20 Creative Organization Hacks Every Busy Mom Should Know

These tips are a huge time saver and will help you whether you’re a working mom, a stay-at-home mom, a single mom, or any other type of mom. We’re not going to offer you a magic wand. Instead, these are simple and doable life changes that can help you feel less stressed in your daily routine.

When you’re a working mom with school-aged children, it’s easy to feel rushed from a critical task to the next. Juggling the responsibilities of your career and your children can feel like juggling cats and fiery torches. Mastering both is rewarding, but it takes a lot of practice. 

So, without further ado, here are some (non-rolling-eyes) working mom creative organization hacks.

Home Hacks

Make Laundry Labels – Make sorting garments after they’ve tumbled together in the washer faster and easier. Draw dots on garment labels with colored Sharpies, assigning a distinct color to each family member.

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Hang a Playtime Sign – Create a door hanging sign similar to a “Do Not Disturb” hotel room sign if your kids have neighborhood friends who knock on the door to ask if they can play. “Knock! We Can Play” can be written on one side, while “Sorry! We Can’t Play” can be written on the other. When it’s time for naptime, homework, or dinner, this is the perfect way to communicate. Even if a child has difficulty reading, they will be able to grasp the colors.

Use Magnetic Accessories – Attach nail clippers, bobby pins, metal combs, and other metal tools to a wide magnetic strip in the bathroom or closet for convenient access. Consider posting encouraging phrases to your magnetic space using notes.

Make a Visual Chore Chart – Create a chore chart with illustrations using Velcro or magnets. Move a job over or close the flaps on the chart when it’s finished.

Create a Command center – This is where you can post your family calendars, dinner ideas, grocery lists, incoming mail, and outgoing goods. Include a little bowl for keys, as well as sticky notes for reminders. Create a hub for everyone’s gadgets by adding a multi-outlet charging station. Wrap chargers with washi tape and name them as needed.

Cooking Hacks

Prepare Quick Meal Plan – Set aside a few hours to cook a freezer meal that you can reheat on the go. If finding hours is difficult, have a food service deliver meals to your home or business once a week.

Use your Ice Cube Trays – An ice cube tray is ideal for anything you need in small quantities and can freeze. For a quick starting soup, freeze the homemade chicken stock or chop and store herbs, so they’re ready when you are. 

Organize your Snacks – To store individually packaged, on-the-go snacks, hang an over-the-door transparent plastic shoe rack on the pantry door.

Set the Table – Right after dinner, get ready for tomorrow’s breakfast to save time in the morning. Clear the clutter off the kitchen counters and make room for food preparation. Set the table the night before by laying out placemats, bowls, cereal, and anything else you’ll need. It is a task that kids of all ages may assist with! 

Go Digital – Convert your paper recipes to a searchable digital database. Consider using recipe apps or uploading your recipes directly to the cloud.

School Hacks

Designate a Lunch Box Station – Designate a cabinet or drawer for all needed items such as storage containers, lunch boxes, thermoses, silverware, and napkins to keep lunch supplies organized. The necessary objects should be washed and dried the night before to be ready to use in the morning. Also, keep a copy of the school lunch menu inside the cabinet for quick access.

Snacks to Go – Purchase snacks in bulk, divide them into single serving-size snack bags, and store them in a dedicated “snack” basket in the pantry to prepare for the busy week ahead. Treats can be grabbed by the children directly, or you can swiftly add them to lunches.

Use Colored Folders – During the school year, students bring home a lot of paperwork. The pages can quickly pile up, from field trip permission slips to school supply lists, reminders to homework. Assign each kid a colored folder to store papers that need to be reviewed or signed. Allow the kids to personalize their particular folder by decorating it.

Label It – Make customized clothing labels and paper stickers with your child’s name to attach to school supplies, book covers, coats, and lunchboxes. 

Set up a distinct homework location – This might be a kitchen corner or a home office. You can also share messages of affirmation and assignment reminders on a whiteboard or pegboard. To keep all of the necessary supplies organized, use a shower caddy.

General Hacks to Consider

Add Storage – You can use corkboards and adhesive hooks to free up space in drawers and cupboards. Hang your measurement cups, cookie cutters, utensils, and other culinary items on boards inside cabinet doors.

Plan It Out – List down your to-do list using traditional paper planners. You can use sticky notes for ideas that change from day to day, while paperclips attach invitations. You can add stickers to keep things exciting and washi tape to secure messages and coupons to particular pages. You can’t seem to find a planner that you like? To construct a planner that fits your lifestyle, create printable pages and place them in a fabric-covered binder.

Topical Binders – Designate a three-ring binder for each family member to hold important documents. Do the same for each pet, and your next vet visit will be a breeze.

Keep Wipes at Bay – Keep wet wipes nearby and use them to wipe clean your space. Do you want to go a step further? Keep a portable vacuum in your room and clean the crumbs off the seats and floors in your spare minutes, or have your kids do it for you!

Roll the Dice – Having trouble deciding what to eat for dinner? Then it’s time to roll the dice. Make “dice” out of square cardboard boxes by wrapping them in paper or simple gift wrap and labeling one side with common main course options and the other with sides. You can also have the kids throw the dice!

Work-life harmony, not work-life balance, is the goal.

As working mothers, we all have hectic lives, and there are only 24 hours in a day. It’s critical, in our opinion, to remember that doing everything including working, keeping the house tidy, and spending quality time with your family is impossible. It all comes down to the activities we make and how efficient we are with the limited time we have.

When you’re at your best, you and your loved ones will profit. You’ll have more quality time for family, friends, laughing, and memories if you use these amazing life hacks!

Disclaimer: This blog has been included by Twinkl in their New Year Resolutions for 2022 post.