How To Organize and Keep Your Home Neat as a Mom 

Methods to keep your home neat and organized when you have small kids

As a busy mom, I know how challenging it can be to organize and keep a home neat.  Before having kids, I was a clean freak. 

I couldn’t stand messiness, and everything had to be in its rightful place in my home. 

That all changed after I became a mom. With a four-year-old and six-month-old, it just wasn’t possible to have a mess-free home. I learned that messiness was a part of mom life but that didn’t mean I couldn’t take small steps toward controlling all the areas of my home.  

Amongst the chaos of juggling diaper changes, meal prep, and endless piles of laundry, I figured I needed to do something to keep things a bit organized. Here are some things I started to do:

Decluttering – Establish a Solid Foundation

I started my journey to an organized home with the first crucial step: decluttering. What exactly is decluttering? Decluttering is like magic – it creates space, clears your mind, and sets the stage for a more organized and efficient living environment. Plus, it’s a fantastic opportunity to involve your children and teach them valuable life skills. 

To learn more about how decluttering can reduce mental stress, read this article on the mental health benefits of getting rid of excess things.

I start by focusing on one area of my home at a time. I take it step by step, whether it’s the kitchen, living room, or the bedroom. I begin by sorting through items and making three piles: keep, donate/sell, and trash. As I go through each item, I ask myself, “Do I really need this? Does it add something to the whole home environment?” If the answer is no, it’s time to say goodbye to that visual clutter.

After decluttering, the next step is organizing items in all of the areas of your home. To make this organizing project as straightforward as possible, create designated zones for different activities and belongings. Imagine having a specific spot for toys, a neat area for shoes and coats, and a designated space for paperwork. 

Use colorful bins, baskets, or shelves to create these zones. Wire baskets are handy for sorting kids’ items, like toys and board games.

I am not going to lie. Even though we have boxes or bins for toys and kids’ stuff, keeping the items in these containers on an everyday basis is challenging. I am still working on teaching my four-year-old son to organize his toys and put them in the designated boxes every night. But at least containing these items in one specific area of the home (i.e., the family/living room) saves me time searching for misplaced items.

Creating Functional Home Offices & Workspaces

As a working mom, I had to have a home office or a dedicated workspace.  This would be the space where I could work without interruptions and feel productive.  Having a separate area was extremely important because I worked remotely a couple of days a week.  A well-designed and organized home office or workspace would help me maintain productivity and balance in my professional and family life.

To create a productive home and work environment, I looked for a quiet corner or room. I considered factors like natural lighting, privacy, and comfort when choosing the location. I found that my bedroom was the best place for my home office. Even if space is limited, you can create a small but efficient workstation by utilizing a corner of a room or repurposing existing furniture. Make sure to measure the area you want to utilize before buying a desk or other furniture for your workspace.  I find drawer organizers particularly useful in maintaining a clutter-free home office. 

Don’t feel that you need to be a professional home organizer. The design of your workstation will depend on the space you have available and the resources you have on hand.  Don’t be afraid to find a personalized solution tailored to your specific needs.

Maximizing Small Spaces

Living in a small apartment or having limited room space doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice organization and functionality. As someone living in an apartment in a crowded city, I’ve learned to use space efficiently.

Creativity and intelligent choices can transform even the tiniest of small spaces into a well-organized and efficient home. Here are some tips to maximize a small space:

Utilize Vertical Storage Solutions

When floor space is scarce, look up! Use vertical space by installing wall shelves or hanging organizers. They’re perfect for storing books, displaying decor, or keeping kitchen supplies within easy reach. You can even use over-the-door organizers for shoes or accessories.

Clever Furniture Choices

Opt for furniture that serves multiple purposes. Choose an ottoman or a coffee table with hidden compartments to keep things tidy. Bedding furniture with drawers or under-bed storage containers is excellent for maximizing bedroom space. Foldable furniture can also be a space-saving solution.

Multipurpose Pieces

Embrace furniture and decor items that offer versatility. Look for a sofa bed that can double as a guest bed or a desk with built-in shelves for storage. These multi-functional pieces save space and serve different needs.

Think Vertical with Storage

Use tall cabinets or bookcases for storage. Keep regularly used objects nearby and accessible, and use higher shelves for lesser-used items. Magnetic strips on cabinet doors can hold metal items like knives or spice jars. Adding more shelves in your kitchen can also help store items like plastic wrap, holiday decor, and other rarely used items.

Meal Planning and Prep

I start by creating a weekly meal plan. I sit down with my morning cup of coffee and take a few moments to brainstorm meal ideas for the upcoming week. I consider my family’s preferences, dietary restrictions, and the ingredients I already have in the pantry and fridge. 

If you are South Asian, you might have curries daily. And you and I know that cooking a curry (fish/chicken/beef) requires many ingredients and is time-consuming.  To save time, I do the following:

• Blend ginger/garlic paste for a month (this lasts in the fridge for a month). This is a common ingredient needed when making curries.
  
• Chop onions and other veggies a day or two before you plan to cook. If you have the veggies ready, you can quickly whip up a meal.
  
• Slice and freeze veggies like okra, bitter gourd, bell peppers, cauliflower, broccoli, or tomatoes. Just be sure to blanch the cauliflower and broccoli before freezing to maintain texture. When it comes time to cook, take the sliced vegetables straight out of the freezer and add them to the pan.

• Chop and freeze cilantro. Cilantro adds a beautiful touch to finished curries.

If you want to make pulao with chicken or beef, cook the meat earlier in the week and keep it in the fridge. Then, on the day, add rice and water (with some whole spices) and set it to cook. I use my multicooker for this, but you could easily use your rice cooker).

Some people batch-cook onion-tomato masala and 3-4 curries at one time to portion them out to freeze. I do this sometimes, but most of the time, I do not have the freezer space for this.

Laundry Routine

As a busy mom, I often feel like the laundry pile is never-ending. With a few simple strategies and an efficient routine, I can keep it from getting out of control. Some tips I use to manage the laundry chaos are:

• Keep supplies in stock: When you have a load of laundry to wash on top of a fussy baby and a toddler, the last thing you want to worry about is running out of detergent or stain removers. Be sure to check every few weeks if you need to replenish your supplies. Designate a shelf or part of a rack for laundry supplies—preferably somewhere you can quickly see if something is running out.
  
• Schedule Regular Laundry Days: Establish set laundry days based on your family’s needs and schedule. If needed, do laundry twice weekly or allocate specific days for different family members’ clothes. Creating a routine will allow you to manage the laundry pile and prevent it from overwhelming you.
  
• Sort and Pre-treat: Make sorting a habit before starting a load. Separate clothes by wash setting.  For example, if you have delicate clothing or clothes that bleed, separate the clothes that must be washed separately. This will prevent color bleeding and ensure proper care for delicate items. Also, pre-treat stains as soon as possible using an effective stain remover. This helps the stain come out successfully.
  
• Streamline Folding and Storing: As moms, we all have the problem of having washed laundry clothes sit for days due to the time it takes to fold and put away.  Allocate a day or time every week to fold and put away clothes.  If you have the space for a designated laundry area in your apartment or house, invest in storage solutions like bins or shelves to keep folded clothes organized by the family member or type of clothing.
  
• Involve the Family: Encourage family members, including children, to participate in the laundry routine. Assign age-appropriate tasks like sorting socks, folding towels, or putting away their clothes. Give each family member a basket/bin of their washed clothes to put away. By sharing the responsibility, you’ll teach valuable life skills and lighten your load.

Final thoughts

Let’s face it. If you’re a mom with small kids, it may seem impossible to keep your home neat and clean on an everyday basis. There’s always a mess to clean up and so much stuff that seems necessary to keep at home for the kids. 

Using the above strategies, you can conquer the challenges of keeping your home neat and organized as a busy mom. By decluttering, establishing routines, utilizing clever storage solutions, and meal prepping, it’s possible to have a calm and efficient living space. Embrace the journey, make small changes, and enjoy the benefits of a well-organized home that makes you feel less mentally stressed and gives you more free time to enjoy with your family.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on your small, everyday habits or any simple system you have for keeping your home organized. Please comment below.

Conquer the Challenges of Keeping Your Home Neat and Organized.