In Celebration of Get Organized Month, Make it Easy for Your Family to be Organized
Family organizing is a service I especially love! Often I hear about the most disorganized people in the family, the areas that are most disorganized, and the impact of disorganization. This year make it easy for your family to be organized.
Declutter together
Get a quick start on family organization with a big declutter together. Everyone grabs a bag, goes to their spaces, and makes decisions about their stuff. However, this is hard! Parents have spent money on things, kids have not used stuff, and then there are memories associated with stuff. Be bold and let go of more than you can imagine.
- Set a time on your calendar to declutter twice in the month of January so that you can let go of as much as possible.
- Make it easy by setting a timer for 30 minutes, loading all the bags into the car immediately, and offering a snack at the end of the session.
- Set a time once a month to declutter and keep a designated donation bin available for everyone all year.
Ask your family what was most difficult to let go of and what was easiest to release. Encourage and coach each other.
Meet for a Family Meeting
A family meeting brings everyone together for communication, calendaring, and connection. Make it easy with a short agenda (dates, responsibility reminders on a chart, and quick decisions) and make it fun (meet while standing, meet with crazy glasses, meet with music.) Make sure you meet weekly to keep things running smoothly. If you get off track, start right back up again. A google calendar for everyone gives you all the opportunity to post dates and be proactive. Everyone likes to be informed about fun!
Chart instead of chat
As families, we do a lot of “did you remember” and “don’t forget.” Skip that with charts. Use charts in a variety of ways, whether it is a responsibility chart for who does what or a menu for what is for dinner. Charts make stuff visible.
Routines reinforce charts so place your chart where you see it daily as a reminder. Charts can be on a dry-erase board, a clipboard, or a laminated checklist attached to the items needed to do the work or printed to recycle after use.
Have a rule for bedtime
Be sure everyone is getting a good night’s rest! Good sleep hygiene can make it easier to get to sleep. That includes setting a time all devices are charging, everyone is in their jammies, and people are doing their restful routine. Parents need a bedtime too!
Make it a routine to reset
There is a weekly remedy that is failproof for easy organizing! That is a weekly reset. Much of what is needed is to toss trash and get everything back to its place. Busy families need time to reset each week. Each Sunday evening set a time and use a timer for 15 minutes of reset. Your home will be surprisingly organized very easily!
Get everyone on board with being organized by focusing on individual benefits and a team approach to organizing your home. Working together, supporting each other, and connecting about priorities make it easy to be organized.
So many great ideas. Love your point that adults need a bedtime routine too!
I found that I had one daughter who was very willing to do all of this, and one daughter (and a husband) who resisted. Over time, I think the two of us have had an impact, but I do think that some people tend to do more of the organizing and resetting because they are more inclined. At some point, I just decided I wanted an organized space, so if that meant I did more of the work, ok. At the same time, I was “hands off” on the spaces that were not mine, or not in the common sphere. If you lose something or break something in your own zone because you didn’t keep it up, don’t expect me to rescue you. Natural consequences…
Agree! We all have to be flexible in setting up for success. And of course natural consequences have an impact too!
How often do families prioritize organizing together? I’m guessing it’s not the norm. However, you provided excellent suggestions for making this a family experience. When everyone works together, there are so many positive benefits. No one person has the burden of maintaining the household. It provides an opportunity for better communication and growth and helps establish positive routines like sleep routines, decluttering sessions, planning, and resetting.
Great ideas!
So true that not many families organize together. I am guessing parents find this as overwhelming as the kids! Thank you for reminding us that the benefits are many!