Kitchen table pile

[Chaosonthehorizon]

I am fed up of my kitchen table pile, how do you organise your ‘sahm/sahd’ stuff on your kitchen table or in your family room? Need to house my family planner diary, current school/nursery paperwork and any other stuff needed over the week. Any ideas? Also then easy to move when we need to use the whole table for eating!

I use an online calendar that's shared with family, but also have a wipe clean board on fridge for this week/meal plans.

When my kids were small, I had a folder in a drawer for school stuff but again, pinned this week's stuff to the fridge.

I no longer have kids at school, but as a teacher, we hardly send any paper home now. Letters and forms are all online.

I have a similar issue.

Bit radical, but digitise. Have an online shared calendar (Google for me) and take photos of letters/documents you need to refer to then stick the hard copy straight in the shredder/recycling.

For stuff you reeealllyy need I would put it in an attractive letter holder in the hallway/in a dish/in a large felt box tucked under the coat/shoe rack. Keep the table clear.

I got the "Kvissle" wall mounted document holder from IKEA which has been a game changer. I already digitise as much as possible but there's still stuff that needs to hang around as paper copies. This goes in the corner by the kitchen door so it's not super prominent but also convenient to grab homework etc on the way out of the door.

Thanks everyone, I am a real list writer so I think I will struggle with a digital option, the IKEA thing looks good though! So also any must do’s to manage 4 under 6 as we will have next year?! Thanks

I have 4 DC and I like to use lists as well, rather than digital reminders. I use a paper diary and we also have a family calendar on the kitchen door for all appointments, notes etc. If it's not in the diary then it doesn't happen.

We have a shopping list up on the fridge - whoever uses up the last of something writes it on the list. If it's not on the list then it doesn't go in the supermarket trolley.

We do still have a pile of paperwork, but it is all stuff that we need to keep for some reason. This is in a decorative metal tray so at least it doesnt look too bad while it's hanging around waiting to be filed or sent somewhere. I like to keep it off the kitchen table but it just goes on the sideboard where it is less in the way

No easy answer for keeping on top of things, but try to find a way that works for you - I'm useless at technology so going down that route would stress me out rather than help. I like pretty stationery so I get a nice diary and calendar that I want to look at and use

Good luck!

Not a sahm so not sure if I can comment? (Everyone with dc at school has a paperwork pile, whether they work or not!)
But I find those Really Useful Company drawers very handy (the rainbow coloured ones) They are the right size for A4 and come in loads of sizes, including ones that would fit on a table top.

Of course you can 😀 and thank you very much, sounds like a good suggestion!

Pinterest is your friend for ideas. Most of it you can happily bin though