Tell me your top term time tips for being organised!

[Moonopoly]

So generally I’m quite organised but in the last half term the wheels started falling off because we were trying to wing each week!
I work (although have quite a flexible job) and have 3 kids. DH also works. We used to have a cleaner but stopped in lockdown and not sure we could afford it (or could but would mean less of other stuff)
Tell me your tips for managing it all in the term time! I need a plan…

How old are your kids?

Batch cook ahead of time.
Have a loose structure to each day - homework/activity/lunch/screen time etc
Personally, I prefer to encourage homework to be completed at the beginning of the hols and then we can relax!
Be on top of laundry prior to the hols.
Do all school uniform laundry the first weekend of the hols.
Get school bags ready waaaay ahead of time.
Have the school hols and any school closures in your diary for the whole year.
Not related to half-term, but I also like ti out any dates in my diary that school send out asap - so Children in need days with a note to go into school in PJ’s, school trips and a note that he’ll need packed lunch etc.

@AtleastitsnotMonday 3 (in nursery 3 days a week) 5 and 12

Ah sorry, thought you were looking for school holiday tips!

@PackedlunchofRishiSunak still useful!

Get a family planner and actually use it.
Have a rotation of weekly meal plans - maybe 4 or 5 weeks worth? And do as much batch cooking as possible during holidays and weekends.
Try and persuade your dc to have school dinners. If not, make packed lunches when you cook the dinner.
Teach your dc to take responsibility of getting their own stuff ready for school. My dc have taken responsibility for remembering their own PE kits from about year 1 or 2.
Have a noticeboard in the kitchen or hall where you pin letters from school and clubs about upcoming events etc…

For me I really commit to washing all the uniform on Saturdays and the ironing them Sunday afternoons in front of the tv. I have 5 shirts per child and they have fresh shirts daily. The might have fresh trousers every second day. The night before I lay out their uniform, give a quick iron of squished ties and a sponge if required. But Saturdays everything (except blazers) goes in the wash.

That is about my only real solid committment. I find it quite therapeutic to be honest.

Look at school/nursery/club calendars between now and end of term. Either enter all significant information into the calendar on your phone or onto a paper calendar displayed somewhere prominent. For each entry think about what will be needed for that event. Start on organising those things now. Order Xmas jumpers, sort costumes, buy teacher gifts etc, set reminders on phone a week before any significant events to remind you of any last minute prep.
Note any birthdays or other occasions that will require cards or gifts. Get them and write them now.
Book baby sitters if you will need them for work Xmas party etc.
Buy in bulk supplies for lunch boxes if required.
Laundry basket in each bedroom. Each person set on taking washing to washing machine on specified day.
Buy in a few store cupboard meals that can be used to quickly pull together a meal on nights when it's crazy! Tuna, pasta with sweet corn.
Pack of pitas and fishfingers in the freezer for fish finger sandwiches etc.

I have a storage unit for school stuff. Top drawer is for any school newsletters, homework or school art that’s been brought home. Every weekend this gets looked through. Second drawer is for the empty lunch bag, school bag and PE trainers.

School uniform gets washed in the week and on the weekend I’ll make sure it’s all ready to go in the wardrobe.

School dinner booking, homework and class info is all done via app so I have a reminder in my phone to book the dinners every Friday. I also check the class app at least once a week to keep updated (lots of wearing different colours last term that almost caught me out!).

I have a core food shopping list on my phone and I also keep an ingredient list for our favourite recipes. That way if I’m in the shop and need to top up I will have enough to make something!

6 sets of uniform, non iron preferably. Wash it all at the weekend so it’s ready to go. When you come home from school, bags coats and shoes always in the same place so you know where to find them.

A bag for each extra curricular activity and PE. As soon as kit is washed, straight back in the bag so it’s always ready to grab and go.

Take photos on your phone of letters/invitations so you’re not looking for bits of paper! Put stuff straight on your planner. I prefer paper so everyone can see at a glance.

Rolling meal plan for as many weeks as meals everyone will eat you can manage. Jacket potato, beans on toast, pesto pasta etc is fine for busy nights.

Do lunch boxes, if needed, whilst cooking dinner.

Housework, I do a similar thing to The Organised Mum Method. I can manage the dedicated housework in 20 minutes a day, Mon - Fri. Bit extra for daily jobs like dishwasher, laundry, food
prep/clean up. And make sure kitchen is clear before you go to bed. Always starts the day better if you come down to a clean kitchen.