As a parent, juggling work responsibilities, family schedules and cleaning tasks can be overwhelming. You are responsible for making your home run efficiently, and sometimes it can seem like an impossible job. From How to Cook, here are a few tips that can help your home run more smoothly.
Declutter and Organize
Make your home a healthier space by taking time to declutter and get rid of unnecessary items. Start by decluttering in a single room so you don’t get overwhelmed by the process. Go through every item in a given room and determine if it brings value to your life. You should get rid of anything you don’t use because it is just taking up space in your home. The less you have out, the more organized your house will look.
You also need to keep your house organized after decluttering. Bringing new items into your home will undo your efforts to declutter, so make sure you really need the item and have space to store it. In some cases, you can move new items to a different location to make room for the new item. Keep your belongings neatly arranged.
Managing Paperwork
Managing paperwork and documents, both at home and work, can often be an overwhelming task. However, with a few strategic steps, it can become manageable. Start by setting up a system for your documents – categorize them by type, importance, or date, depending on what works best for you. Regularly review and discard unnecessary papers to prevent clutter.
One of the most effective ways to manage documents is by digitizing them. Scanning and storing documents electronically not only saves physical space but also makes data retrieval faster and easier. Digital files can be organized into folders and subfolders, making it simpler to locate specific documents. Additionally, digitizing documents provides the added benefit of being able to back up your files, protecting against potential loss or damage of physical copies. Remember, a well-organized document management system can significantly boost your productivity and reduce stress.
Reevaluate Your Space
When your family begins to expand, it’s important to reassess your living space to accommodate everyone comfortably. You may notice that what used to be ample space is now seeming a bit cramped, or perhaps an additional room has become a necessity. In these situations, a good starting point can be to explore your local housing market online. This can give you an idea of what options are available in your price range and preferred location, and assist you in weighing the pros and cons of moving versus renovating.
When it comes to upgrades, kitchens and bathrooms are popular options for making your home appraise at a higher value. Ultimately, reevaluating your space needs is all about ensuring your home continues to be a place of comfort and happiness for your growing family. So make the renovations and updates that serve you best while keeping your return on investment (ROI) in mind.
Delegate Responsibilities
There’s no reason that you should be solely responsible for maintaining your home. Everyone else in the family is capable of pitching in for chores, so divide responsibilities according to ability. Your young kids may not be able to take out the trash, but they can clean up their toys each night. Teenagers can walk the dog or help with laundry. Dividing household tasks takes some of the responsibility off of you and makes the house much easier to maintain.
Make a Schedule
Routines are crucial for maintaining order in your household. If you don’t have a schedule, you may not be able to keep up with all of your weekly tasks, and once they pile up, it takes a long time to get the house under control.
Make a list of all the tasks you need to get done, and mark whether they should be completed daily, weekly or monthly. You can then write down your weekly schedule and choose which day works best for certain tasks. For example, you can dedicate Mondays to washing your sheets and spend some time cleaning your bathrooms every Tuesday. Tidying up the kitchen is a daily task, while wiping down the refrigerator may be a monthly task. Keeping up with your schedule is important for keeping your house organized.
Have a Meal Plan
One survey found that 73% of people cook fewer than five nights a week. This statistic isn’t surprising given the size of the workforce and the hectic nature of school schedules. Many moms find it easier to grab takeout instead of preparing a meal on busy nights.
Having a meal plan keeps your budget under control and allows you to work healthier options into your week. Take time every Sunday to check out How to Cook and then write out your schedule and plan meals that accommodate it. You can use leftovers for some meals and you can still grab takeout a few nights a week, just make sure it fits your schedule.
Make sure that your kitchen exhaust fan is in good working order before you begin cooking regularly. When they are old and low-functioning, an under counter range hood will not effectively pull the smoke and smells out of the kitchen, which can leave your house with unwanted odors.
Run Your House – Don’t Let it Run You
Keeping your home organized is important for making your life run smoothly. Declutter, organize, digitize paperwork, delegate tasks to your kids, and reevaluate your space needs as your family grows. Using these tips can help you create an organizational system that works for you and your family to help your home run more efficiently.
