Search Results for: wannabe organized

February 28, 2016 · in Monthly Challenge· organization

Wannabe Organized: My 4 Week Home Organization Tips You’ll Want to Follow

March Challenge

I really NEED this months challenge. My house is quickly becoming a cluttered disaster that is completely stressing me out. So I’m excited to be setting aside this month to get my family, house, and mind back in order and I’m going to share with you my home organization tips with the details of each week and steps I’m planning to take.

Week 1

Organize your family: What I mean by this is to focus on the kids routines, schedules, chore charts, ect. I usually start the school year off with a bang, got my charts and schedules ready for an easy transition into new bedtime routines, homework, chores, and meals. Somewhere along the line those charts go out the window. So this week I’d like to set aside some time to really analyze what my family needs and how to feel more balanced. Are we too busy? Too much friend time and not enough family time? Is homework getting done at a reasonable hour? Are we rushing in the mornings? Are my kids eating healthy snacks and meals? Am I getting enough one on one time with each child? Are they doing their reading? Are they cleaning up their messes and doing regular chores? I want to create a peaceful flow within our home. I want to start the week off with a lesson on responsibility and how each member of the family has responsibilities to help out around the house. Whenever I’m feeling overwhelmed with chaos in the home it’s because I’ve failed to keep my children on track and give them those constant reminders and teach them that moms and dads aren’t supposed to do EVERYTHING. We all need to work together. So I plan to delegate more, TEACH more, and be consistent with reminders. We all know that kids forget so quickly. We can’t expect them to stay on a routine and schedule without our daily PATIENT reminders. I have to emphasize “patience” because I know from experience that I am easily annoyed when I have to constantly remind my kids to do things. What I need to remember is that it’s not just our kids. We are the same way in our own lives. The natural man easily forgets. Thats why it’s important that we incorporate positive affirmations and scripture study DAILY. We NEED constant reminders.

It’s our job as parents to remind (repeat ourselves), over and over and over and over again. We should be grateful for every teaching opportunity even if we’ve said it a MILLION times before.

I want to also focus on a lot of TEACHING them how to clean up and keep home organization schedule on track. Instead of trying to do it all myself, I’m going to work by their side and teach them how to keep a house tidy and organized, and emphasize the value of meaningful work and that it can actually be fun. Check out my 15 time saving tips for moms.

Week 2

Organize Your Home: Now it’s time to get down to the nitty gritty. Make a goal to organize one space a day this week. Even if it’s just a cabinet or drawer. Choose 6 spaces you’re going to tackle, then give yourself a day off on Sunday. Go to the container store and stock up on home organization paraphernalia. Oh how I love me some bins and labels. I may have a slight addiction here, considering checking myself into a recovery program or requesting an intervention.

Week 3

Organize Your Mind: This is a tricky one. I find it incredibly difficult to organize my mind. There are so many things going on up there and sometimes it paralyzes me to the point that I don’t even know WHAT to do. I’m always adding to my mental “to do” list and can’t seem to shut it down sometimes. This is when I know I’m in desperate need of some quiet meditation. I need to wake up early before the kids and just SIT in the peacefulness of the morning. I need to allow my mind to go blank and remain open to receive direction from God. As I do this I have a pen and paper handy so that I can then write my thoughts. This is one way I’ve learned to remedy the feeling of “mind overload”. It’s as if you are literally removing the chaos in your mind and putting it on paper with the intension to simplify.

Week 4

Organize Your Garage and Car: Yikes! Are you sure you want to participate in this challenge? If your garage is anything like mine then you might be a little scared to commit to this one. Mine definitely needs some work. This week I want to do my best to organize my garage, car, and even my yard. I hope I’m not getting ahead of myself, but I’d like to get a few seeds planted in my garden too. Is this possible? We shall see.

Let’s be supportive!

I hope you will all join the Wannabe Balanced Facebook group and participate by posting pics, inspirational thoughts, tips and advice for your home organization. Use the hashtag #WannabeOrganized if you plan to post pics on your FB wall or on Instagram. This way we can find each other and offer support there as well. Also, don’t hesitate to do some Periscope or Facebook live videos, I know I will be. It’s so much fun to connect with each other via live video streaming. Let’s get all your friends organized as well so share this post on Facebook and let the craziness begin!!!!!

November 21, 2019 · in back to school· organization

The Wannabe Balanced Mom’s Guide to Having an Organized Home

You’re a busy mom and between running a household, juggling schedules to getting dinner on the table you’re also trying to maintain an organized home. It’s no small feat and at times it can be overwhelming. Part of keeping your home organized is keeping your kids organized and in ‘Organized Homework Station’ we showed you one way to keep your kids on task by giving them their own space. Part of good organization starts with decluttering, and here we’d like to go over a few ideas from around the world that busy moms can use to maintain an organized home.

Tidying and Decluttering

Staying organized doesn’t mean neatly arranging all the clutter in your home. Organizing without first decluttering is a waste of time. Japanese decluttering queen, Marie Kondo’s decluttering methods and advice to keep only things that “spark joy” have caught on in the U.S. Called the KonMari Method, this method of decluttering and staying organized is part practical and part spiritual. It focuses on organizing your home by item categories rather than specific rooms. These include clothing, books, sentimental items, paper documents and Komono or miscellaneous. Decluttering means getting rid of things and it can be an emotional experience as we tend to get attached to things. But if you haven’t touched it in the last year and it doesn’t bring you joy, it needs to go. Kondo also recommends getting your kids on the tidying techniques, specifically, her signature vertical clothes folding method that keep everything from your shirts, pants, socks, and underwear impeccably neat and organized.

Maintain Basic Facilities

A part of staying organized means being efficient and ensuring that everything else in your home is running efficiently. In this sense, your home’s heating, cooling and plumbing systems should be maintained to function at full efficiency, to reduce costs and keep everyone happy. The Conversation notes that in Britain heating homes accounts for 70% of energy consumption, which means that by keeping their boilers and radiators running at peak efficiency, diligent moms can reduce their annual energy costs.

With winter just around the corner, plumbing experts also recommend that maintenance checks and inspections be done now so no unexpected problems arise in the middle of winter. Additionally, HomeServe highlight the importance of heating breakdown insurance to ensure that if anything does go wrong that you are covered and a professional will fix the issue immediately. To make sure everyone is cozy it’s also recommended that you turn on the heating earlier in the morning, before everyone wakes up, but at a lower temperature to save energy. One tip you can also take from organized moms in the UK is investing in a combi boiler if you’re going to upgrade your heating system, as these are much smaller units and can be tucked away out of sight unlike older models which are much bigger.

Minimalist Living

A minimalist approach to your home will help you be better organized and eliminate some of the chaos in your daily life. Minimalist style can be defined as the discipline of less but better and is especially prominent in Swedish homes that feature cleverly organized environments that are cozy and inviting. One way is to compartmentalize and divide every storage space, from cupboards, drawers and your wardrobe, to get rid of the mess that accumulates over time.

Swedish moms are also full of clever organizational tricks with a common one being magnets. In the kitchen, they can be used to organize knives on a magnetic strip and in the kids’ room as a way to keep metal toy cars neatly organized on the wall. Hooks are also a great organizing technique and in Swedish homes, you’ll see a lot of household items hung from them. A stylish metal or wooden hook can complement almost any wall, and placed strategically in your home can help avoid messy floors. Use them in the mudroom to hang coats or in the garage for scooters and bikes to hang neatly and in organized fashion.

January 24, 2018 · in Home decor and remodeling· Monthly Challenge· organization

Little Boy Bedroom | Decluttering | #WannabeOrganized

I’m getting a head start on our March Challenge, #WannabeOrganized. I figure if I start now, I’ll have lots of great content to help motivate and inspire you to join in on the challenge in a couple months. My new goal is to get this whole house in order by working on one room a week.

I’m starting with Owen’s room. I completely decluttered the place, took out the crib *insert sad emoji*, and added some new pillows for his bed. I love how it all turned out. I’m going for the minimalist look, and I had no idea how amazing it could be. To walk into a room with less furniture and decor makes me feel so light and free.

I can’t wait to get started on the rest of the house.

Here are the links to where I bought mostly everything. I couldn’t seem to find another bed like this one though. I bought it at DownEast Home and when I searched for it online I couldn’t find anything like it. Also, check out my YouTube video tour for more details.

Wood Stump Stool

Nautical Pillow Cases

White Bed Spread

Striped Curtains

String Lights

April 11, 2018 · in Home decor and remodeling· homeschooling

Organized Homework Station

I recently decluttered and redecorated this little homework station in our home. Watch my YouTube video for the full before and after tour. I’ve provided links below to all the items I purchased for this space. Also be sure to watch my full Home Decor and Makeover Playlist for more videos just like this.

Computer Desk

White Padded Seat Chairs with Solid Wood Legs

White Mobile File Cabinet

Macrame Wall Hanging

World Wall Bulletin Board

Wood Lamp

Macrame Plant Hanger

July 20, 2017 · in Activities For Kids· back to school· homeschooling· Life of a Wannabe· List's and Schedules· Mom Stuff· organization· routines

Back to School Ready ~ Being Organized and Making it Fun

Hey my lovelies! I know we still have a month left of summer, and nobody really wants to start thinking about school just yet, buuuuut, it’s always good to plan ahead and be prepared right? Today I’d like to share with you my back to school ready list. Just a few ways to get organized and make this time of year super special and fun for you and your family.

Get Supplies Early

We all want to save money right? Getting your supplies early will not only ensure you GET them, but you will also save a little cash. Prices go up as the school year gets closer, plus, I just hate ramaging through the left overs. Yes, I’ve been that mom who does the school shopping a month after school started. Which means the supplies I need are not always available and I end up having to spend more and order them online.

Teachers are always in need of Kleenex boxes and I found this great deal on Kleenex boxes at Sam’s Club. Sixteen boxes for $16!!! Pretty awesome if you ask me.

I always love buying new backpacks for the kids. There are always so many fun designs out every year. Jujube is my favorite place to get backpacks because they have the biggest selection, best quality, and they are the most organized bags you’ll ever find. There is a pocket and zipper for everything imaginable.

They have lots of fun matching mommy daughter bags too. I love their new floral print, it’s absolutely darling!!! Check out their whole selection HERE.

New water bottles are always fun. Especially these cute personalized ones from Etsy. For sure go for the stainless steel, keeps water cold for HOURS!

Organize Your Homework/ School Station

Last year I completely revamped my homeschool room/ homework station. Check out all the before and after pics HERE.

Studies have shown that physical clutter increases stress, overloads your senses, and impairs your creative abilities. So it’s important to take the time to get organized BEFORE school starts.

It’s a good idea to create an organized DROP ZONE! Most of the newer homes have mud rooms, but since my Draper house was built in the 80’s, I had to create a make shift one in my garage. Just hang some hooks, get a few baskets and there you go. A place for the kids to drop their shoes, coats, and backpacks in an organized fashion.

After School Charts & Boredom Busters

I know that after school can be a bit chaotic at times, with extra cericular activities, playdates, getting kids to practice their music, and homework. But there are also those days when nothing is going on and you’re kids will be tempted to veg out in front of an iPad. I try to encourage creativity first and use the ipad as a last resort. I came up with a creative way to recycle my empty Kleenex boxes. A simple “I’m Bored Box” to inspire creative fun instead of mindless video games.

Since reading the book The Power of Pause I have cut back dramatically on my overzealous “to do” lists and routines, but I understand that there must be some sort of structure in our home. So I put together these charts to help remind the kids what they should be doing in the mornings, after school, and at bed time. They are not the prettiest and defintiely not Pinterest worthy, but hey, it gets the job done.

Plan and Prepare a Special Family Dinner

Last year we had this really fun family dinner the night before the first day of school. See the short YouTube video I made. I gathered up some school supplies picked up a large sheet of school bus yellow poster paper from the party store. This way the kids could draw on the paper. This year I think it would be fun to have the kids write down some goals, and or positive affirmations next to their plate. Then we could all take turns sharing what we wrote. This could also be a fun first day of school breakfast.

*Disclosure~ I was compensated for the mention of Kleenex at Sam’s Club.

May 31, 2017 · in 52 Weeks of Balance Project· balance· Inspiration· Life of a Wannabe· List's and Schedules· Monthly Challenge

Wannabe Hands Free ~ Summer Challenge

I couldn’t think of a better time to do the hands free challenge. I’ve been working on these monthly challenges for a while now. So far we’ve done Wannabe Fearless, Wannabe Balanced, Wannabe Lean, Wannabe Confident, and Wannabe Organized.

Now I’m so excited to reveal the Wannabe Hands free challenge. A way for us to be more intentional on being hands free by putting down our phones and focusing on our kids while they are out of school for the summer. These challenges are inspired by things that I particularly struggle with and thought it would be so fun to include you all in my attempts to becoming a happier, and more balanced mother for my children. I’m reading the book Hands Free Mama And I’m soaking up every bit of it and I’d highly recommend this book to any mom.

I’ve talked about the addiction to my phone before and I’ve been making a conscious effort to have a balance when it comes to the amount of time I spend on my phone. Some days I do really great, but most days it’s a problem. That’s also why as part of my morning routine, I decide which hours in the day I will PUT THE PHONE AWAY!

Why is it sooooo hard?

A while ago my 8 year old, the one who is best at the laying on the guilt, told me I’m ALWAYS on my phone. It was a tough pill to swallow. I found myself trying to validate my actions by explaining to him that a lot of what I do is important stuff. I’m not wasting time mindlessly scrolling through my news feed. It all has a purpose! He didn’t believe me. Grrrr! Although what I do on my phone does legitimately serve a purpose, there still needs to be a balance. It’s easy to lose sight of priorities even when what you’re doing is good.

At the same time, EVERYTHING is on our phones. In reality, our phones are our life. It holds our pics and videos, our contacts, our bank accounts, our grocery lists, maps, google, Amazon Prime, passwords, calendars, appointments. The list goes on and on. It’s no wonder we are obsessed right? It’s hard to put something down that contains so much of what we need each day. I’ve been trying to do some things the old fashion way, like use an actual Day Planner instead of my phone calendar. Make a grocery list with REAL paper and a pen. Use a camera that is NOT my phone camera, and read printed books instead of ebooks.

I have the tendency to overdo it when it comes to things. It drives my husband crazy! One summer I had a goal to declutter and get my house organized. I didn’t just do a little here and there, I started first thing in the morning and went late into the night for weeks until I had everything just the way I wanted it.

That’s why “Wannabe Balanced Mom” was the perfect name for me. The struggle is real folks. I want balance, but it doesn’t come naturally to me. Takes consistent effort thats for sure.

I know that the phone addiction is a real thing and A LOT of people can relate. So this challenge will be a great way to hold one another accountable in our efforts to reign it in and have a healthier balance with the time spent on our phones.

I wanted to provide an incentive for everyone who participates, that’s why I have put together a nice prize for one of you lucky participants. At the end of the summer I will choose a winner and announce it in the Wannabe Balanced Facebook Group. I have a Ju-Ju-Be Bag I want to give to one of you ladies.

How To Enter:

Participate!!!
Join the Wannabe Balanced Facebook Group
Add people to the group who you think would like this challenge. Each person (comment) you add counts as an entry (leave a separate comment in the Giveaway feed for each person you add).
Share this blog post on Facebook or share the Image below on Instagram (be sure to tag me in the image and caption). Use #wannabehandsfree hashtag when you post.
Follow me on Instagram
Subscribe to my YouTube Channel
Pin this post to Pinterest

I’ve created this free printable list of goals for you to check off. Download the PDF HERE. Let me walk you through this printable and explain how to use it.

No Phone Days

Choose 4 days this month to be completely without your phone. Sundays work best for me.

Activities with Kids

Get yourself on Pinterest and plan at least 5 fun activities you will do with your kids this month.

Journal

Journal your thoughts and experience at least 4 different times this month. Explain your goals, why you’re doing it, and what you’re noticing. Are you having withdrawals? Is it easy? Is if hard? Do you feel happier? Are your kids happier? Do you feel more present and centered?

Wannabe Hands Free Check List

Be public about your goals. Tell your friends and family or even share online. This will create more accountability for you. The more people that know, the less likely you will be to give in. If you post on social media then use the hashtag #wannabehandsfree so we can all find each other and offer support.
Change your phone notifications. Silent as many notifications as possible and even delete certain apps if necessary.
Create a No Phone Routine. Use my morning routine printable to help you decide which hours during the day you will set the phone down and resist any temptations to check notifications, send emails, or jump on social media. Absolutely NO PHONE during this hour. It’s good to practice that self control.
Let go of your “to do” list. If you’re like me, this is extremely hard to do. I wrote about how I quit my “to do” list last year. Although I know how important it is to be organized and make plans, I also know that our “to do” lists tend to have a strong handle on our lives, leaving less room for spontaneity and presence. So give it a try, throw out your to do list this month, or even just for a day. Do what you can to focus more on the present and what you feel is important in this very moment. Let your instincts be your guide.
Plan and act of kindness. Get your kids involved and plan a little service project or a simple act of kindness you can do together.
Create a Life List with your kids. Help your kids create a list of things they want to do in their lives. This will help remind them that in order to make these things happen, we must be spending more time pursuing them and less time watching Netflix and playing video games.
No phone nature walk or hike with the kids. I know we all feel we MUST document everything we do which is great! But sometimes we just need to focus on being in the moment and less on documenting. I love the part in the movie The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.

“If I like a moment, I mean, me… personally. I don’t like to have the distraction of a camera. I just want to stay in it. Right there… right here.”

~Sean O’Connell

<<<Get Your FREE Printable HERE>>>