1. Unlimited car washes: When we bought a minivan, the first thing I did was purchase an unlimited car wash package. I know myself; clutter drives me crazy. Minivans invite mess. So now the car stays clean and we have a fun after school activity!
2. Snapware: We avoid all containers kids can’t open themselves.
3. Yumboxes: Bentobox style lunch box that reminds me how to pack a well-rounded meal by labeling the six compartments (e.g., fruit, veggies, grains, etc.). On mornings when I’m really tired, I so appreciate being reminded which category of food I still need to pack!
4. Labeled bins for school clothes, shoes, and coats/swimsuits (depending on the season). Our bins are downstairs to limit the running up and down 80 times a day. I truly believe this system creates a lot of independence for our kids.
5. Mabel’s Labels. Speaking of labels…These are amazing and don’t come off in the dishwasher or washing machine (Photo below after a year of washing). I used to use a Sharpie, but even that became illegible. The boys’ teachers love the labels and now the boys have started labeling their own things! Also Cash’s things are blue and Quinn’s are green which saves me more time and sanity than I expected!
6. Bags within bags. I hate digging through a purse or a pool bag for something constantly. So we use bags within bags to keep things easy to find. A wet/dry bag with sunscreen, a bag of pens, a bag of cords for electronics, a bag of snacks. It’s amazing how much simpler it is to find things and feel organized! I also keep bags of extra clothes in the trunk organizer.
7. One small bag with one small computer. I opted for a 12″ macbook when it was time for a new laptop this time. And a purse in which it could fit. My purse became my work bag and now I never forget my second work bag because I don’t use one.
8. Buy extra. Paper towels, sunscreen, swimsuits, cleaning supplies, soap, laundry detergent…All the important things!
9. Buy ahead. To prepare for summer, I start collecting supplies in February or March. Pool shoes, sun hats, sunscreen, swimsuits. It’s so expensive to buy everything we need all at one time. It’s way better to spread it out! Same for back to school or birthdays!
10. Routines. We don’t do monotony much. But creating automatic systems works great so that we can spend our energy being spontaneous elsewhere. We order family dinners on Friday for pick up on Monday. We have laundry service during months that are busier. We have the house cleaned every other Monday (maybe every Monday once we have three!).
11. Planning Fridays. This deserves an entire post in and of itself! But planning on Friday rather than Sunday is life changing.
Joyful Striving 