How to organise everything in my life OS?

Lovinglife

Thanks for all your advice I will read the Flylady it sounds interesting, my children are 20 months, 8, 12 & 15 years. I have 2 accounts so that is a good idea that I could organise my money better and I have an Iphone. I have just ordered a Dodo Household Stuff Book to see if that may be of use to me and an organised mum pocket diary which sounds good.

I will do that with the washing too as I keep ignoring it as there is that much but its not going to get done by the fairy so 2 loads a day it is!

Thanks for sharing your advice as it helps to get me motivated and focus rather than letting a million things run around my mind and getting overwhelmed.

beemuzed

I vaguely follow the Flylady website too - and really find using a timer for 15 minutes works wonders for me. I also make sure I have every bill payment date written on the calendar. Most I pay online, but still try to ensure I leave a couple of days margin to ensure they're paid in good time. A basic four week menu plan and a master shopping list helps too. Several years ago I wrote down almost evrything I'm likely to buy at the supermarket ( written in order items appear round the store). I keep this on the computer and just run off a copy and highlight anything I actually need to buy. This is probably my only really organised habit - and it really keeps me focused at the shops!
I've kept household notebooks for all my married life (41+years now) and at some point I always note down that I'm really going to try to become more organised in the future....!!
Maybe I could pick up a few more organising tips on this thread!

tessasmum

My best improvement this year has been to use a diary. I write all appointments straight into it, and when the bills come in, I write them in twice - once on the day they are due and once for the day I plan to pay them on my online banking. Then I don't miss them - works for me. Good luck!

skintchick

Flylady scares the hell out of me! ITs too much, there's too much reading to do on the website, I can;t mentally find a way into it so here's what I do:

Have a routine of chores, a couple each day, that keeps the house basically clean. I have a four-week one that encompasses monthly jobs like cleaning the fridge. I have written it around the things I do with DD so I do less on busy days and more on quiet ones so I don;t feel too overwhelmed.

Tidy up every night, put dishwasher on to be emptied in morning.

Do at least one load of washing a day, I tend to do one of clothes that goes on the airer, and one of towels/bedlinen that can be tumble dried. In summer I can get up to four loads a day done on the line which is heaven!

I do not iron. If we need something ironed it is done on an ad hoc basis but generally nothing is ironed and is just hung to dry and it is fine, even OH's shirts.

I try and hoover at least every two days.

Also, relax a bit! I decided that some things like cleaning mirrors and windows are OK to be done monthly rather than weekly, and dusting is fortnightly. Be realistic about what YOU personally can achieve. Some people are better at cleaning than others and I am definitely a bit worse! Allowing for that makes me feel better.

As for other stuff, meal planning is essential, as is shopping online, it takes an hour to do but cna be done any time, and some sites let you keep going back to add stuff (waitrose needs at least 50 quid of stuff in the basket before you can book a slot so it's not so convenient for doing it over a day or so when you have time).

HTH a bit.

LMCD

I made up a spreadsheet for bills.

thats the only organisation I have lol!!!

well i do write lists for things I need to do. the rest of me is good intentions gone to pot - I do have three kids though - thats my excuse and am sticking to it! haha

optimistic

I have recently started using the calender on outlook - I like the fact it pings up each day of what is happening/needs to happen. I've been updating it a month at a time of what I know and then just fill in the gaps when new things crop up. hth;)

tigerfeet2006

Lovinglife wrote: »

Thanks for all your advice I will read the Flylady it sounds interesting, my children are 20 months, 8, 12 & 15 years. The 8,12 and 15 year olds are old enough to have their own little jobs they have to do. Put their folded clothes on their beds and they have to put it away. They can help with the dishwasher/washing up, putting a wash on, setting the table, getting the breakfast stuff out etc.

I have 2 accounts so that is a good idea that I could organise my money better. It definatly has helped me become more organised.

and I have an Iphone Get yourself Google Calender for yours and OH's phone if he has one, it can be linked together and anything my DH puts on appears on my calender and vis a versa. As soon as I get letters from school the details go in, same with Dr's appointments etc. We both know exactly what the other is doing and where the kids are meant to be. You can also access it online.

.I have just ordered a Dodo Household Stuff Book to see if that may be of use to me and an organised mum pocket diary which sounds good.

I will do that with the washing too as I keep ignoring it as there is that much but its not going to get done by the fairy so 2 loads a day it is!

Thanks for sharing your advice as it helps to get me motivated and focus rather than letting a million things run around my mind and getting overwhelmed.

I also have a notebook where I scribble things down that I need to do etc. Things get crossed off as I do them. When I get to the bottom of the page then I write the things that I haven't done on the next page and tear out the full page. As I don't want to keep writing the same things down again and again it motivates me to do them.

I also keep a piece of paper taped to the inside of my food cupboard and as I am running low on things I scribble them down on there, my DH is almost trained to do it and my 8 year old does it. Helps make shopping easier.

I also do the 15 minutes Flylady thing. Works a treat.

This is the Old Style Flylady thread https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3681395

Messies thread https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3164594

keelyjrs

The way I have transformed into a semi organised person is by typing up a morning schedule and an evening schedule which I laminated and stuck up in the kitchen.

Silly things like while I wait for my little boys milk to warm in the morning I unload the dishwasher, that way throughout the day any empties can be shoved in ready for putting on overnight.

Everything goes up on the calendar, even when I buy gas and electric so I can keep an eye on when it might need topping up and don't run out.

My filing cabinet has been a life saver, financial stuff in the top drawer sectioned out into bills, money coming in, receipts and guarantees etc Then health and household stuff at the bottom, Medical stuff, my care plan and medical info (I'm disabled), my son's educational bits n bobs etc

For my little boys room I bought a load of those clear ziplock bags and now all his toys are kept in these, in his toy box. It has put an end to missing jigsaw pieces and when he pulls everything out the toybox it is all bagged up and easy to throw back in
Hope some of this helps x

Just to add, I also have a notebook which goes everywhere with me. in it goes my shopping lists, to do lists, even my little list of things that are annoying me lol. I also use it as a way of asking my angels for help. I'd be lost without my little book!

savingforoz

I also second using Outlook's calendar and task facilities. Don't think it can link to an iPhone, but there must be something similar that can. Everything I have to do is in there, synced with my phone. I also use electronic Post - It notes on my computer desktop to plan what I need to get done each day.

I also second carrying a notebook everywhere.

If you prefer a paper system, a decent diary or calendar would do just as well as others have said.

I've found menu planning incredibly helpful.

Once you start, it feels so good to be getting things done that it gets addictive!

seabright

Start with something small-ish, that you can win! This is how I dealt with washing:
Monday: multi-coloured
Tuesday: towels
Wednesday: whites
Thursday: bedding
Friday: multi-coloured

Couple of weeks, if you keep it up, you'll be on top of it. Don't do more than one load per day, it's just too overwhelming.