Neat!

This week I thought I would keep up with the theme of keeping things simple so let’s talk about organization.

Does everything in your home have a place? And is everything in its place? Probably not, but that is ok. However, if the lack of any order is stressing you out, perhaps you want to take some steps to simplify things. For example, do you have one place for your keys? Are you able to eat at your dining room table or is it filled with clutter – all of which is going somewhere (eventually)? No, I am not spying on you. I have the same problems with maintaining, especially now that I am working from home.

So, let’s get organized! I think one of the biggest time-savers for me was getting my finances in order. I felt anxiety throughout the month wondering if I forgot to pay a bill, or find a receipt. Once I set up all my payments on auto-pay it got so much easier to track my expenses for both my home and business. It also freed up time that was better spent on making more strategic financial decisions and planning for the future.

Another thing that helps with organization is to stop trying to do everything yourself. Ask for help – and you shall receive. My husband and I have a system around dinner preparation. I make dinner, he does the clean-up. If he cooks (rare), roles are reversed. It works well because he likes my cooking, I like to cook and – well, no body really likes to clean, but it must be done. I am sure you have things like this in place, too. If not, divide and conquer today.

Then there is the “one in- one out” rule. Meaning, if you buy new clothes or shoes, you need to get rid of something in its place. Because space is finite. And that’s how clutter comes back, with a vengeance. This applies to children’s toys, books, etc.

Another one of my personal time savers, organizing tips is to put the clean fitted sheet, flat sheet and one of the pillowcases all in a pillow case, straight from the dryer. So simple, everything is together and I didn’t waste a bunch of time folding.

Another cool way to stay organized is to have a family schedule where everyone can see it. It could be a dry-erase board, or chalkboard, designated as the IRL week @ a glance. It’s all about planning to avoid confusion and miscommunication in your well-run household.

And last, but not least, the best organizational hack is to meal prep. This is the day where you batch cook and prep your meals for several days, saving not only time, but also money. It can also help you manage your weight or even lose a few pounds. By prepping your meals in advance, you know what you are going to eat, and when, making you less likely to binge on snacks while figuring out what to make.

Meals made ahead of time can last in the fridge from 2-5 days and frozen meals should be eaten within 3-4 months. Either way this is going to save you time, money, and your waistline.

Don’t know how to meal prep. Don’t worry – there are apps for that. Try Anylist, Yummly or Mealime, which are all free and available on iOS and Android. These will organize your recipes and shopping lists.

Keep it simple and just prep a few days at first. Batch prep on Sunday or Wednesday, these days seem to work well for most people. Some of the best foods to use for meal prepping are frozen vegetables, grains, pulses, lean protein (anything from canned tuna to tofu, and lean cuts of meat), hardy greens such as romaine or green leaf lettuce, and whole fruit, including apples, bananas, oranges and peaches.

If you need some ideas for meals, I can send you a meal plan which includes the recipe, shopping list and how to batch prep for the week. Just email me at michelle@teeminghealth.com with your diet preference – Paleo, Whole30, Keto, Vegetarian, Vegan, Mediterranean, or any restrictions – and the number of servings. I will customize it and send it to you digitally, for you to try.

I hope this helps and you give one of these hacks a try. I would love to hear about your tips to stay organized too. And if you like this post, please share it on with your friends.