to ask how you become organised and together? Seriously how??

[inatrance]

This is a question for any of you who used to be disorganised/flaky and are now organised and sorted. I have been like this for so long and I drive myself and everyone around me crackers. I'm unbelievably forgetful, I am late a lot and I'm rubbish with finances. I'm so fed up of cringing because I'm so bloody rubbish and make stupid mistakes all the time!

I've got an 8mth DS and a 10yo DD and while I've always had disorganised tendencies, since I had DS, it's gone from bad to ridiculous and I feel like I am constantly trying to catch up with myself.

I'm self employed (which is for the best as even I'd have sacked me by now) and have somehow managed to run my businesses haphazardly over the last ten years without fucking up too massively. Well, not often anyway...

Well, no more, I've had enough. I am using the New Year to kick me up the arse and I need your help.

If you used to be crap and are now brilliant and incredibly organised, please, please tell me how you did it. What changed in your mind and where the hell did you start?

[BalloonSlayer]

Interesting advice from some people.

Personally I use a whistle to summon my DCs. They all have a different whistle call-sign so if one of them has failed to hang up their colour coded towel I can call them for punishment without disturbing the others from picking up their toys.

[Candlefairy101]

I love reading old threads so much fab advice, I really do t understand why some people get their back up when we start talking on an old thread!

There's never too much advice for organisation

[Mellifera]

Wow, took me days to read it all, and I've even taken some tips and put them into practice.
Organised my Tupperware/plastic crap cupboard yesterday. Kept only the containers that had lids, stacked them with their lids on and binned the rest.
It was strangely liberating.
For three years the door didn't shut properly most of the time, because it was just too full. Crazy.
Thank you to the poster who linked this thread from another thread.

Will tackle one cupboard/drawer per day now. And own a pocket calendar to arrange stuff whilst on the phone.

Good luck to all the declutterers, it is a good start into a new year.

[sandgrown]

Need this too. Just need to find time to read it all !

[BertieBotts]

Classics is for threads from chat which disappear. This won't disappear and it's pretty useful :)

Thought I would add my update to the pot, anyway, in case it helps anyone else:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/mumsnetters_with_sn/2486814-October-is-ADHD-Awareness-Month

[ninared]

marking thread

Thanks so much for bumping

[PiglettWithAttitude]

There is something lovely about a paper to do list and scratching things off. So gmail tasks for main list (or spreadsheet if complex project), smaller paper to do list for the week, paper filofax diary so I can book things in while I am on the phone, gmail calendar for appointments I think I may forget. Week to view calendar for family things that happen same time each week.

My problem is procrastinating rather than being disorganised.

[daisydalrymple]

.

[trufflehunterthebadger]

and sorry but i never did find the master list, sorry

[trufflehunterthebadger]

i use the 24 hour Home and Work diary. it was recommended by a mmsnetter. We have very busy lives with both DH & I on 24/7 shift pattern, foreign students staying, Rotary, Guiding and DDs activities. it has loads of room as you can see from th pictures. i got mine from Harper Collins Uk, it's A4 and quite heavy but amazing, i cannot do electronic diaries and it is my best friend.

[mogloveseggs]

Fab thread! Lots of great ideas thank you

[minifingerz]

Thanks for bumping!

Desperately in need of help, and don't go on Classics.

[iPaid]

If you think this thread is so useful, why not ask MNHQ to put it in Classics instead of bumping a 4 year old thread?

[WhatamessIgotinto]

School stuff is my problem. I have a basket that I shove all the stuff from school in with the intention of sorting it. Then I completely forget and have a massive panic the day before. I'm getting myself a ring binder!

[FullOfChoc]

My first thing is a family diary, something like this www.calendarclub.co.uk/family/family-organisation/mums-family-planner-diary-20152016-r160676 everyones appointments/events etc. go in it. With DH and I, if there's a clash, whoever is in first the other has to arrange childcare.

Secondly, get an A4 ring binder and put a set of Jan to Dec dividers in it. File all invites/school letters/holiday documents etc. in and they are to hand as and when you need them.

Good luck!

[NeuNewNouveau]

Also marking place for 2016

[minnymoobear]

Marking place to read thru for 2016 :)

[mumtoblaire]

thread

[BreeVDKamp]

Ooh, please may I have the magic list too?? :)

[juulie]

Love this thread

[juulie]

I created systems and habits so I didn't have to think or remember. As others have said writing everything down is good. Also having places where you keep things and always putting them there. I suspect now i'm a mum i'll have to step it up further and have a lot more routine and structure. it does seem a bit dry and oppressive but it actually frees you up to think about other things. habit is a powerful thing. sorry for lack of caps but typing one handed with lo on other arm!

[ClockwiseCat]

And please can someone post or pm the magic list everyone is talking about?

[ClockwiseCat]

Sorry, I know this is a zombie thread but I was scared of losing it after it was linked on another thread. Bumping it might help someone else too :)

[trufflehunterthebadger]

Bump

I'll try to dig that master list that i made out

[Tiggywinklespinny]

Is like a copy too please!