – packed, ready and waiting by the front door like little soldiers. I am much better at remembering things in the evening than I am in the morning, and I’m not in a kerfluffle. I pack and prepare after everyone else is in bed, and it really only takes about 15 minutes. But if I were to try to get all that done in the morning, it would surely take me double the amount of time!
For all your electronic gadgets get a powermat they roll out and you can charge all your iPods, phones , portable games and e-readers. Place the mat where you leave your keys and glasses. That saves running around looking for everything. Get your kids to put their clothes out the night before while you make lunches and get as much of breakfast ready as possible!! However for all the other things such as pouring drinks in the a.m and when they are sick and the note they forgot to give you to sign what can you do? Absoulutley Nothing!! You just have to realize your are just a human being and can only do so much and yes we are going to be late, frazzled and run around, and when our kids are grown up and gone we will miss it all !!
I am a busy working mom with two little boys in school and daycare. The only thing that helps keep me REMOTELY organized is my Mom’s Ultimate Fridge Calendar and setting my alarm clock 7 minutes ahead!
i have 2 boy and at the moment they get up pretty early so getting them outta bed in the morning isn’t bad. i have the cloth picked from the night before… For breakfast there are a few things they really like … like avocados or yogurt etc…. so i always make sure we have that around, while they eat breakfast i get myself ready. Even though i have everything ready the night before, it’s still hard getting them out the door, there is always something they wanna do.
i too have a calender in the kitchen with everything on it(from work hours to when i’m going grocery shopping). i find if i have a deadline for something … i write it down on the date it’s due and a few days before as a reminder…. usually if i can i plan out a week in advance, with spaces in the schedule to fit whatever may happen.
thanks for the contest
Write things down, make a list, learn to prioritize (it’s not a given skill) and do things the night before, lay out clothes, make lunches or snacks minimum.
My Main thing is do your best to wake up just a bit earlier, have a printed out schedual of your bus route times that the bus fly’s by your stop, this helps alot and can easliy be printed off from the ttc website. If you miss your bus you should know when to expect the next one.
I always start tommorow with a plan today, I usually start when I get home from work, while I am just at the end of my energetic day, that way I can relax later on in the evening. I unpack any lunch dishes we have, I wash these lunch dishes with the dishes I use to prep dinner. While dinner is cooking I use any in between time to prep lunches for tommorrow. So that’s usally over with.
If it takes you a hour to get ready for work, get up 15-30 minutes earlier, eventually you will get used it!!!! That way if you are having a hard time picking out an outfit , or the one you planned on wearing is not working out you have a few spare minutes to figure it out. Breakfast Television is also a great morning show to put on in the morning, you can catch up on the events of the day, and they have a hourly alarm clock that goes off at 7-8 am juring the morning news….
I have a big calendar on the fridge tracks everything and anything going on – everyone has learned to look there first! I do a final check of kids school bags after I put them to bed – are their planner in the bag?is it signed? permission form, library books, homework etc. If anything is missing a sticky note goes on the bag with a reminder for them in the morning.
When the kids were smaller I used a visual list for them on the fridge with pictures of what they needed for the day – coat, running shoes, mitts – that worked well for my very forgetful daughter and taught her to have some responsibility in getting ready for the day.
I am a list person by nature, would love the Palm – so portable and WAY less paper 🙂
Plan as much as possible the night before. Empower, and give age appropriate tasks to your kids (ie making lunches), putting out the clothes they wish to wear, packing their school bags and putting them in front of the door. Sometimes we check the weather forcast the night before so that we know what clothes to put out. The older one sometimes does this. Last but not least, provide LOTS of positive feedback to your kids… “good choices on the things you put in your lunch”. For a while, it will be a grind, but after a while, it will go quickly and becomes routine for everyone giving you more time to do the things that you need to do in the a.m. Good luck!
The Palm Pre sounds awesome…and if it helped even a little bit to get more organized than I need it!
My suggestions are pretty much what has already mentioned…do as much as you can the night before.
To help manage our family calendar (4 busy kids, husband and dog), I’ve put a big deskpad calendar on the fridge (just glue magnets to the cardboard on the back of the calender) and then have a white board beside the calender. If the kids finish something (like the box of granola bars), or need something done (like sharpen skates) they write it on the whiteboard (if they are able). I also keep a small basket beside the fridge for things to get on the calender etc. I don’t use this basket as the kitchen counter catch all…it’s only for lists I need to take with me or info I need to get on the calender.
We also have the usual cork boards for school notes, calenders, hockey schedules etc.!
How do you feel about a little bribery?
Have the kids responsible for their morning routine (getting dressed, brushing teeth, getting to the breakfast table, getting coats and backpacks). The first one waiting and ready to go at the door gets a prize. Kids love competition.
As for mommy – get yourself a programable coffee maker. A life saver for those of us who need some caffeine to get moving in the AM!
I order once a week organic fresh food delivery. It requires me to pre-plan meals based on what items I am having delivered during the week which I long on to their website and select Friday or Saturday night.
It helps me commit to a plan rather than strolling the grocery store uninspired.
Since emailing is easier than phone calls (you know…the kids act up as soon as you are on the phone) I use email to remind family or friends (and even myself) as a reminder of things I need to do. Sometimes my 3 year old twins find my lists on paper I make and then they dissapear so emailing myself lists works better for me.
Also I have a photo binder that I use to organize my coupons. Before I go shopping, I put coupons in at the front of the binder in a plastic folder that I know I will have to pick up. Using coupons saves money but if you are scrambling to look for your coupons when you are at the register you will get some dirty looks and frustrate the cashier and other customers.
On the weekend we make a double batch of healthy waffles from scratch – whole wheat, applesauce, egg whites. Then we freeze the extras. The whole family can have a quick, healthy breakfast on a weekday morning by throwing them in the toaster 🙂
If I didn’t get a bit a help from my husband with regards to getting the kids ready for bedtime, then I’m sure I’d be forgetting something. When he’s getting their pjs on, teeth brushed, stories read, that’s when I make the school lunches, check the school calendar for events going on, double-check the backpacks for things that need taking out/or putting in, and of course getting their clothes out for the next day. Thank goodness I have a helping hand to get those things done!
That sounds like a great product!
I keep a big calendar in the kitchen with everyone’s schedule on it. Every evening I look at the calendar and think about what everyone in the family is doing the next day and I try to organize as much as possible that night, including making everyone’s lunches, putting library books into school bags, etc.
I also put a small magnetic chalkboard by the front door of my house. I write notes on there about upcoming events and I also post all of the field trip notices, permission forms and other information that we get from my childrens’ schools so that I can keep track of the forms and remember to bring them back on time.
Seriously – PREP PREP PREP! I make the kids pack their OWN lunches the night before (with my supervision, of course. No cookies for lunch!). Then, after a bath, we pick out our clothes for the next day, and make a game out of it. Then, after they’re all in bed, I make sure my purse is ready to go, and that I know where keys, coats, boots, etc are. It makes my mornings sooo much better!
Sounds like you could really use a Palm Pre. I think I would start with the night before and make sure that whatever the children needed in their backpacks the next morning was in the bags the night before. Except for lunches and then in the morning that would be the only thing needed to toss in and they are all ready. Make it a routine. Eventually you will do all this on autopilot. Get the children to also participate with getting their things together. Hope that helps you out. Smile and remember to say good-morning to your bus driver, if they always have the same route maybe they will be on the lookout for you and if you are running for the bus they will stall just a bit for you to catch it.
The only,only,only way I can get my 3 kids out of the house on time is to have as much as I can ready the night before. The Palm Pre sounds amazing and would help eliminate a lot of little pieces of paper with messages/phone numbers/e-mail addresses scattered all over my house.
My best tip, and this is nothing new, is to always make lunches and set out the next days clothes the night before. Saves a lot of time in the morning. When there are several people to get ready, it help to have a bathroom schedule, too. When one person is in the bath or shower, another can be drying their hair, getting dressed, etc in a different room.
Getting organized is only a matter of planning ahead. The night before, prepare lunches, snacks, clothes for the next morning, etc. Bathing the night before saves quite a bit of time too. Good luck!
Do as much as you can the night before. And I try and make the kids take on as much responsibility as they can for their own stuff instead of trying to take on everything myself. If they forget it, it’s their fault, not mine.
My best tip, and this is nothing new, is to always make lunches and set out the next days clothes the night before. Saves a lot of time in the morning. When there are several people to get ready, it help to have a bathroom schedule, too. When one person is in the bath or shower, another can be drying their hair, getting dressed, etc in a different room.
The only,only,only way I can get my 3 kids out of the house on time is to have as much as I can ready the night before. The Palm Pre sounds amazing and would help eliminate a lot of little pieces of paper with messages/phone numbers/e-mail addresses scattered all over my house.
love this contest
My best tip, and this is nothing new, is to always make lunches and set out the next days clothes the night before. Saves a lot of time in the morning. When there are several people to get ready, it help to have a bathroom schedule, too. When one person is in the bath or shower, another can be drying their hair, getting dressed, etc in a different room.
I keep a magnetic board on the fridge where I can write all appointments, errands and functions on. I also keep a pad of paper in the kitchen that I can write down things that we need for the next shopping trip. I put an asterisk next to items I have coupons for.
My best tip to get off in the morning is to have each persons clothes on a hanger on the doorknob ready for when they wake in the morning. Top, bottom, underwear, socks etc. Saves time running around hunting for clothes in the morning.
My tip would be to make sure you breakfast table is set the night before. Put the box of cereal on the table have your milk in a little creamer, have your juice poured in a glass in the fridge. You do need a healthy breakfast to make your day.
Wow, I’m just in the process of looking for a personal electronic organizer and could not beleive how expensive they are. In any case, I’ve got 4 kids and I’m not sure if these are tips or not, but they’re just things I do to try to stay on top of things.
1. I have a huge calendar on the fridge (created by moms of course), and I keep everything there at a glance. The days the kids have pizza lunch – love those days!; the days they have volley ball practice after school, doctors appointments – both mine and theirs; my work schedule and my school schedule – yes we’re a very busy household and this Palm Pre would definitely come in handy right now.
2. I have them pick out their clothes the night before – sometimes this works and others not so much, but at least they know it’s expected of them.
3. make lunches the night before if at all possible. this is a huge timesaver in the mornings. pack snacks in little reusable containers, fill up their water bottles – all those little things that seem to suck up the morning minutes
4. have breakfast ready – by this i mean, i make my own waffles and stock them up in the freezer; i also make banana whole wheat/flax muffins and keep them on hand for a quick healthy breakfast; as well as a container of hard boiled eggs in the fridge – this way you know that even though it’s a quick breakfast, it’s extremely healthy.
5. have their backpacks ready to go the night before as well. i have them do their homework as soon as they get home from school (or whatever other activity they had after school) and as soon as it’s done, i sign their agendas and everything goes back in their backpack, so there’s no extra chaos in the mornings when they’re looking for a specific note.
6. And finally, I think, the most important thing is to get them involved in it – let them know what’s expected of them each morning – they’re expected to get dressed on their own, get their own breakfast, brush their teeth/their hair, etc. Of course, all of this is age appropriate as well, but my 4 year old can do most of that on her own and she loves that she can!
I hope this helps someone out. I didn’t realize how many tips I had, I’m sure I’ve got more, but I can’t think of them right now.
I am all for the night before prep. Lunches are made the night before and placed within easy reach in the fridge. School bags are pre-packed (except for lunch) and laid by the door. Tomorrow’s clothing is laid out for quick dressing. For me, the coffee pot is loaded so all I have to do is hit the button when I feed the cat in the morning. This way, while the coffee drips I can get everyone ready and then enjoy my coffee, as I’m heading out the door too! Nights where I don’t have things pre-arranged generally lead to a much more chaotic morning.
I cook many meals one day a month, it doesn’t really take too long. Then I freeze them. Whenever we don’t have time to make dinner I just pop a meal in the oven and we’re done! 🙂
First get a large erasable calendar for your kitchen wall. Write down all appointments, trips, practices, etc on it, have everyone else do the same (hubbies, older kids) This way everyone knows where everyone else is or supposed to be and what needs to be done in advance of it happening.
Secondly, Sundays – Cut up all vegetables for lunches for the week and have them ready to just be popped into containers either the night before or morning of. Kids could even do this so they get to choose which veggies they want that day. If you are making a stew or soup pop leftovers into freezable containers that can just be taken out and thawed or popped into the oven for meals. When making pancakes or waffles or french toast, make more than necessary and package and put in freezer, pop into toaster in the morning. Healthier and cheaper than buying store bought. If you can, have weeks worth of outfits planned and set in order on a shelf so kids just pick up pile for day. (Cheap single bookcase shelves can be purchased and labeled for the days of the week) Kids can help buy putting their laundry away and choosing their outfits and putting on shelf. Also teaches them some organizational skills and then they can’t complain about what they are wearing because they chose it.
Doing alot of the routine stuff on Sundays, gives you more time during the week for unexpected emergencies, relaxation and fun time with the family. Or just some necessary me time. Don’t forget to get hubby involved, I mean he helped in creation, he sould help in solution.
There is not much to add any more to those comments,as everybody is doing the same preparation as I would do.The most important is to prepare the things You need the night before,so when You get up (it makes a difference how You feel that morning)You just grab and GO.And make sure have enough sleep-that makes a lot of difference-to function better in AM.I know I am not a morning person so for me it is important that I minimaze the tasks in am.And very important to me is making a list of things to be done each day(it’s not easy to remember everything).
First get a large erasable calendar for your kitchen wall. Write down all appointments, trips, practices, etc on it, have everyone else do the same (hubbies, older kids) This way everyone knows where everyone else is or supposed to be and what needs to be done in advance of it happening.
Secondly, Sundays – Cut up all vegetables for lunches for the week and have them ready to just be popped into containers either the night before or morning of. Kids could even do this so they get to choose which veggies they want that day. If you are making a stew or soup pop leftovers into freezable containers that can just be taken out and thawed or popped into the oven for meals. When making pancakes or waffles or french toast, make more than necessary and package and put in freezer, pop into toaster in the morning. Healthier and cheaper than buying store bought. If you can, have weeks worth of outfits planned and set in order on a shelf so kids just pick up pile for day. (Cheap single bookcase shelves can be purchased and labeled for the days of the week) Kids can help buy putting their laundry away and choosing their outfits and putting on shelf. Also teaches them some organizational skills and then they can’t complain about what they are wearing because they chose it.
Doing alot of the routine stuff on Sundays, gives you more time during the week for unexpected emergencies, relaxation and fun time with the family. Or just some necessary me time. Don’t forget to get hubby involved, I mean he helped in creation, he sould help in solution.
My label maker is my best oganizational friend. I label everything so everyone in the house knows where it goes or who it belongs to. Wonderful for stopping fights over who’s DS game it is!
Since I work full time and have three kids-it’s imperative that I be organized.
I have cubbies beside the door all labelled with each of my kid’s name.
They hold their hats, mitts, and boots. I also have hooks hung at a low level
so each kid can hang up their jackets and snowpants. It’s makes getting out the door in the morning that much easier!!!
For breakfast, I boil a dozen eggs on Sunday night since they keep for up to a week in the refrigerator. I also buy fruit and wash it before I put it in the refrigerator.
Before their get their bedtime books, I ask each kid what they want to wear the next day since it avoids morning delays and battles.
Being organized really does reduce frustrations and saves my voice since I don’t yell as much!!
Having everyone help ,is making my mornings run smoother .
I have veggies and fruit already cut in the fridge ,ready to go into lunch boxes.
My kids help with the breakfast and I in the winter I have little individual boxes ready,with their hats,mittens,snowpants and coats .in them.
No mad rush to find the matching mitten.
Also any planners and forms that need to be signed I do the night before,so the backpack is ready to go .
Happy mornings.
Make lunches the night before… although i will often make the sandwiches fresh that morning. i hate premade sandwiches…
have a set schedule in the am… having the same routine everyday makes things run smoothly.
turn the tv off… my kids often want to watch tv in the am before school, but that is such a big distraction. i always tell them that if they finish everything else first they can watch some tv before we leave… but there never seems to be any time anyway.
One of my best tips is to do as much as you can the night before, get the lunches ready, get things all lined up by the door.. do as much as you can in advance and things will go smoother! I am a mother of 4 and I had the same issues until I started doing this.. makes a world of difference
Get a head start on the week, the weekend before. I plan my menu for the week according to the activities planned and according to the sales in the flyers. The “Week at a Glance” is posted on the fridge.
This way the night before I can start preparations for the next day’s meal, defrosting meat, chopping veggies, etc. If several dishes need the same chopped veggies, I chop once for all and use as needed.
The more you can do the night before, the better it is getting out on time in the a.m. Pack your bags, kids school bags, lunches (in fridge), prepare clothes, anything you need for errands the next day.
If I’m running close to empty on my gas tank, I try to fill up on the way home so I don’t have to in the a.m. There’s nothing worse than running behind and then needing to stop for gas!
I fill all the stainless steel Otter bottles I won from Urban Moms !!
The night before you should lay all your clothes out as well as your childrens outfits and have them ready at the end of their beds so they are handy. Have lunches and snacks all packed, backpacks ready and definitely have the coffee maker set . Organization is key and I know that the Palm Pre will be a great asset to any womans day. Appointments, P.D. days, school trips and meetings can all be managed right there in the palm of your hand(No pun intended)
Dress the children in wrinkle free clothes the night before! Clothes to bed – who cares. Reward the kids with “fun time” if they can get ready and be at the front door by a certain time.
In order to keep my sanity and find all the stuff I need to keep stored, I have a dedicated “personality room” which has three shelving units filled with labelled boxes. I keep seldom used appliances in there (think waffle iron), one shelf is a pantry stocked with coffee and soup, etc purchased on sale, and I also keep my gift wrapping supplies and my Emergency Gift Box in that room. Whenever I need a gift, I can pop into that room and come out with something!
Get up before the kids to shower, dress and pack up what you need for the day.
I think Jen needs to use a daily planner everyday. She should definitely outline every task for the following day in either a traditional journal or use the palm pre or blackberry. This will simplify her life so much.
Purge, Purge and Purge some more – I have been getting rid of a lot of junk that I have been holding on to for way too long – just yesterday a stack of unread magazines went to a better place where someone could read them as I don’t seem to have time
In order to be more organized, you should get as much stuff ready the night before and have it all ready to go such as backpacks, lunches, your purse and keys and if it is winter have all mitts and toques etc.. ready in one spot so you don’t have to go searching for them. If you have cereal in bowls already, all you have to do is add milk so it is a time saver also. If you do all these things, you should be more organized and get things done on time and don’t feel quite so rushed in the morning.
lay out your outfit, check the next day’s schedule, and make the lunches the night before
Go to bed 1/2 hour earlier at night and get up 1/2 earlier in the morning. I find I have way more energy in the morning that at night.
The Palm pre sounds like a life saver! Maybe all Moms should have one. I know lists work for me if I remember where that little peice of paper went!
Get the kids a chalk board for their bedroom and make a to do list for them!
What works for me, may work for you.
Firstly, you need to define what you NEED and what you WANT and work on 1 spot at a time. If you spread yourself around and start working willy nilly, you will undoubtedly not get anything done; but when you work on 1 small spot and get it done you always feel succesful and you can go on to the next spot with a great attitude!
What works for me, may work for you.
Firstly, you need to define what you NEED and what you WANT and work on 1 spot at a time. If you spread yourself around and start working willy nilly, you will undoubtedly not get anything done; but when you work on 1 small spot and get it done you always feel succesful and you can go on to the next spot with a great attitude!
Ok, first things first, you need to have a calendar on your fridge and write down all the kids activies, appointments and birthday parties on them so that you will not forgot them. I always prepare lunch the night before so that the morning times are a little easlier. I make a shopping list of all the items we need and once a week we going shopping for the items. Also, the fridge gets cleaned out once a week, on shopping days. I make my dentist and eye appointments the same day and time as mine, so it’s one stop appointments for us. I hope this helps get you ready for the bus. Thanks so much.
I am a very organized person, and love new technology. This seems like the perfect match for me!
If I had to wait for my daughter to eat her breakfast, I would be at least an hour late. She now takes a container of dry cereal with her to eat in the car and or at the before school program.
I make sure to get up as soon as the alarm goes off. I also do quite a bit of my shopping on the way home from work. If I shop on the weekend, I plan it so that each store is one after the other on the same street, so that I do not have to backtrack and waste time and gas.
Keep a list of things to do and update it on a regular basis
My best organizational tip are.
The children could help you do this.
Prepare children lunch the night before.
Set table the night before with cereal bowl, plate utensils, bread ect…
Make sure everyone gets up in plenty of time to get ready.
I know we tend to feel sleep deprive but who needs the stress in the morning. 10 minutes could go a long way in getting ready.
The thing that I have started doing which is saving me tons of time is I bought a nice purse size book and I write everything in there. I used to have tons of post its and lists galore in my purse, in my car, around my computer, at work..you get the idea but now I have everything I need in my handy book that I bought for $2 at Homesense :). If I need to refer to anything – in it goes in the book and I know where it is. I also keep school calendars on the fridge highlighted with special days like gym, library etc. the highlighting helps me remember what I need to pack in the kids backpacks the night before so I’m not running around in the morning like a crazy woman. I also have a huge calendar on the fridge with all appts etc. marked so I cannot forget!
It helps to have as much at “kid level” as possible. Lower your child’s clothing rod in their bedroom. Then they can reach their own clothing. Don’t fret too much if things aren’t matched as perfectly as you would like.
Also, have coat hooks in the front hallway by the door. Hang backpacks there at night. Get the kids to get in the habit of bringing their backpacks home from school with any work that needs checked or signed (aye yi yi – the dreded signing the paper … could be bad news). Put everything back in the backpack and hang on the hook for the morning.
Make lunches the night before and put everything in their lunch bag (reusable of course). It’s also nice to add a cute little note in their lunch bag telling them that you love them or a quick “xoxo”
Make sure that schedules are marked on the home calendar. A different colour marker for each person. Definitely, a Palm Pre would be better for this. Having a Palm Pre would be like “master control”. You can carry it in your purse and make updates as you get them.
I am a great believer in lists and it sounds like the Palm Pre would help me with that.
Even easier than laying out kids’ clothes the night before, is getting one of those hanging shelf things with the days of the week on it. When you are putting away the laundry, just put an outfit in each spot and you are done for the week! You can even let the kids “load” it themselves. And who says it’s only for kids?!
I use a calendar with write-in blocks to help my “to-do” list get done.
My Organizational Tip:
I clean out the fridge before I do a substantial grocery shopping, discarding old leftovers, anything outdated, etc, to make room for fresh items. This way I my fridge stays organized neat and fresh.
I use a calendar with write-in blocks to help my “to-do” list get done.
Do as much preparation the night before as possible (ie. make lunches, lay out clothes ect.)
Also make a to-do list and keep it on the fridge so that you will see it in the morning.
I would so love to have a Palm Pre because it would help me even more at staying organized and not forgetting appointments
While dinner is cooking, I make all of the lunches. Before I go to bed, I lay out all of the clothes for everyone so that there is no discussion/arguments about it in the morning.
I make lists. Lots of lists. The weeks meals are planned, the grocery list, the to-do list, and the calendar doesn’t have many empty spots. Everyone’s appointments are put on so with a quick glance I know where everyone should be.
Getting things done the night before is the best way to save on things.
I live by lists! If it’s not written down, it’s not going to get done.
I keep organized by doing a little each day. Laundry is done every other day so it does not pile up. The dish washer is loading daily and washed as soon as there is afull load.
I do lunches up the evening before so I am not rushing around in the am.
To keep organized I try to do a load of laundry each day, so that it doesn’t pile up. I also try to tidy up the kitchen and living rooms before going to bed each nite.
Decide what you are going to wear the night before and get them ready. Its save a lot of time in the morning.
I keep a small notebook in my purse to write down things during the day – the Palm Pre would probably do a better job, though.
I still put the main things for the next day on a notepad on the fridge. If I see it written down, I seem to remember better.
In my house its MY responsibilty to remember everything for everyone. Between the 6 month old’s immunizations, to the 2 year old’s dr. apps. and the 9 year old’s activities, my job. Even my husbands apps.! Well, I put everything on my cell phones calender cause I always have it with me. We also have a dry erase board on the wall, and the fridge is a good magnetic board lol. A palm pre would be an awsome organizational tool to have! If I ever forget anything, wow, the world is gonna end, sigh.
Be organized and plan ahead, you just have to if you really want to be on time and have time. Myself I pack lunches the night before going to bed with the household helping. I also set my alarm clock radio 10 minutes early so if I need the 9 minute snooze I know I can have just one!
Even though I seem to have loads of time, I still make to-do lists for my day/week or else something gets forgotten and it’s usually something really important.
I also have a calendar in my kitchen which holds appointments, garbage pick up and recycling days, birthdays and anniversaries, and family trivia like who lost a tooth, when etc. This is everyone’s central reference and a big time saver.
To save time, always make a to-do list for tomorrow. You’ll be organised and you won’t forget anything.
Get things ready the night before. I lay out clothes, pack bags, etc. This saves the mad rush in the morning!
Take a little extra time to prepare everything the night before- make lunches, lay out clothing, set the coffeepot to start before you get up.
I’ve really liked the other Palm products I’ve owned. This one looks like the best yet! A fantastic prize! Love to win it – it would undoubtedly be the best prize of the year!
The best thing that my school aged daughter does is organize her clothes for the entire week and have everything picked out (including socks, underwear, and sometimes hair accessories). We know what the school schedule is ahead of time and know when she will have phys ed or any other specialty classes that require different clothes and it only takes a few minutes on Sunday evening to get everything organized for the week. It’s just a part of our end of the weekend routine now.
The other thing I think is important for everyone to remember is that you have to organize in a way that fits you and your family. Covered stacked containers never work for us so we just don’t have them around the house. And don’t buy containers or a storage system unless you know what you are going to use them for. They just end up being more clutter around the house.
Lay out your clothes in the evening. It is a pain, but you will be amazed the amount of time it saves in the morning.
Love it! I currently live by my desk calender and watch with a timer. This would be a handy “all in one” win!!!
Choosing an outfit to wear in the morning before school doesnt work in my household.The best time to make clothing decisions isn’t the morning of, but the night before.Laying clothes out ahead of time eliminates early-morning tantrums, and frees up a lot of extra time in my morning routine.
Keep an updated calendar in a central place so everyone can see what’s coming up – and then plan for it.
i say make a list and proritized your tasks.
I try to keep on top of things, but somehow they get on top of me most of the time. A Palm Pre would help for sure!
My best tip is to get everything prepared and in place the night before when you are relaxed and unstressed. Rushing around looking for something needed that very second so you can get out the door almost guarantees it will stay hidden…even if it’s in plain sight!
if barking at the kids every morning is called organized then i’m it! 🙂
i do find, however, that the more prep work i do beforehand, the smoother things go the next day. i also follow the “clean as you go” mantra. things aren’t so overwhelming if you clean that one glass here and that one spatula there. once things pile up around here, i’m finished!
I’ve gotten in the habit of using Google calendar. You can check it anywhere and it sends me reminders of events/ birthdays or things I need to do. I even use it to remind me that I’ve carried out a specific task. Gotta love it!
Prep fruits and veggies on the weekend to make packing lunches and snacks easiery.
Pack backpacks the night before and have them at the door ready to go once their lunch is added.
Set out kids clothes the night before so it takes the guesswork out in the morning.
Check the next day’s schedule at night.
Set coffee the night before. This can be crucial for a slow start ;o)
Loved your review of the Palm Pre – sounds awesome!
My tip is to delegate what you can. Have the kids’ calendars in a handy place with checklists of what they need on each day. Have a place for everything. They’ll know where to find their swim bag on their respective swim day and they can pack it…same goes for gym clothes, instruments, homework. And have them pack their bag as part of their homework the night before.
If you can’t bear to have your child forget something then you can do a final check. Although it’s a great lesson…they won’t forget their swim or gym stuff many times before they learn to be responsible. It’s also better for them to learn those lessons in primary school than in middle school when the penalties are more severe.
I also found that it’s easier for them to remember their own schedule than for us moms to remember multiple ones.
My tip is to a make weekly road map. Every Sunday I plan my week, blocking off time to do the shopping, work out, mentally plan out meals etc. Setting the schedule weekly gives me a realistic view of the week and doesn’t leave too much for one day.
My ways to stay organized are common to those already listed…..put as much together as possible the night before, clothes are laid out in the bathroom ready for after the shower, I even put my cereal in the bowl with a spoon in the cupboard so all I have to do is add milk! If it’s a hectic day (which yours sound like!) I have a list of stuff I needed to remember to do/to pack by the front door that I check before I leave the house. Good luck making that bus on time!
Do as much as possible the night before. Pack everyone’s lunches and put them in the fridge. Have your clothes and the girls’ clothes ready to go the night before. I even set the breakfast table the night before!
Clothes for the next day are put on a chair by the bed and I wake the kids up 15 minutes earlier (because it takes about 15 min to get them out of bed!). Breakfast in the morning is really simple – yoghurt and bran buds or cereal with milk. Lunches are prepared the night before and so is a list of what needs to be done that day! Once the kids are in school, I have my list and off I go!
First of all accept that you are a Mom and you are going to be unorganized and make mistakes. After that, just try your best by prepping ahead. Many of my tips have already been used
making lunches and packing bags the night before (Must get coffee ready to go night before as well- than you just have to turn it on — this will help you face the day)
I also have a huge calender on the fridge with list of appts – when homework is done–books due for library etc. Use pencil for writing in things so when the inevitably change — its less messy looking
My 8 yr old with Spina Bifida has a visual to do list (Etc Change diaper, wash hands with pictures instead of words) so that he can take care of all his needs and help us get ready without me constantly reminding him to do things
I love the one ladies suggesting of getting a maid — maybe you can also give one of those as a prize in the future.
Good luck everyone and Jennifer sorry you had to give the Pre back, I hear it is seriously awesome — good luck to me too since I could really use one ; )
The night before try to make lunches for the next day. Even put out clothes the night before. Set your clock early enough to be able to shower and eat in the morning and maybe just to sit and read the paper.
Also if you have a meal that needs alot of preperation and if you have time cut up vegetables early enough so that when dinner time comes it is not so much to do.
I know it is easier said than done to do all these things.
But if you even can do one of those thing that will save you a little time. 🙂
My organization tip is making a list. I have wasted so much time doodling around without a schedule. I make grocery list, task lists, hardware store lists, kid lists, time lists. I know where I’m going and in what order and what I need to do when I get there. Saves a ton of time and I am more relaxed when I know where I’m going and what I need to get there. In terms of morning routine I say have all the stuff you need for breakfast laid out at night, ready for you to sit down to cereal or toast. Get a coffee maker with a timer, I think those are fabulous! Wake up to coffee brewing, beckoning for you to saunter down for a cup 😉
I always set my coffee maker the night before, and when I make pancakes, I always make extra the size to fit into the toaster. Throw them in the freezer and just pop them into the toaster in the morning, yummy pancakes! Cheaper than buying them too lol
1. put your alarm clock out of reach so there is no “snoozing” you have to get up to turn if off, and set it 10 minutes ahead
2. get your kids to make their own lunches the night before after they help with cleaning up dinner.
3. get a maid!!
Make sure each bedroom with clothing has a laundry bag there to avoid clothes all over the floor and each closet has a big box for toys. A room with no clothes on the floor and toys appears very clean and will take seconds to clean
Wow, that looks like an amazing little gadget. I would so love to win that.
Hmmm…you’re asking for an organization tip from someone who’s completely frazzled and lost in the mornings getting kids and myself (and husband, a.k.a. fourth child) out the door.
I guess the best one is the one you’re probably already doing – packing lunches, bags and laying out clothes the night before. We also sometimes get out the breakfast dishes and set the table and set my coffee maker to start before we go to bed. Smelling fresh coffee brewing at 6:30am is one way to help ease me out of bed!
Do as much preparation the night before as possible. I lay out clothes, pack lunches, etc. I also have one spot for items I always bring together (wallet, phone, keys).
OOooo DO I ever need this prize. Here is an organizational tip I use. Leave a canvas bag at the bottom and top of the stairs to pop things that you find upstairs that belong down stairs into and thing that you find down stairs that belong upstairs. Once a day bring them all up, or down in one load and put them where they belong!
In order to get snacks and lunches ready on time, I wash all the fruit (stem the grapes etc.) as soon as we get them home from the grocery store. Then each morning (or even better, the night before) we just grab the snack fruits and drop them in their lunch bags. It’s amazing how much time that one thing saves in a week.