5 Easy Parenting Hacks for an Organised Home

By Otford's Sarah Deitz, founder of Reclaim Your Space

Maintaining an organised home is the key to reducing stress and creating a harmonious environment for your family. As a parent and a professional organiser, I’m here to share parenting hacks that will transform your home into a well-organised haven. Say goodbye to stress and hello to a home you’ll LOVE spending time in.

Establish routines

By creating consistent routines, you can minimise decision fatigue and reduce stress. Leverage technology like ‘Hey Google’ to set timers and reminders for essential tasks such as brushing teeth, showering and tidying up.

You can even set-up multi-step routines in your Google calendar and let Google guide your family with audio reminders.

Having a night-time routine that includes a 10-15-minute tidy up and getting things ready for the next day is crucial for your mornings to run smoothly. Get the whole family involved, set a timer, put some music on and have some fun!

Break house tasks into manageable blocks

Attempting to tackle an entire day of housework can be overwhelming and lead to procrastination. Instead, divide tasks into manageable 10- or 15-minute blocks.

Vacuum one area at a time, tackle a small pile of dishes or dedicate a short burst of time to laundry.

Encourage family members to join in, and you'll be amazed at how much can be accomplished in a short period. Remember, progress, no matter how small, is still progress.

Embrace regular decluttering

Decluttering is not something you do once and it’s done, especially when kids are involved, as they grow out of things quickly and their interests change frequently.

Make decluttering a family affair. Declutter WITH your kids to teach them this valuable life skill from an early age.

Start small – purge the fridge, clear out a pantry shelf or bid farewell to holey socks.

Consistency is key, so aim for short but regular decluttering sessions. By also being mindful of what enters your home, you can break the cycle of clutter.

Conquer dinner time chaos with meal planning

“What’s for dinner?” can be stressful for any parent. Meal planning is a powerful tool that helps you prepare healthier meals, reduce food and packaging waste and save you time and money.

I love to organise my weekly meals in Kmart containers that fit 4 meals perfectly in my fridge.

Not only does it make it easier to grab everything you need but stops others from eating the ingredients you got specifically for the recipe!

Pro tips:

* Use masking tape to label them, you can even add the day of the week.

* Include pantry items like tinned tomatoes so everything is together.

* Always measure the space before buying containers.

* Adjust your fridge shelves to optimise the space.

Get everyone involved

I'm an advocate of getting everyone in the family helping out around the house. Not only will it lighten the load, but it will also teach everyone responsibility and independence.

Embrace imperfection and give your kids the chance to shine. They might not do things as quickly or efficiently, but the long-term benefits are priceless.

Have a family discussion to figure out what’s working and what needs improvement. Determine who’s responsible for what, understanding that changes won’t happen overnight. I promise, over time, you’ll see a positive shift in the family culture.

Organising your home doesn’t have to be a daunting task. Start by implementing one of these hacks and give it a month to become a habit. Soon enough you’ll have a home where you can relax and have fun. Treasure your time together as a family and create a space you adore.