Ever heard that saying, “If you want something done, ask a busy person”?
Well, I very much agree with this statement. Busy people are forced to be organised and find the best way of doing things.
As a mother of three running 3 x companies, organisation is my best friend. Having a clean house previously seemed like a mirage to me. Some wonderful paradise that didn’t really exist.
Until one day I began to implement work philosophies and practices into our home. Turns out that a workplace is very similar to a household. It’s all about coordinating multiple people to work together as a team to achieve a shared goal.
So without further ado …
3 x Simple tips to kick butt with home organisation.
1. Family Meetings
Sunday night is our family meeting night/dinner. Nothing too formal (if you exclude the fact that I sit down to dinner with a spreadsheet, notepad, and pen).
During the meeting, we discuss any current issues, check in on the completion of chores, discuss family goals, discuss our budget and savings, plan the week ahead, and discuss the shopping list and meal plans.
Every meeting we have a set agenda and list of items to be actioned per our last meeting. Yes, I run the family home like the workplace. But guess what …. it works! And my children get just as excited about it as I do (possibly a hereditary thing).
Remember – Accountability is crucial to keep you on track and following your plan.
Which leads me too …..
2. Plan it out
After we allocated the chores across the household (see next tip), I then asked the kids to map out their day and weekly schedule to ensure that all required tasks were completed in a systemised structure.
We then mapped out a family weekly timetable and stuck it on the fridge for everyone to see.
Now … just to give you an idea of our schedule … in addition to running 3 x companies …. our family engages in many other extracurricular activities including netball, golf, football, little athletics, dancing, violin, piano …. you name it, we do it! So, we know what it is like to have a busy schedule.
Remember – If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. This is the key!
3. Many hands make light work (another favourite saying of mine)
By dividing our household chores among 5 people, it almost makes the household cleaning and maintenance effortless. We have 2-3 important tasks each and takes no longer than 30 minutes a day. For example, our 11-year-old is responsible for loading/unloading the dishwasher daily & emptying the bins.
Our 9-year-old clears the table daily and vacuums every other day. We have now introduced a small allowance, but they previously completed their chores for no pocket money. It means that we can spend our weekend with family and friends and NOT be cleaning.
Now, you are probably thinking, “The tips sound great but who has time to do this?!”. Well, the image below pretty much says it all. After all, we all want to work smarter not harder!
