Organizing can be described in two ways—organizing time and organizing items around you. This article will focus on organizing family time and productivity, not organizing items such as cleaning, decluttering, or labeling. Managing family time and being efficient should be essential to your family life.
To help define the organizational terms used in this article please check out the article on defining organizational terms here.
Imagine with me these two different scenarios. The first mom has two kids, works part-time, has a side business, and runs her household daily with systems, schedules, and routines, and she knows where she should always be. However, she is not fully satisfied because she feels something is still off, and at the end of the day, she is not fully happy with her life. The second mom also has two kids, works full time, and volunteers in the evening from time to time for her kid’s school, and she consistently needs to remember where she is and what she needs to do next. Her whole life is a rush from one event to the other, and at the end of the day, she feels mad at the world, her husband, and her kids because she feels pulled in all directions. Take heart if you have found yourself in the first or second scenario. There is a way to improve each mom’s family organization and become more balanced.
If you do a quick search on organization, you will find two schools of thought on organizing your family: routines and schedules. However, there is more than one way to stay organized as a family that can apply to all types of moms. Some moms do not like schedules, and some love them. Some over-organize their life, and some go with the flow, but each mom can and should be able at least to follow 1 or 2 of the following options to get herself and her family more organized.
There are many creative ways a family can get organized with their time, but I will only be reviewing seven options. This article will focus on the two types of moms listed above. Both are busy moms with two diverse ways of handling their busy lives, and I will refer to them as the scheduled mom and the go-with-the-flow mom or A and B type.
Each organization choice below will explain what an A-Type Mom can do and what a B-Type mom can do to get the family more organized or balanced.
Following Schedules
Scheduled Mom (A-Type):
For a scheduled mom, schedules are the easiest to understand and follow. Following a plan is what she does when she is stressing out or worrying about what needs to get done. She makes lists, puts all the kids and her schedules into one place, and automatically balances them. In other words, an A-Type mom thrives on plans; this option is her go-to choice for organizing her family life.
To balance a scheduled mom’s life better, she must limit her focus on doing and remember that she should also be present. Organized moms tend to be super action-driven, and they feel accomplished when they get things checked off the list and forget to focus on being present with their loved ones and not just scheduling everything around them. The happy medium for an A-Type mom is organizing her life and her family’s life but also including time in her schedule to relax, unwind and spend time with her family.
Go-With-The-Flow Mom (B-Type):
Following a schedule for a B-Type mom is cringe. She is uncomfortable with schedules, and most of the time, she thinks scheduling every inch of my life is no fun and not worth it. She thinks, I know where to be at what time, and it is all in my head anyway. Why should I write it down? Also, writing a schedule for a B-Type mom takes too long she would rather be doing things- like spending time with her kids or getting that volunteer work done. These moms are more motivated by projects rather than tasks and good feelings and vibes rather than order.
To better balance her life and include more organization in her life, a B-Type mom might not be comfortable with an actual schedule, but putting together a daily plan or a list of things to do might help her stay more organized and not forget the essential things she needs to get done daily. Also, remember that a schedule is not a restriction but a guideline. If you change your mindset to see it as a guideline or a roadmap for your day, it might help you to see this choice as a possibility.
Also, remember that a schedule is not a restriction but a guideline.
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Organizational Binders Option
Scheduled Mom (A-Type):
For a scheduled mom, organization binders might work or might not work. It depends on whether she likes to have it all inside one area or to see her schedules visually. Organizational binders are different from a schedule. They are more of an organization system of multiple things a household needs, and a scheduled mom might enjoy using organizational binders if a program is included, like a monthly planner.
Go-With-The-Flow Mom (B-Type):
Organizational binders might be a better choice for the B-Type mom since they are less comfortable with time stamps but more comfortable with organizing data and information. For example, an organization binder can include a list of family favorite recipes for dinner ideas, a coupon folder, shopping lists, or kids’ homework needs. In other words, organizational binders can be whatever you like them to be, and a B-Type mom would enjoy this style of organization better than a time-stamped schedule.
Command Center for the Home
Scheduled Mom (A-Type):
Most Scheduled moms have some type of command center at home, whether it’s a fridge calendar and to-do list or some whiteboard or chalkboard where they write the weekly schedule. Command centers are also another great option to have on hand for a scheduled mom since it encourages family involvement in the schedule and to-do lists.
Go-With-The-Flow Mom (B-Type):
A command center might not be something a go-with-the-flow mom would use, but if there were something fun and exciting that her kids could draw on, she would invest in it or get one. Having a command center is an easy and fun way to get everyone in the family on track and help you remember the more essential deadlines of the week or month.
Organization Apps
Scheduled Mom (A-Type):
A-Type moms most likely have at least two organizational apps on their phones, including but not limited to a scheduling app and a list app. These are great tools to use when you are on the go and want to take quick notes of what you would like to add to your schedule. For an A-Type mom, it’s essential to clear out any organizing apps she does not use, even if she thinks they would be exciting to try. In other words, find the organizational apps you love and drop any extras taking up phone space.
Go-With-The-Flow Mom (B-Type):
A B-Type mom might use an app like google calendar for appointments and kid events but will only check it sometimes. If an organizational app gets you excited, add it to your phone, but if you like writing things down or having a journal with all your needs, then use that as your organizational tool instead.
Hanging Calendar in the Office and Kitchen
Scheduled Mom (A-Type):
A hanging calendar is also another great possibility. However, a scheduled mom might not like it because these calendars usually do not have time stamps and will not provide as many options for making lists or putting together a weekly schedule since they are generally more for monthly needs such as holidays, birthdays, and significant events. But it is a great tool to have on hand for a visual reference for your family.
Go-With-The-Flow Mom (B-Type):
A go-with-the-flow mom most likely already has a calendar hanging in her kitchen with all the kids’ birthdays, and I’m sure it’s also a great accessory in the home. Adding more things to the calendar could also be an excellent choice to help you stay more organized because there are no time stamps. Still, you have an idea of what is coming up in the next month, and it’s a visual inspiration to see when you walk into your kitchen or office.
Self-Care and Daily Routines
Scheduled Mom (A-Type):
A-Type moms understand routines, but self-care might be lacking. Remember that lists, schedules, planning, and all the organizational tricks are great, but you need self-care to be satisfied and not feel like you’re always lacking something. Getting self-care into your busy schedule is essential for having a more balanced home life.
Go-With-The-Flow Mom (B-Type):
B-Type moms love self-care, but most of the time, they most likely don’t get to it in their day, or if you focus on your self-care, you start to feel guilty after. Since they are more likely to be people pleasers, they will not usually prioritize self-care until after everyone is taken care of. Remember that Self-Care is essential, and having that in your life is important even if it does take away from your time with your family or helping others. One of the ways that you can practice self-care is by making it a daily routine where you block out the time and tell your husband or kids it’s mom time and get into a habit of doing it daily.
Priority Lists and Brainstorming
Scheduled Mom (A-Type):
One of the final things that A-Type moms know all about is lists. I am sure you have a list of everything, and it’s a daily practice for you. And lists are essential in getting everything out of mind and into some order so that you can bring better organization to your family schedules. Another thing that could also be useful is brainstorming, not just making a list but going through multiple ideas of how a task can be addressed or handled. For example, grocery shopping is a list item, but brainstorming what time of day or week would be best for you, your kids, and your husband, or if you can enlist some help for a family member to get some of the shopping taken care of. So, organize your time and get creative with how you can arrange it or enlist help.
Go-With-The-Flow Mom (B-Type):
A B-Type mom might be a good at brainstorming but might need to apply the list method to organize her brainstorming into a form for daily application. You might have the delegation of tasks handled, and you know all the things that you should be doing in your head, but if you don’t write them down, then they might be lost in the shuffle of your day, and you will not get done what’s most valuable but will only finish what is actually in front of you. To achieve more in the day and not just let the day carry you along, consider brainstorming ideas and making a priority list of things that needs completing and highlighting those in your day first. For example, look at your chores list for the day and say ok, the dishes don’t need to be put away, but I can’t wait on laundry or cooking, but cleaning the bathrooms can wait. Looking at what is truly a priority in your day will help you feel more accomplished and help you direct your family ship better.