Habits of Highly Organized Women Homemakers
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I’m organized when I want to be. Who else can relate to that statement? However, it hasn’t been until recently that I realized how much better my household functions for our family when I’m being consistently diligent about staying on top of things. Today, I’ll be sharing with you some habits of highly organized women that separate the occasionally organized to extremely organized.
I also realize that being highly organized does not come easily for some. For much of my life, I just assumed it came naturally for all people. Everyone finds their own stride. How hard can it possibly be? Well, apparently, being a highly organized person takes a lot more effort for some than others. So today, I hope if you’re a person who is in that “struggle bus” category, you will have some really solid ideas for moving forward as you learn how to develop these habits of highly organized women homemakers.
This is my list of habits of highly organized women homemakers.
Why should I even care about being organized as a homemaker? The answer to that, I’m sure, can be many different things. Being a highly organized person, in my opinion, allows you more freedom. As you develop your organizational skills as a homemaker, you begin to realize how having a well-oiled machine actually creates more time in your day for other things (more on that later).
Being better organized can also help with feelings of anxiety or overwhelm because you’re creating a schedule that allows you to clearly see what to expect. Instead of randomly doing chores without any rhyme, reason, or rhythm, approaching your day may feel daunting because there’s no clear direction for what you’re giving your time to at any point during the day.
Being intentional with your organizational skills is also putting into practice the biblical principles of a Proverbs 31 woman. God created us [women] for this very specific role. He gave us the multitasking minds and skillset for a job such as this. Whether you are single, married without kids, or a mama, taking care of a home well is an extremely important calling. And if done with the right heart posture of gratitude and not resentment, is so incredibly pleasing to the Lord. So let’s dive in…
1. A Daily Routine
One of the most fundamental first steps in becoming a highly organized woman is creating a daily routine for you, your family, and your home. Sit down and write out all of the chores and tasks that need done on a weekly basis. Sort each task into one of three categories: daily, weekly, or monthly. Then, use that list to develop a daily schedule. The main trick to staying organized is knowing what’s next and not wasting time thinking about what to do or getting distracted with something else.
2. Make the Bed Every Morning
This kind of goes along with having a daily routine. Making the bed is part of my morning routine. However, I want to suggest that you implement this as part of your morning routine as well. Making the bed in the morning sets my day in motion. It’s literally a symbolic way of “closing” the bedroom for the day. And since most people would associate the bed or bedroom with sleep, I find that it’s a really great way to get your day started off on the right foot.
In addition to setting the tone for the rest of your day, making the bed also gives you something to look forward to when you’re finally ready to hit the sack at the end of a long day. There’s nothing better than slipping into a freshly made bed. Or is that just me?
3. Have a To-Do List
Similar to having a daily routine, a to-do list is also important for staying highly organized. You may be wondering, “But isn’t a daily routine and a to-do list the same thing?” To me, no…and here’s why. A daily routine is comprised of tasks that get done on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. I can count on them every single day.
A to-do list is made of up all the other random items of business that don’t fall into a daily, weekly or monthly category. For example, medical appointments, dinners with friends, something breaks and needs repaired, mailing out birthday cards to friends and family, organizing any subscription orders you might have, etc. To put it simply, a to-do list is for the unexpected or random things that pop up.
I like to keep my to-do list separate from my daily routine list. The night before, I’ll write everything down that needs done the next day above and beyond what is already on my daily schedule. This brings us to our next tip; write everything down.
She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
proverbs 31:27 niv
4. Write Everything Down
I know, I know. We are very much in a digital era and have been for a long time, now. However, I still LOVE having hard copies of things, especially when it comes to my to-list. If creating a digital spreadsheet for your schedule and to-do’s works well for you, great! But for me, I love the satisfaction I get when I can take that pen and literally cross something off my pen-to-paper list. I’m smiling now just thinking about it. Haha!
Writing your tasks down is crucial for staying highly organized. I have a running “brain dump” list on my iPhone where I can quickly jot things down as they come to mind. Then, once I’m able, I transfer those to a hard copy to-do list. And if needed, I’ll distribute those tasks throughout the week or month depending on what my daily schedules are already looking like.
The point is, write it down. Write it down. I’ll say it again…write it down. I used to make fun of my husband for how he literally write everything single little things down in his planner. It’s no coincidence that’s why he’s also capable of taking on A LOT of tasks at the same time. He thrives on being extremely busy. How does he keep track of it all? He writes it down. He talks with a company on the phone about something, he writes down the name of the person he spoke with. He’s amazingly organized. He even puts me to shame. Haha!
5. Declutter Regularly
Moving on with habits of a highly organized woman homemaker. Let’s talk about clutter. I feel like I am the queen of decluttering. I can’t stand clutter. It has no business being a part of my home. I do not thrive around chaos and clutter. It gives me anxiety and makes me feel so boxed in. And because I spend most of my time at home working and being a homemaker, it’s imperative that our home is a space that is conducive to productivity.
I probably declutter on a weekly basis. Decluttering your home doesn’t have to be this big event. Sometimes, decluttering a space can just mean choosing one drawer in your bathroom vanity or kitchen and cleaning out items that don’t get used on a regular basis. Focusing on decluttering on a regular basis also helps with keeping your home clean. The less items you have, the easier it is to keep things clean and tidy. Dusting take just minutes because we don’t keep many items sitting out on shelves or countertops.
Decluttering your home also pairs well with my minimalistic mindset. If something isn’t being used or doesn’t bring value to your home or family, it’s time to part with it. Keep a box in your garage or somewhere out of the way that’s dedicated for donations. As you declutter, consider donating or selling it first. You’d be surprised how many things in your home could actually be a bigger blessing to someone else.
6. Focus on Important Things First
If you’re struggling to just start, focus on the important chores first. What are your non-negotiable for the day? What absolutely needs done before the day is over? Do that first. This may seem like common sense, but you’d be surprised. People like myself tend to freeze when there are too many options. And as I’ve gotten older, this struggle has only gotten worse for me. In these moments, I have to take a step back and simply ask myself, “What would I hate to still not have done by the end of the day?” That’s typically the boost I need to get myself refocused and reorganized.
7. Have a Place for Everything
Much like declutterring, creating a designated place for everything is a great way to avoid clutter in the first place. If I had to guess, I think this habit is what keeps me so highly organized. When I focus on intentional organization for items, our household runs so much more efficiently. I know exactly where something is when I need it. When my husband needs something, I’m able to give him exactly instructions on where to find it. Cooking in the kitchen is way more efficient. Cleaning is way more efficient. Even grocery day is made more efficient when each item already has a designated spot.
Speaking of groceries and being highly organized…my life was completely changed when I finally decided to invest in these grocery totes. They’re incredibly sturdy, and can hold SO much. We fill up four of them as a family of two each week. Less trips from the car to the house. No more glass bottle clanging around in the back of my car while driving. Less waste by not having to use plastic bags. It’s a win-win-win.
8. Keep Personal and Professional Lives Separate
Wow, this one was kind of unexpected. But as I was thinking about what other habits make me a highly organized homemaker, I realized this couldn’t go without saying. Because I am also a business owner, it can sometimes be difficult to stay on-task when I have to-do’s for both my personal and professional life.
The best way I’ve found to separate the two is to create actual work hours. Whether that’s a typical 9-5 or working for just four hours a day, make sure that you are actually setting aside a specific time for professional work versus your everyday personal, homemaking work.
She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes.
proverbs 31:24 niv
9. Use a Timer
This next tip is absolutely life-changing when it comes to being a highly organized woman. It’s good enough to mention twice, because I’ve talked about this before when sharing about how to stay productive when you work from home. If you find it difficult to find motivation or stay on-task, set yourself a timer for 15 minutes. Working in 15-minute increments helps to discourage distractions and getting off task. You might be surprised how quickly you’re getting through your to-do’s each day when you start setting a time limit for yourself.
It can almost become a game to see how quickly you can get something done before your timer goes off. Beat the clock! Try it. Love it. Hate it. Let me know your thoughts on it in the comments.
10. Delegate
This particular habit may work best in homes with kiddos who are old enough to help with age-appropriate chores. But even if your household isn’t filled with little feet, just being a wife can have its tough days. Ladies, you and your husband are a team. Don’t shy away from letting your husband know if you’re feeling overwhelmed, overstimulated, or tired. These feelings may have nothing to do with being a busy homemaker, but instead have everything to do with hormones and the ebbs and flows of our monthly cycles. Learn to recognize these changes and how to prevent feelings of overwhelm by delegating tasks.
11. Organize a Little Bit Every Day
Being highly organized has a lot to do with small, consistent habits. Focusing on actual organization a little bit each day is part of that. If you’re already struggling to stay organized, this may seem like a daunting task at first. However, once you implement this daily habit, keeping your home organized becomes easier and way less intimidating. The key is just starting. Just begin somewhere.
12. Don’t Put it Down, Put it Away
I personally LOVE this organizational habit. My husband may get irritated with this particular one. But I kid you not, getting in the habit of putting things away instead of just setting them down will take the organization of your home to a whole other level.
Think about it. How does a house become cluttered in the first place? I would bet that most of the issue stems from not putting things away as soon as you’re done using them. That’s why it’s so important to make sure everything has a place like we discussed in #7. Learn this vital habit of highly organized women homemakers and lovingly teach the other members of your household to do the same.
13. Thaw Your Meat the Night Before
As homemakers, I’m willing to bet you also highly value making home-cooked meals for you and your family. Even in a two-person family like our household, we tend to stock up on meat. Most of which stays frozen until we need it. If you want to make sure you’re always a step ahead and staying organized, consider making it a habit of thawing your meat for the next day’s meal(s) the night before. It’s a simple yet highly effective change that will leave you feeling that much more prepared for the day.
14. Get Enough Sleep
Depending on your season of life, this is going to look differently from person to person. “Getting enough sleep” as a postpartum mother will look different from a mom to teenagers. But regardless of what season of life you are in, determine what you need for sleep and then organize your day accordingly.
Sleep is vital for not just your energy levels, but it can also interfere with hormones and cortisol (stress hormone) levels. Chronic elevated cortisol levels can wreak havoc on your body; causing depression, mood swings, and low energy levels to name a few.
15. Simplify Your Decor
Bringing back the idea of minimalism, simplifying your decor will help keep you highly organized. I know too many people who have boxes and boxes of decor stored away in a basement, garage, or storage unit somewhere. Consumerism and materialism have taken over too many households. As Christian women, wives, and mothers, we need to make sure that we are protecting our hearts and minds from the worldly ideals of today’s modern day households.
Perhaps it’s time to evaluate your decor collection. Have an honest conversation with yourself and the Lord. Search your heart and understand what your motives are for having an overabundance of materialistic things. I say this over and over again on this blog. It all starts with the heart. Our heart posture reveals where our priorities lie. When people look at your life or walk into your home, what message is it saying? Is it saying that your focus is on the things of this world? Or is your home and life saying that your focus is on the Kingdom?
19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
matthew 6:19-21 niv
16. Do a Load of Laundry Every Day
This particular habit may depend on the size of your household. However, there are actually stretches of time as a family of two that I can very easily manage to do a load of laundry a day. If you find yourself drowning in piles of clothes, towels, and bedding, this strategy will be life-changing when it comes to developing your skills as an organized homemaker.
Doing a load of laundry a day means smaller loads, quicker wash cycles, and less time spent folding and putting items away. It won’t feel like a daunting task because you’ll be avoiding the long time spend folding and organizing clean clothes afterward. Become highly organized, avoid the overwhelm, and don’t allow your laundry pile to grow to an overwhelming task in the first place.
17. Keep an Organized Refrigerator
I used to be ridiculously guilty of an unorganized refrigerator for such a long time. Because we’re just a family of two, making leftovers can be risky. My husband is the kind of person who absolutely refuses to eat leftovers once they’re older than just a couple days. I’ve become quite the leftover eater. However, sometimes I just can’t keep up on them myself once Jon stops eating them. So, what happens? Food gets pushed to the back of the fridge and forgotten about. Until now…
Now, I make a point to evaluate the food in our refrigerator on a weekly basis. As I create our grocery list for the week, I utilize that time to also clear out any leftovers that are just getting too old or that I know neither of us will touch again. However, in an effort to not waste food, I’ve also become way more efficient in my skills of cooking for two. Over the years, I’ve learned how to better portion our meals in order to avoid throwing away unused food in the first place.
Learning to portion the meals you cook in the first place is step one in guaranteeing that your fridge doesn’t become overloaded in the first place. Step two is only buying food that you know you’ll use in between grocery runs. This is definitely a skill that is learned from trial and error. But by not overbuying food, your refrigerator can remain better organized. I like to say, “If I can’t see everything in my refrigerator without moving things around, then I probably have too much to begin with.
18. Clean As You Cook
This skill isn’t one that I actually recognized as a skill until someone else pointed it out to me. Growing up, my mom was very intentional about keeping a clean kitchen. I watched as she cleaned up her messes and cookware while she was still cooking. It just seemed normal to me. Likewise, I retained that habit as an adult, and I never really thought much of it. Until one day, I was cooking a meal for my husband’s family in my mother-in-law’s kitchen. By the time the meal was made and ready to serve, there was zero cleanup that needed to be done besides the dishes we ate the meal off of. My MIL made a remark that went something like, “Chels, you’re amazing! You’re so clean when you cook!”
I don’t know about you, but cleaning up an entire kitchen when you have a belly full of food and your energy is almost zero is not my idea of a relaxing way to end the day. I almost begin to resent my messy kitchen. By cleaning as I cook, it removes that post-meal feeling of obligation to clean up a huge mess.
Now, if I could just teach my husband how to do this, we would be golden! Haha!
There you have it, friends. 18 habits of highly organized women homemakers, wives, mothers…whatever season you might find yourself in. Ladies, we have the privilege of taking care of our home for our families. When we begin to change our heart posture, it changes everything. Instead of saying, “I have to,” let’s begin saying, “I get to.”
