Organization

I've been on an organization kick as of late. I absolutely have to if I want my house to stay looking like this

and not turn into something more like this

The kids have always been good about picking up toys and such. The only random little toy I find once in a while is a Lego. Well, that and our furry child's toys. He still hasn't gotten the hang of picking up after himself.
So, with the help of Pinterest, of course, I found myself lots of cleaning and organization tips and made myself a home organization binder. Although I've had various apps and reminders on my hand extension (iPhone), I feel like having this larger visual to be able to mark off items and for the whole family to be able to see has helped. On there, I keep daily cleaning schedules, chore charts, weekly menus, project planners, etc. Write everything down, why not? Most of us have enough things on our mind to still have to remember these tedious cleaning and cooking and to-do mental notes. Seriously, if you don't have something like this, virtual or otherwise, make one. It'll free up sooooo much of your time!
Here are some of the links to places where I got the templates from . .

- Daily Checklist
- Cleaning Calendar
- Menu Planner
- Master To-Do list I use this for bigger projects I currently have planned like redoing my daughter's room and our downstairs bathroom.
- Shopping List I'm using this to jot down non-grocery items I don't want to forget.

Those are just a few of the pages I used. Some of those, like the cleaning calendar, I used as a sort of base and customized it to fit our own family routine. To find more, you can look on my Pinterest Organization and Pretty Printables boards. The best tip I can share is a super easy one but that really makes a difference: never leave a room empty handed. There's always a piece of mail, a cup, a toy, a shoe, something that needs to be put away, washed or thrown away. For me I've found I'm worst with jewelry. I leave earrings on an end table, bracelets on the kitchen island, you get the picture. There's ALWAYS something that could be put away. If you have a tip that works for you, please share.