How to Get Your Home, and Lives, Organized Now that Kids are Back in School
We are upon the end of September and the back-to-school craziness has hopefully calmed down. Whether your child has just entered kindergarten or is applying for university, having organization systems in place is essential to ensure the smooth running of the household. No more “I can’t find my homework” screaming match in the morning or forgetting to take gym clothes for soccer practice - we have five tips and tricks that can help you keep your head on your shoulders.
With your daily routines in place, now is the time to make these easy adjustments to make your mornings - and lives! - easier. Read on to see how to optimize your family’s organization now that everyone is back to school and work.
1. Create a family command center
These Pottery Barn products create a beautiful command center.
It is HARD to keep up with a child’s bazillion extracurricular activities, playdates and other commitments, along with your own work and social life. The first thing to do is create a tangible, visual family command center, where all information is added. Unless your child is older and very responsible, we don’t recommend a family google calendar, and even then - can you really trust teenagers to input everything of importance? The command center can be as easy as hanging a family calendar on the fridge, where all members of the family add their commitments, deadlines, and travel plans. You can make it a fun activity, with each person having their own color to write with.
To fully utilize and personalize a command center, all it takes are a couple of easy steps. First, location is key. Find the perfect spot, a zone where everyone passes through regularly, especially after arriving home from work and school. A popular spot is in the kitchen or near it. Next, add a calendar, and a to-do list - the first key components. Then based on your requirements, you can add extras.
The second element to keep in mind is simplicity. You can add more bells and whistles, but it has to be simple and easy to manage. For example, some might like in-and-out file folders for receipts, mail, and important documents. But this will become another source of clutter and stress if its too complicated and not realistic for your family. Others might be better to have a simple “to do” spot for utility bills and school forms that need to be signed. The important things is to make sure to review and update it regularly!
2. Prepare a designated space for backpacks and work bags
The worst part of any morning is when you can’t find what you need and are running late. The stress is compounded when it’s your child who is running around the house trying to get ready when you told them you needed to be on time today. So - you need a system. This might be one that you need to reinforce regularly until it's ingrained but trust us - it is worth it!
Set up a designated spot for the in-use bags and backpacks so that as soon as you enter the house, that’s where they go. Things can’t go missing if there is only one place they can be. Next, have a packing list ready for each child - one for each activity: school, dance class, tae kwon do, etc. Help your kids pack their backpacks at night before they go to bed so that there is no last-minute morning rush of if you don’t have time, ask your helper to assist them. Plus, with the packing list, you can do a final check in the morning to ensure nothing is forgotten.
We also recommend that adults pack and prepare the night before - we aren’t impervious to the morning madness. And just like that, see the transformation from a hectic, hair-raising morning to one that at least won’t leave you stressed and late for the rest of the day.
3. Designate a Homework Station/ Desk
All students need a spot to concentrate and focus on learning. One way to ensure that they aren’t losing their homework or other important documents while also minimizing clutter around the house is to set up a homework area. For younger kids, this could even be at the dining table, so that you are able to oversee their work. All you’d need to set up is a portable wheely trolley with all the essential items - pens, crayons, notebooks etc. And it can be stowed away after the tasks are done. Your kids won’t be able to get up and run to grab a pencil and then disappear for half an hour, only for you to find them playing games in their bedroom!
But as your child gets older, a proper study desk is highly beneficial. Having a dedicated area with minimal distractions to study helps children (and adults!) focus, especially when they have everything they need at their fingertips. Another key tip is to have a paper system for documents that parents need to review and/or sign. Finally, do let them personalize it! Whether it is a plant or a poster of their favorite band, being surrounded by things that make them happy is sure to motivate your children.
4. Plan and prepare your grocery lists and meals
You’re making your famous apple strudel for dessert, and just as you go looking for cinnamon, you realize it's finished! Having a well-stocked kitchen can help reduce frustration, avert midweek tantrums, make sure everyone is satisfied and generally make your life a lot smoother. So, whether it is your or your helper that does the grocery shopping, it is a huge task and you should have some systems in place to have a great food week.
One of the easiest ways to make sure your pantry is stocked is to have a running grocery list, either stuck on the fridge, at the command center or using an app such as Our Groceries. Whoever is cooking and notices something is running out - just adds it to the list! You can also have separate lists, depending on which store you’re shopping from. In Hong Kong, you’re likely to go to the wet market, a supermarket such as TASTE or Wellcome and perhaps even specialty stores such as Slowood or an Indian grocery store.
Another way you can keep track of your grocery lists is to laminate a list of all the items you must have on hand in your kitchen. When it is time to go to the store or make an online grocery order, you or your helper can walk through the kitchen and quickly tick off what needs to be replenished. This way you are sure not to miss anything!
For meal planning, you can follow a three-step process: (1) Plan the meals for the week and make a grocery list accordingly. (2) At the store, check out what’s fresh, in season, and available. (3) Tweak your meal plan accordingly.
Preparing for the week is a great way to involve your kids, and help them choose what to eat for the week - which stops you from having to guess what they might or might not want to eat. Writing the meal plan down, also assists your helper (if she’s the one doing the cooking) so she doesn’t have to spend time finding recipes or thinking about what to make. It also ensure that the family is getting enough variety in their meals!
5. Schedule the things you love and your self-care
With everything we have going on in our lives, it is easy to forget about taking care of ourselves and doing the things that we are passionate about. So be sure to schedule some ‘me time’. Often, if it’s not scheduled, it doesn’t happen. Also, set up a system. It can be as simple as having your nails done once a month, getting a massage every other week, or going for a solo coffee once a week. But schedule it in advance, even if just in your own calendar, so you don’t have to think and re-think about when to get it done. Self-care deserves a place on your calendar as much as anything else.
Not only can you use this time to decompress and relax, but it also enables you to be more present for the rest of your time with family or friends. Coming back with a clear head also allows you to better plan for the rest of the time. Plus, once you put your self-care on the command center and stick to it, it adds legitimacy to the system - in the same way having Mandarin or piano lessons on the calendar ensures those things will happen! Once it's on the command center calendar, it will be accomplished!
The benefits of having a decluttered and organized home and life are endless but if even this list feels overwhelming, worry not - we’ve got you! Sometimes you don’t know how to start and that's where we can help out. We not only help our clients with organizing their physical spaces, but we also help with creating systems to run their households! Just schedule a phone consultation, and leave the rest to us.
Reach out to us on Instagram or WhatsApp, +852 9198 5019 or schedule a chat.