Tips for getting organised

[Bucketsofdinosaurs]

Thought we must all have one tip that we cling to, no matter how disorganised we are about other things and with some of us starting schoolruns (or playschoolruns) in a few weeks now is a good time to pool our collective wisdom. My motivation is the more organised we are, the more time we have to take it easy. Hate being rushed!

Mine is to get/make a family organiser calendar with a column for each member of the family. VERY handy if you use childcare and forces partners to become a bit more aware of the rest of the family. "If it aint on the calendar, it aint happening."

deal with school letters straight away - & put school info on calendar straight away

Mine is to make a week's worth of sandwiches for packed lunch on Sunday evening, put in individual sandwich bags and freeze them. Just take them out the night before - saves a LOT of messing about.

Not so much a schoolrun organising tip, more a general life rule:
Never ever let laundry get out of control.
One wash a day, no more (else it fills the whole house as it dries), no less (else the basket overflows).
Even if everything else has gone completely to pot I can say 'well, at least the laundry's under control'.

Mine is make your bed in the morning - it doesn't matter how untidy your bedroom is somehow with the bed made it looks 10 times better

MamaG that is an excellent idea. Do they come out OK? Don't they go a bit soggy? And is it OK to freeze cheese?

Yes, they come out fine and I have frozen cheese butties - they've never complained!

I've only got one DD, but I hated having to do it every night, don't know why - it's so easy to go to the freezer, grab a sandwich, then raisins, fruit, yoghurt etc etc.

mrsB - agree on the washing - if it's under control then I fell organised

Another tip is get ready for the next day the night before and leave it all by the front/back door - the amount of time I have wasted looking for library books/p.e. kits etc on the morning of pre-school!

You probably all already do that - I really am Mrs DISorganised

Always unpack the dishwasher as soon as it's finished, that way everyone with a dirty plate can load their own straight away in the machine and the counter tops and sink stays clear!

I love these threads, I'm such a nerd. I always seem to read them with a slightly bossy look on my face, sort of pursed lips-ish...

LOL MamaG am picturing you now although I have absolutely no idea what you look like!!!

In the morning.
Don't put the tele on! Dressed/breakfast/any type of music practice/homework/ then out..NO TELE. otherwise it becomes a battle!

I never used to let the children get in their school uniforms until after breakfast when they were little. One or other of them was sure to spill their cereal if I did!

either way dont do it infront of the the tele. If the tele is on, then they don't want to eat, get dressed alone..and it wastes time that coudl be spent doing other stuff..

Good one HumphreyCushion - make sure they brush their teeth before putting school uniform on too. Toothpaste down the front of a dark school jumper is a pain to get off!

Did anyone see that Britain's Worst Housewife show wear the lady made her kids sleep in their uniforms? She was quite depressed poor lamb but made a great recovery with a kick up the but from Quentin Thing. All the other housewives were insane hooverfreaks or spendaholics.

Don't come on Mumsnet you'll get much more done!
(I still need to wash up, put washing away,hoover.....)

For keeping the bathroom under control:
-Keep cleaning wipes in the bathroom cabinet and ask your DH to wipe the nasin after he finishes shaving. (it makes such a difference, takes just a few seconds, and with a bit of luck, your DH would be so impresed at the instant results that he will continue with the toilet!

-Wash the bath just after the kids bath

• Prepare the clothes you and your kids are going to use before going to sleep.

-unload the clean dishwasher last thing at night so kitchen already for the morning

-lay out breakfast things for the next morning

-go to bed thinking about what you are going to wear the next day(although often fall asleep before reaching decision)

For school nights this is what I do:
Lay the table for breakfast the night before.

Have all books, bags etc in hallway, packed and ready to pick up, including yours. Check the calendar or your diary, write cheques etc and put in bag so nothing is forgotten.

All uniforms are ready and laid out (my kids are very little), lay your clothes out too.

Noone gets dressed until after breakfast. TV is allowed once everyone is washed and dressed, adds an incentive to do it quickly and I know when to leave the house at the end of whichever programme has just finished.

When I get out of bed I open curtains and blinds in each of the rooms and draw back the bed to air, when I get back from the school run I make fresh beds.

The dishwasher is emptied the night before and breakfast dishes put in before I leave.

My kids 4 and 2.8 are responsible for putting pyjamas in the laundry basket and getting dressed (help where needed) everyone has a little job!
This is now automatic for me but took weeks to get used to and I had to persevere, Dh used to think I was slightly insane, but now appreciates that a system is needed otherwise you end up stressed out and living in a tip!

This is not really a school tip but it's something I always do...plan menus for the week before food shopping, using the "sale" circulars for the store to save a bit as well. It only takes an hour and then I know everyday what's for dinner.

I'm really going to need these tips - in sept I start work 5 days a week. I really came to rely on my Thursdays off for catching up on stuff

Keep the nappy bag packed and ready to go on/under/by the pushchair ( or door if your a car user). Restock it when you take out any dirty nappies. The when you need to grab baby and fly out teh door coz you got stuck feeding him for agggggges, you can do so safe in the knowlegde that at least you have a clean nappy and a muslin in the bag.

Keep a hairbrush in the car - then you know everyone will have brushed their hair by the time you get to school. (picked up from a friend so chaotic its a miracle the kids even made it to school).