Today’s mom-preneurs are juggling more activities, school functions, social media posts and family obligations than ever before. With life seemingly getting busier, there is one thing that can make the difference between a calm and orderly household and a chaotic, overwhelmed one – organization. We surveyed our leaders and compiled their top tips on how to they keep it all together while running a home-based business.
#1. Scheduling Is Key
It goes without saying that implementing a calendar system is a must to keeping your business and family’s schedules organized. There are a multitude of ways to accomplish this and here are a few of our top picks.
Rachael Towne, Sr. Director and mom to three children, suggested an electronic option. “We use the Calendar app and we all have iPhones. My husband and children get my updates when I have online events or when I plan on going live (on FB.) Everything from online parties, to children’s events, to appointments go on my Apple calendar. “
Heather Miller, military wife and mom to a teenage son, shared a few of her favorite time savers. “I use Audible to “read” professional/personal development books. I use Bloom Planners Daily to do list to keep it all together. (And) I prioritize my exercise first thing each day.”
Megan Russo, Director, Mom to three and a foster mom implemented a one-notebook system. “The biggest thing that’s helped me is making sure I write everything down in one notebook, so now I don’t wonder which receipt or scrap of construction paper holds the key to my day. Setting reminders on my phone has also been really helpful.”
Kimberly Merritt, Executive Director and mom of one says “I use a life planner from Hello Rosie Co. and washi tape to break up my days & weeks, the monthly goals planning to set intentions and stay on track throughout the month, then the one notebook system I learned from Gale Bates.”
Kim Smith, Sr. Director and mom of one agrees with the importance of using a calendar for everything. “I use a one-calendar system with phone reminders! All appointments, meetings, Spa’s, calls, host coaching and even my favorite TV or movies are coming out goes on the calendar.”
Samantha Wilcox, Sr. Director and mom to four has found that setting aside time each week to plan is a game changer. “Using Sunday nights to set my week up has been huge! It frees up my week from have to worry about what we need to do each day.”
#2. Divide Up Household Chores
When it comes to keeping your home neat and tidy, our leaders had some time saving tips on getting everyone in the family to pitch in like an all-star team.
Samantha Wilcox and Ashley Sanford both commit to doing a load of laundry every day so they don’t get behind.
Megan Russo shared “For housework, we always have people stopping by (sometimes unannounced) to check in on our foster daughter, so I feel really stressed if the house isn’t presentable. I have a one-bag system for de-cluttering and then cleaning. We do a “super power cleanup” to fun music, and all the kids pitch in with some bribery as motivation. Keeping DIY disinfectant wipes on hand is amazing for staying on top of little messes. I also try to steam mop a couple times a week (usually with some lavender added to my mop pad at nap time).”
Mary Strain, Director and homeschooling mom of four suggests, “Don’t ever go to bed with a messy house. Make sure all dishes are washed, counters wiped and the living room picked up before retiring. It is so much better to awake in the morning to a pleasant house so I can relax while drinking my coffee.”
Stefanie Van Ness, Premier Director and Mom to three, uses a clever way to encourage her kids to pitch in. “The kids have clothespins that have their daily chores on them! They got to pick their colors. The pins start on a “to do” column, and they move it to the “done” column when they are done! If there are any morning chores not done before they leave for school, or evening chores not done before 8pm, they have to go to bed 5 minutes early for every chore not done.
Rachel Wojtylko, Senior Director and mom to three commented, “I stay as organized as possible by delegating. From probably kindergarten on my kids have had responsibilities, we have days we get the house caught up, we do a lot as a group. Our mentality is that our personal and family success comes from working together. We help keep each other on track. As a family, we work together … and we work toward goals that the family will enjoy.”
#3 Weekly Meal Preparation
You don’t have to be a gourmet chef to provide delicious, healthy meals throughout the week. Preparing meals ahead of time saves so much time and hassle plus, it helps reduce the number of trips you make to the fast food drive-through!
Heather Stapleton, Sr. Executive Director and mom of four shared, “I write out our meal plan every Sunday and go grocery shopping also. Once I’m done putting groceries away I get the kids lunches prepared for the week. I put all the dry items into individual baggies (chips, etc.) and then into a bag for each child with a water bottle and it goes in the cupboard. Each day I pull out the labeled bag per kid and put the items into their lunch.
Megan Russo shared “I try to make it to our farmers market on Saturdays a couple times a month, and do my weekly prep on Sundays. I’m a SAHM and homeschool, but still pack the kids’ lunches and snacks in advance for the week. This way, I can still be explaining subtraction or entering a party order without the younger kids seemingly dying of starvation.”
Velma Ediger, Team Leader and mom also preps meals ahead of time. “I do all my cooking and baking in one day. Cakes are for eating now and cookies are frozen. I cook 3 different meals and we do leftovers for a week. Since we mostly eat at different times with our different schedules this works for us. If we are home at the same time we eat together. On Sunday evenings, we go out to eat as a reward and catch up for the week.”
#4 DeClutter and Create a Space for Your Business
“The best way to find out what we really need is to get rid of what we don’t.” – Marie Kondō
When you clear the clutter, you can clear your mind and it frees you up to give your best.
Andrea Hall, Director and mom to two shared an excellent suggestion for those of us who struggle with the ‘too much stuff syndrome’! “Every 4 months we go through our closets and toys and donate 1/3 of what we have to help others and cut back on clutter. We also homeschool, so we have our bookshelves with designated shelves for each boy and one for mom. I also keep a duo of bins at the base of my stairs for gathering things to take up throughout the day. Rather than running up and down all day I just take it up at night and empty it and then bring it back down in the morning.”
Andrea uses a ‘command center’ calendar in her home so the family knows what’s coming up.
Bev Kim, Sr. Executive Director, who is a mom to three grown children and a proud grandma, pointed out how she created a space for her business. “I have my office organized with dedicated areas with everything I need close by. For example, my “shipping station” has everything that I need so that I don’t have to search for it…tape, envelopes, stickers, labels, scissors, etc. My new absolute favorite follow-up system is Teamzy. It helps me keep me on task with following up with my team, potential recruits, and customers.
Kimberly Merritt offered some words of wisdom. “I think organization boils down to a mindset, followed by a skillset with habits one needs to learn. The mind (and heart) needs to understand that when you plan, there are no emergencies. It’s important to find your own rhythm of life organization and to be graceful with yourself while you figure out what exactly that means! Too often we feel so “unorganized” because we are busy comparing ourselves to others or not giving ourselves enough grace.”
How do you keep yourself organized? We love to hear from you. Share your super-mom tips in the comments!
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