Being organised in 2019 - tips please!

[2018ismyyear2018]

Hi
I am a single mum in a professional role working full time with a toddler. I am always rushing around from one thing to the next. My DD is with her dad every other weekend so I use that time to catch up a bit and am grateful for this but I have to work for some of this time so that I can have time off in the week to spend with DD because I don't see her the weekend she is with her dad.

Are there any tips that anyone can help with that have helped them be more organised?

I have to work a bit in the evenings which is the trade off for limiting the time DD is at nursery so she can be home by 4, so maybe 1-2 hours work in the evening but I don't go to bed until midnight so have some in the evening still (although if DD would go straight to sleep that would help!!)

One thing I am definitely going to do is make lunch the night before and do batch cooking. I am determined to go into 2019 being more organised.

Thanks for your help.

I have this year wall planner from Boxclever press:

boxcleverpress.com/2018-2019-academic-wall-planner-portrait-format.html

It's available in portrait or landscape format, and means that you can see everything at once, rather than having an uh-oh moment when you turn the calendar to the next month.

Sound like you have a very busy life! Do you feel well rested if you go to bed at 12?

I go to bed at 9 every night but my 20mo gets up early and often wakes in the night.

I have recently gone back to a written diary/organiser similar to the wall chart stated above. :)

Thanks both. I will buy one of those. I think you may be right that 12 is a bit late. My DD wakes once in the night and then up by 6.30. X

I cook two roast chickens every other weekend and use the meat to make curries etc and freeze. The following weekend make mince based meals - so I always have plenty.

Bulk buy presents and cards. Online grocery shop on occasion.

Things I find help include:
Stocking up on toiletries so we don't suddenly run out
Same again for washing powder and washing up liquid
Getting everything ready the night before
Only ironing the absolute bare minimum
Having a cleaner - this also forces us to stay reasonably tidy
Big yes to stocking up on presents and cards so you don't have to rush round last minute to find something

However, I think the biggest thing is de-cluttering. Having less 'stuff' is inherently easier to deal with and keep on top of.

Suggestions I’ve seen on here.

Buy wrapping paper in a plain colour eg gold or silver that will work for everything.

Meal plan. Write a list of meals you make. Divide into categories eg can make double batch and freeze, super quick, weekends only. Then when you meal plan, try to do at least one double batch meal a week and use the extra for the next week etc.

Buy a batch of generic birthday cards and a few stamps.

Do you commute? Can you make better use of that time eg pay bills online, order food, research big purchases and holidays

Plan in some family traditions and down time for yourself so you have things to look forward to. I do yoga at home a coup,e of times a week and Friday is family chocolate night. We buy and share a big block of Cadbury’s, we rotate who gets to choose the flavour.

The main household tasks that I think need to stay under control are laundry and meals. Work out a plan that works for you to get those under control.

Do chores with your DD so that you are spending time together eg she can help you fold laundry eg pair the socks and pop it away.

Keep a few easy meals in the freezer for when you are super rushed or not well.

Bullet journal, baby.

Meal planning and supermarket delivery weekly. Tesco delivery is 7.50 per month which is less than 2 pounds a week. Well worth it and you buy fewer extras. If I'm busy and stressed just buy enough to last a few days and more than £40 minimum so would re-order in less than a week.

Decluttering is so worth it.

Find a meal plan system for example I do a fortnight to a month’s worth of meals & organise the Tesco’s online shop then.
I also write in my diary what veg/top
I need that week on the Monday.

I deal with admin as soon as I get it, anything from Nursery gets signed straight away & put back into bag.

Every Sunday I do the weeks to do list & update budget.

I’ve found once I’m in the routine it’s easier.
I’m up between 6-7am with my boys so I follow the organised mum method & do the half hours in the morning as well as starting dinner.

Clothes I organise the night before that is being worn, laundry is put in the machine the night before.

I also set remainders on my phone if it’s very important.

Thanks to everyone. I will go through all of these and take some notes. X

Amazon subscribe and save for things like washing powder loo roll pet food etc. We also do this with ds’ wetwipes. They just arrive on a monthly/3 monthly basis.

Meal plan. Online shop and yes if you commute use that time to be more productive.

Following in desperation!

You sound very organised already. I can only add:

Be kind to yourself.
Its ok for DD to be at nursery for an extra hour now and then so you can clear your work and have the evening off.
You don't have to be perfect.

NoLeslie - thank you very much but I am actually quite disorganised!! I do commute but drive so that's wasted time, trying to cut this down at the moment. Amazon subscribe sounds good. X

On your commute then could you listen to a podcast or a book or something? I listen to books now as have no time to sit and read with ds around!

I also use my lunch hours to do online shopping etc and meal plan if I can.

I second using a bullet journal.
I used it for approx 2 years and was like a different person. Going back to uni for an intense year meant everything but my course was neglected. Course finished and I've just done sept to Dec without using the bullet journal and I feel all over the place.

I will be using time over Christmas to set up a bullet journal for the new year. If you Google Chris Ryder bullet journal there is a quick video that explains the system really well. The main benefit of it is that it becomes a place to organise all those things that jump into your head and take up headspace, and then allows you to systematically plan when to do things. I went from firefighting to being organised and not flapping. I can't wait to get back to that place.

I really recommend a free app called Workflowy - I'd be lost without it! For instance it's where all my recipes are saved, along with links to to recipes online. I also do my weekly meal planning on there, so all I have to do is drag down my recipe into my plan for that week. Then, below that I can write my shopping list, which is saved automatically on my phone so I can access it while shopping. I also write myself a to-do list daily, so every little job that needs to be done is accounted for and crossing them off again is very satisfying.