Why I don’t recommend organizing your home right now

This may be surprising advice coming from a minimalism and organization coach, however, as a (reluctant) homeschooling mom, I feed the need to say something.

I keep seeing information everywhere about taking this extra time at home to finally get organized.  I understand the logic behind it.  We’re at home, so we might as well finally tackle those organizing projects.

It just makes me laugh.

If your home is anything like mine right now, it is a circus.

I’m trying to find a quiet space to accomplish something that passes for legitimate work.  My kids are running amuck and I’m not really positive that they’ve showered recently.  I am using massive amounts of energy trying to wrangle them into doing their homeschooling.  I’m cooking and cleaning and then cooking and cleaning.  I’m putting out fires.  Literally.  My oldest has chosen this moment in time to become a pyromanic.  I’m hoping it’s a phase.  And, if there is any energy left, I use it to discipline them for beating each other up.  No joke, my youngest just came to me with a bleeding foot because he stepped on his brother’s braces that are IN HIS BROTHER’S MOUTH!  How does that even happen?!?

I don’t think you should be putting unnecessary pressure on yourself to organize your home right now.

A successful organizing project requires:  an uninterrupted block of time, focus, and a desire to learn a new skill.  None of which we have right now.

It’s like we’ve traded one type of pressure to achieve outside the home for another type of pressure to achieve inside the home.  So American of us.

So, if you are like me and have kids at home right now who are getting dumber by the day, give yourself a break.

Use your short bursts of free time to be free.  Or sit in your pajamas and eat ice cream.  Or cry softly into a pillow.  Whatever makes you feel better right now.

There is one caveat.  If organizing is something that truly brings you joy and a sense of calm, go for it!  However, if you are feeling like it’s something you should be doing and not something you want to be doing, let yourself off the hook.

There will be plenty of time to organize your home when those kids go back to school.  I promise.

This is the secret to a stress-free morning with kids

The way you start your morning sets the tone for the entire day.

When kids are involved, mornings can quickly go sideways.

Lost homework.  Spilled drinks.  Fighting.  Eating.  More Fighting.

If I had a superpower, it would be to become invisible between the hours of 6 am – 8 am.

But, I don’t.  So, I had to figure out a human solution to the chaos.

What is the secret to a stress-free morning?

The night before.

Morning is rush hour.  There is X amount to do in X amount of time.  As I watched my own personal circus, it occurred to me that not all of these things are time-sensitive.  Meaning, they didn’t have to be done in the morning!

In fact, most of what was happening, didn’t need to be happening:  packing lunches, feeding the rabbit, signing binders and permission slips, creating a Tik ToK video.

There are very few things that actually need to be done in the morning.  The rest can be done the night before.

This was a game changer!

So, I created a checklist with all of the tasks that weren’t time-sensitive to avoid the morning chaos.

The change was amazing!  I’m not saying we now have time to braid each other’s hair and share our feelings, but mornings are calmer, easier, and, dare I say, peaceful.

Click the button below to get the free checklist to start the day out right.