I love organizing because it not only makes my home look cleaner, but it also saves me so much time! My favourite organizing hacks are the little things that add up to huge time savers when it comes to my kids! Three kids means a lot of “Mommy I’m hungry” throughout the day, so anything that I can do to make them more independent is a major win for me! The following 10 Organizing Hacks for Parents are perfect for a lazy mom like me!
Hack #1 – Kids Cupboard
If you have little ones and you haven’t made a kids cupboard yet, what are you waiting for? They can help empty the dishwasher, set the table and get their own snacks and water! Pick a cupboard that is low enough for your kids to access and make it theirs by storing their dishes and snacks inside!
Hack #2- Kid Cards
I stole this amazing idea from my friend Leanne. Print off some business cards with your kid’s names and your contact information and give them to other parents during playdates and birthday parties (when you are just dropping your kids off and leaving of course). You can add extra information regarding allergies to the bottom or back of the card!(I am totally using this marker to hid my phone numbers, not that I wouldn’t love to chat with you, but I need to keep the crazies away)
Hack #3- Art Caddy
My kids used to leave their crayons EVERYWHERE. They like to colour on the island, in their bedrooms and in the livingroom on the coffee table. Sometimes, they even colour on the floor! Before we had a portable caddy, they would carry fist fulls of crayons and markers to their chosen spot and then LEAVE THEM ALL THERE! I cannot tell you how many crayons my dog has eaten and yes, he pooped rainbows. Now that we have an art caddy, they can simply carry the caddy to where they are colouring and it is a breeze to put it away when they are done!
Hack #4 – Shower Sticker
My kids are finally at that wonderful age where I can say “go have a shower and get ready for bed” and I don’t have to help them (except for Milo of course)! I was worried that they may burn themselves with the hot water though, so I used to start the shower for them. After adding a sticker at the perfect temperature spot, I no longer have to worry…or help!
Hack #5 – Healthy Snack Bin
Once a week, I load up the Healthy Snack Bin with pre-portioned fruit, veggies and lots of yogurt, applesauce and cheese strings. When my kids want a snack, I tell them that they can pick anything from the healthy bin. They still get to choose what they want, but I know they are making good choices!
Hack #6 – Kid Height Hooks
No more wet towels on the floor! Hang some 3M hooks on the back of the bathroom door at your little ones height so they can hang up their own wet towels when they are done with them. I also use kids height hooks for everything from coats to worn-once pajamas (no more washing pjs worn only one night)!
Hack #7 – Lunch Making Station
Making lunches was my least favourite chore. I would rather scrub a toilet than make lunches every day! Thankfully, we turned the pop fridge in the basement into an awesome lunch making station. I fill it up every Sunday and they make their own lunches every morning…All.By.Themselves!
Hack #8 – Chore Chart
Your kids are never too little for chores! We turned an old picture frame from the Dollar Store into a chore chart by adding pretty paper and using a dry erase marker to write down daily or weekly chores!
Hack #9 – Shoe Stickers
My son is just learning to put on his own shoes and they were never on the right feet until we started this hack! By adding stickers on the inside on his shoes, he can now make sure that the stickers are touching and visually see how to put them on the right feet!
Hack #10- Organized Outfits
My girls love picking out their own clothes, they always have, but they used to leave a trail of clothing on the floor before the “right” outfit was chosen. Now I organize a few days worth of outfits ahead of time and hang them on the back of the door with 3M hooks. They can still choose their own clothes, but with less options, there is much less mess and it takes less time for them to get ready in the morning!
If you liked these hacks, please share them!! I will post more of my favourite organizing hacks soon!
