Organize & Keep It Safe Through the Holidays And Into The New Year
This guest post is courtesy of Austin Momsâ„ blogÂ
Alright mamas, Christmas is around the corner and then comes 2020, in the new year brings change. Our houses are begging for de-clutter, organization and checking up to make sure all is safe for our family after all the family gatherings, decorating, shopping, and new presents in the house.
In the back of your head be thinking of ways to protect your family in the coming year and decade.
Cleaning, de-cluttering, and creating a safe haven for my family helps me to be more productive, it frees my mind to be able to do creative and effective work. Organization calms me. It centers me. It keeps me sane.
Here are some of my favorite organization tips:
1. A place for everything.
There’s no doubt this principle is essential in staying organized. Every object in your possession should have a place to be stored. After using something, try to get in the habit of returning the item as soon as you’re done using it.
Time often gets in the way of this healthy habit, so I do a quick 10-minute de-clutter at the end of the day to make sure everything is in its place.
To perform a de-clutter, set a timer for 10 minutes, scan a room in your home, and put away anything that needs to be put away. Move from room to room until the timer goes off. Repeat daily!
2. What about our cars?
How often do you pay attention to the “health” of your car? It is important to check over insurance policies that best fit the entire family. Updating them to make sure the whole family is safe from car seat and stroller replacement from any car accidents, to upgraded accident forgiveness.
Speaking of teen drivers, did you know there is an at-home mechanic app with Apparent Insurance? If you do need extensive repairs, a replacement rental can be ready in a jiff.
3. Put it on the calendar.
My calendar is my life. Seriously. I put almost everything from my main list onto my calendar, which I update once a week on Sunday evenings. I set up my calendar as far in advance as I can. I put all important events or appointments. Like what about car seat replacement… did the hustle & bustle of the holidays end with a minor accident? Did you know that guaranteed replacement is offered by Apparent Insurance to keep your and your little loves as safe as possible all year through.
4. Make a date to pay the bills.
On the last Saturday morning of the month, we have a standing date with our bills. We sit down at our computer, and manage our money. We has a chart of every bill we pay monthly. There is a column for checking a bill off when it’s paid, the name of the company, and how much we owe. We pay what needs to be paid on this date, though most of our bills are on auto pay.
In addition to our handy little electronic list, we try to find where our family can save. Did you know students get a good student discount with Apparent Insurance? Or how about a multi-car discount? Or when your student is away at college, it makes sense to have a discount when they are not with the vehicle for a length of time.
5. Know when you’re at your best, and get things done during that time.
It is important to know yourself and when your energy levels are at their highest because this is the ideal time for getting things done. I am a morning person, so I try to plan my tasks earlier in the morning. That way, I have the energy to complete them. If I wait until 3 p.m. or later…well, let’s just say…it’s probably not gonna happen!
So, there you have it–a few tricks of the trade which have allowed this Mama the appearance of being 100% organized when, really, I’m only about 50% organized and 50% hot mess.