When you’re a mom, staying organized can feel like an uphill battle while juggling a dozen responsibilities simultaneously. Between dropping kids off at school, running errands, and cooking meals for your family, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. 

Thankfully, with a few simple strategies, you can create order out of the chaos of everyday life. All you need is a little organization, and here are some ways to make that happen.

1. Organize the small stuff

Anywhere you have a bunch of small things or items that have been thrown together (like a junk drawer), start organizing these spaces. This extends to dresser drawers, random boxes and bags in your closet, and even your purse. To organize your boxes, dump everything out and sort it according to the type of item so like goes with like. Put small things in plastic bags, fold clothing neatly, and make a list of what’s inside so you never have to guess.

When it comes to junk drawers, most stuff probably has a home, and it should be easy to put things back where they belong. For your personal bags, a canvas purse organizer will help you neatly organize important items in your purse so they’re easily accessible when needed. Organizers are great for storing pens, chargers, and other small necessities.

Don’t underestimate the power of organization to bring calm to your life. Just knowing where things are will save you time and energy and avoid the frustration of not knowing where anything is when you need it most.

2. Keep essentials in your car

Keep an organizer in your car with essential items like tissues, a basic first-aid kit, a few bottles of water, and snacks for emergencies. This can be a pouch, a small bag, or a small plastic tub that you keep in the trunk. It’s also smart to keep a blanket in your car. You can’t predict when you might need these items. For instance, you could get a flat tire in the snow and be unable to walk anywhere to get water until your tow truck arrives, which could be half a day’s wait.

3. Schedule all of your appointments

It’s easy to tell yourself you’ll get your oil changed or wash your car “when you have time,” but that’s a guaranteed way to push it out indefinitely. When your tasks aren’t scheduled, anything else that comes up will become the priority, and it could be weeks or months before you get around to the original task.

Schedule everything you need to do, from car maintenance to getting your dogs groomed. Fixed appointments will make your life more manageable by reducing conflicts and ensuring things get done.

4. Prep and/or plan all meals

Whether you fully prep meals or just plan them out, this practice will save a lot of time. Each weekend, take a couple hours to cook lunch for the week in a big batch, portion it out into plastic bags, and place them in the freezer. Anyone in your family who works or goes to school can grab one on their way out each morning.

Since you probably don’t want to prepare all meals in advance, simply planning will go a long way to support maintaining your household. For example, when you know exactly what you’re cooking for dinner every night, you can buy the ingredients at the store and not have to rush out at the last minute because you’re out of something important.

5. Declutter regularly

Being a busy mom usually means having at least one part of the house that looks like it got hit by a tornado. You’re always going to be in the process of cleaning and organizing something. When you’re pressed for time, it’s easy to shove things in a closet or stash them away out of sight, and that’s why regular decluttering is important.

You can do it daily or weekly, but take 15-20 minutes to declutter the rooms in your house. Having a tidy home will reduce stress and make it easier to find things when you need them.

An organized house is a happy house

Being a mom doesn’t mean you have to resign yourself to chaos. With these simple life hacks, you can stay on top of your responsibilities and remain organized without feeling frazzled. From scheduling and planning to using handy tools, getting organized will help you enjoy an easier, less stressful life.