Organization for Working Moms?

[AmyBoz]

I know that in order to keep things running smoothly both at work and at home, I need to be super organized. I'm guessing that most of you working moms (who work outside the home) are the same way, as we have just as much to do and not as many hours at home to do it!

So, what are some of your tips or tricks for keeping your home and your work organized?

My best tricks/tips are my crockpot, making lunches and laying out clothes the night before. My biggest struggle is staying on top of the laundry.

How about you other moms who work outside the home?

[McD]

I need to get better about using my crockpot. I've been slacking on my meal planning and my grocery budget is showing it.

I swap out a load of laundry right before I go up to bed. In the morning, I swap it again. And by doing it this way, I keep caught up and I'm not dealing with laundry while I'm trying to cook and spend time with the family after work.

In the Target Dollar Spot, they had closet organizers for $2.50--the kind that hangs from the rod and has 5 little cubby holes. I bought one for Moo and one for Wesley. On Sunday, I load it up with the outfits they are going to wear each day during the week. It makes getting Moo ready much easier and it ensures that Wesley can just grab his clothes and get dressed by himself.

I know I have more, but I cannot think of them to save my life.

[ansley]

I used to do once a month cooking and I need to start back. I do love my crockpot. DH will grill yr round (rain, sleet, snow he doesn't care) if he isn't putting in a lot of OT. He also puts up the leftovers for our lunch the next day.

I have cubbies in my closet to hold my yarn and fabric. My MIL got a real neat bag for me one Christmas that holds my current crochet projects. I like that everything I need is in there and I can just grab it when I take the kids to the park or something.

My MIL was keeping my kids at my house but for some reason she has decided to keep them at her house for the summer. So, I pack backpacks with stuff they may need and put them on hooks by the door. The kids grab them as we walk out. I also pull out clothes and find shoes the night before.

I do laundry like MrsMcDowell. DD has one of those closet organizers and it worked great.

I need to declutter in a big way. That by itself will save a lot of time.

[rsbs]

A routine/schedule! I budget EVERY minute of my time at home... all the way up until DD's bedtime, & then sometimes after. But making things a habit makes it easier.
I love my crockpot too & actually have two of them. On rare occassions, I'll use both - when I'm expecting extras. Also, use tin-foil packets IN the crock pot for veggies. This saves time on making the sides!
Pre-cook large batches of meat. Freeze in proportions.
Set off dish & laundry washers when I leave the house (& dryer sometimes ) and I use a roomba to vaccuum. Set it off every morning, dump it first thing when I get home at night. Lowest end model works as well as higher end ones - this I've learned from experience! DH also works on ours to keep it going forever!
Walk the dog & tend my garden at the same time. This only works if you have land.

Putting laundry away is my biggest issue. Not so much with DH & I, but with DD. Then packing lunches. I have such picky eaters!!

[AmyBoz]

Rachel, Laundry put-away is my absolute nemesis!!! I'm with you!

[StartingOver]

I'd have to say having a schedule and a routine. I'm a nite person, so I like to get my cleaning done on Friday nite, so I have the weekend to do fun things w/the kids.

I do at least one load of laundry a nite. What helps me is that when I take the load out, I take it directly to the bedroom and as I fold it, I put it away. I don't allow laundry to sit on the bed, cause I'll just have to move it again to go to bed. So by the weekend...I may have only 1 load to do plus bedding.

I use the crockpot a little...but we use the grill a lot more. Our meals are very simple and they don't vary much. My biggest challenge is to remember to set meat out so it's thawed by the time I get home.

At work during my breaks and lunch break....I use that time to pay bills, balance my check book, make personal phone calls, schedule appointments.

My place of employment is near everything...so if I need groceries, a gift, or make returns, I can either do it on my lunch break or do it right after work. So when I get home I don't have to spend time doing errands and paperwork.

[alotofgooddeals]

I think i may add cause everything overwhelms me to the point that i just don't do it....and then i have to hurry to get things done and sometimes they don't get done and then i have stress on top of that and well it's a never ending battle...i really need to figure it out. I work outside of the home because i have to not because i want to...dh has some health issues which make it impossible for him to hold a job. So I have to work and i really need to get more organized so i feel like i have some control over this area which in return will not make me hate working so much....

[Luckybustert]

I'm just so drained by the time I get home some days that nothing gets done. Thankfully I no longer have children at home, but I still feel it negatively impacts both me and my husband. I've gotten better about using the crockpot and things like that, but in order to keep up I'd have to schedule every single minute and I find that idea exhausting. I need down time to rest and recharge, and being the "Superwoman" who can bring home the bacon, fry it up in a pan and keep everybody happy and everything running perfectly isn't compatible with that in my opinion. I keep telling my husband I want to be a stay at home mom to my dogs and I really do mean it....caring for my husband, my home and my "children" (the dogs) is a full time job in itself so why do I need a job outside the home? Oh yeah....money....somebody's got to pay for all that dog food!

[happymomof4]

Routine is the key for working moms. My life isn't quiet so hard now that I only have 1 instead of 4 at home. As the kids got older I had them help.

I clean and do laundry on the weekends. I do my ironing on Sunday nights as I watch tv. I have always been a organized perosn.

Love my crockpots and have used them alot thru the years. I also use my bread maker alot. People at work can't believe how well we eat during the week. I use list. Make menu's and grocery shopping list. I make cleaning list.

Lists are a key to my organization. I have learned thru the years if you don't get something done it will be there when you have time. I use to beat myself up because my house had dust or need vaccum. No more why if it bothers somebody let them come do it.

[frugal is fun]

I try to keep things as simple as possible.

I cook for the week on Sundays so I'm not cooking during the week other than maybe boiling some pasta or making rice. this also helps with the cleanup and less dishes. I also prep all lunches and even my breakfasts on Sunday so I just have to grab the tupperware during the week.

Its only my 5yr old and myself so I don't have tons of laundry like many families do. I do all of my laundry first thing Saturday morning so I can hang to dry.

I cut the grass and do outside work on weekends.

During the week I pick up as I go and if something needs cleaning I clean it then. I don't clean the entire house at once (unless its a holiday or I have people coming over). Day to day cleaning works for me.

And I spend what little time I have left during the week with my son, either doing homework, playing a game or going for a bike ride.

I leave the house at 7am and don't usually get home until 7pm or later. Simple works for me!