Overwhelmed? Stressed? You're not ALONE mama! New Year can bring new home goals and that can leave us mamas feeling super frazzled! Not to mention, having zero clue on where to start! I hope my Crazy Busy Mama Organization Tips will help you feel less chaotic in your crazy busy world!
New year can bring on a sudden urge to clean out, purge and reorganize! After all, we just celebrated Christmas and all those gifts that were once wrapped are now competing for a space in your home. Not to mention your kids rooms. It’s kinda like a pre spring cleaning if you will!
Here are 10 Easy organizing ideas (and an added Bonus) to declutter purge and organize all the new items!
1 – Kitchen Organization- Where it all starts!
If you are fortunate enough to have a pantry then you can relate this space in your home is like any other closet but often the smells of it can signal a need for clean out! Nothing is worse than an old bag of rotten potatoes that has fallen behind lunch boxes in the pantry – UGH!
Having a pantry that is streamlined with snack baskets, clear accessible containers and getting rid of clutter will help you know what you have on hand at all times.
Also, having a refrigerator that is clutter-free makes all the difference!
Easier to meal plan when you can see what you have
Love this little chalkboard for writing quick must-have items down that you are running low on in the pantry
Click Here for My Favorite Kitchen Organizers on Amazon
2 – Get New -Get Rid of One
I am obsessed with shoes. I don’t know what it is but a good pair of shoes just makes me feel amazing! Maybe it’s that being a mom of 4 my weight has constantly fluctuated making my closet an ever evolving space. I mean when you have 4 babies within 5 years and nurse them all you have clothes for all shapes & sizes and needs!
So I made a rule for myself …encouraged by my loving husband, that if I bring home a pair of new shoes I get rid of pair that day!
This leads to another great idea for organization…
3 – Don’t Delay in Organizing!
A little bit each day makes more of a difference than an all day clean out once a year! Think about it … if you just took 15 mins out of your day to focus on one area of your house this helps you stay on top of instead having to dig out of. Which to me is so much more manageable. Seriously nothing is worse than having to set aside an entire day to clean out junk that you have accumulated throughout the year. And the crazy thing is most of the stuff I deemed that I needed I hadn’t even used that entire year and most the time I open that draw to surprised that I even have it.
So whether it is your closet, the playroom, pantry etc… make it a game set your alarm for 15 mins and see what difference you can make.
We often overestimate what we can accomplish in a year and underestimate what we can do in 15 mins!
So instead of creating a day for this make it part of your daily routine. Staying on top of it is so much better than digging out from it.
Stop putting it off to “someday” and start today!
4 – Let Go!
Seasons come and seasons go! One item that serves you will in this season doesn’t mean it will serve you well in the next.
I get it emotional ties to materialistic items it’s REAL!
Nursing mamas… It’s not like we keep nursing tops or bras to wear when our kids are teens. I mean that would be ridiculous right? Same with those old VHS tapes … they once held value but they don’t anymore.
Stop bearing the weight of guilt of keeping all the things and donate to someone in need in that season of life.
Put on your monthly calendar rotation to drop a bag off at your local GoodWill of out of season unneeded items for you to bless someone else in their season of need.
Or you can even start a side hustle to earn extra income as you go from one season to the next! I mean the marketplace is a popular spot for those looking for something in need.
Trust me… There is so much release in letting go of things! Once I started to implement this in my life – I walked a little taller and my overall mood improved dramatically!
Also, on a personal note I stopped giving gifts to people with the expectation that they would keep it forever! So if you need permission to get rid of the thing that your mom gave you a decade ago that doesn’t serve your home then this is it! Let it go sister!! I mean obviously there sentimental items you may hang on to, but this is few and far between.
I once heard and have to remind myself of it often … “if everything is important, then nothing is important “ this applies to so many areas in life and especially things.
Teaching your kiddos these things in their adolescents will help them throughout adulthood and will serve them well in decluttering their lives in more than one way!
This is a healthy release that so many of us need! We don’t realize how much “stuff” is weighing us down. And once we clear the clutter … woah it’s like a whole new lease on life.
Don’t allow yourself to be bogged down with clutter! Let it go!
HERE are some great closet Organizers!
5 – Just say No!
Learn how to say NO.
It’s ok to not take things when you are offered them. I used to think every time someone offered me something I had to take it whether or not I needed it. Like in some way it was rude of me not to accept the gift.
I have now realized that items either add or subtract value in my life. So I ask the question… do I have a place for this item? Does it serve me and my family well? And if not… I politely decline.
Or if you still can’t say no… receive it and gift it to someone who will use it. But don’t delay in this do it immediately!
Remember this with organization… the less you have the less you have to organize.
Everything in your home requires rent whether that is in your home or in your head space. So choose wisely!
6 – Technology
Technology sure piles up doesn’t?? Technology is ever changing and we are often lured into the next best thing and those next best things require different chargers and cords. ALL THE CORDS! This is a frustration I am constantly battling and I know I am not alone.
So get those old phones or even iPods out 😝 now that is really telling my age and those cords that go along with them and post on marketplace or donate to your local GoodWill.
Just remember to wipe them clean with a hard reset before you do!
HERE are some great technology organizers and 3 way plugs to help!
7 – Car Organization
Take a look at the inside of your car right now… has it become an extension of your home?
Time to clear out that clutter. And going forward nothing goes in your car that doesn’t come out of your car immediately.
My Stanley goes with me everywhere I go … but as soon as I pull in my garage and go to get out of my car so does my Stanley! Teach your kiddos this important rule too!
And hello mamas of sippin cups … nothing is worse than finding an old sipppie cup buried I your car and opening it up to find the worst and most disgusting smelling science experiment especially in the heat of the summer!
Same as trash… if you are eating in your car trash comes out immediately! As soon as you are finished!
Of course there are exceptions … such as a dance bag in the back because little Susie goes to dance 4 days a week but again this is an exception not the rule!
A few car organization items HERE
8 – Purse Clutter
Ok admit it… who has a Mary Poppins bag? Ya know… just in case I need it I have it in my bag kinda purse?
As a mom, I totally get this! And to every season there is a real need for certain items that you just carry. But remember to not carry items that you don’t need into new seasons of your life.
Time to go through that purse and declutter once and for all! I mean well again it will be a daily occurrence but here are some things I started saying no to: receipts! Most items you purchase now give the option of a digital receipt. Opt in for this instead of the printed. It will help you from those unwanted recieptz and require less to throw out.
I mean your back will thank you too! And may even save you on some future chiropractor appointments!
Oh and that purse full of junk in your Closet (yup the one you changed out purses and just dumped the contents of that one purse into the next… I mean we have all done it) time to clean that one out too and purge! And ask yourself, when is the last time I even carried that purse? It may very well be time to gift it to someone that could use it well in their season of life.
Mama ain’t got time for old purses with old unneeded junk in them filling up space in their closet! I have an amazing purse organizer to help with this HERE also have it linked above as an organization tip for cars HERE since us Mama's don't go anywhere without that purse!
9 – Bathroom Organization
Let's talk about those beauty item must haves.
Did you know beauty items have a shelf life? And I hate to be the bearer of bad news but it probably a lot shorter than you realize.
As much as we all love our beauty items …. No one needs 6 mascaras and 12 lipstick colors. Oh and don’t get me started on make up sponges.
Cosmetics can trap bacteria, which means replacing them regularly is necessary to try to avoid skin issues, breakouts, eye infections, and even styes.
Lipsticks up to a year and mascara 3 months! So it’s time to toss if you have a favorite lipstick color since high school! And if you have had a make up sponge that you have been using for months time to toss and get a new one. These only have a life span of 1-2 months.
Let’s purge! So before you buy the next beauty item for your vanity or bathroom use up the old one or gift it to someone.
Also having an open makeup organization system like THESE:
Will help in actually seeing what you have!
10 – Mail Clutter
Don't we all hate this one?
Don’t let it pile up! As it comes in stand over the trash and get rid of the junk mail right away!
Or if you are not home and have a family member bringing in the mail create a mail center in your home where anyone who may check the mail places it in its place.
Nothing is worse than looking for that “check in the mail” and not being able to find it or even worse an unexpected bill that needs to be paid and it slips through the cracks YIKES!
A mail center is EVERYTHING!
Make it a point everyday go to that mail center and stand over the trash to sort to keep it from piling up.
Here is an example of mine: Nothing too special just keeps everything together in spot.
And I have a linked one similar HERE
Hope these organizational tips help you get organized this year, or at least get you coming up with some systems that will work for your family to make living a little less chaotic!
And Just when you thought I only had 10….I have a BONUS tip for you that has been a game changer for my family!
11 – BONUS Organization Tip!
Organize for Success!
I used to think organizing was a once and done job. I think it was wishful thinking on my part 😝 once I kept failing at staying organized, I quickly realized that in order to stay organized I needed easy systems in my life.
Here is a great example having 4 kids brings all sorts of paperwork and projects galore!
Every home with kids needs a COMMAND center. Obviously this will look different for every family and the location will be different too.
For me I decided to implement a portion of my laundry room for this.
My command center has a basket for each kid where they can put their school paperwork and projects (especially for grade school kiddos), a chalkboard for chores/ notes and a cork board for important papers so they don’t get lost.
We had lockers built in for each kid with bag hooks, coat hooks and cubby’s for shoes. This also helps to store sports stuff for each season making it super accessible as needed.
I have also included a chalkboard for dinner menu to help my brain with all the unnecessary questions of “what’s for dinner” it helps so much! Kids can see what is for dinner and I can to helping me to stay on task!
It may not be Pinterest worthy but it sure does keep things in their right place. I could have cleaned it all out to make it more picture worthy….but hey, I am real life over here and I am sure more can relate to that than the “fake”. So if you were looking for the “fake” pretty pic… disregard the image below! LOL
Trust me mama do this it will make life so much easier!!
I have linked some organizational items for your convenience HERE: Also, included a few laundry organizational
HERE items too
In closing, I realize that organization looks different for everyone. Some are naturally more organized than others (like me) and some of us just need a little encouragement. So I hope this did exactly that for you.. “encouraged” you to lessen your load and streamline some systems for your and your family that add value and ultimately time back into your day!
Just remember Mama, give yourself grace – your not looking for perfection, rather progress each and every day!
-Lori
Crazy Busy Mama
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