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Organisation Tips - Kids

Having children can test the skills of even the most organised of us. It's not necessary to be house bound but don't be too hard on yourself and lower your expectations in terms of what you can accomplish. Babies especially change their routines almost as often as you change their nappies but if you try to get things done whilst they are sleeping (if you aren't catching up on sleep too), keep the nappy bag stocked and packed at all times and keep track of their feeds and plan around this, it will make life a lot easier. 
 
Shopping for a new baby
I'm all for buying as much as you can before the baby is born as you really will be amazed at how little time you have with a newborn. Suggested list of things to buy:

  • Sleeping – bassinet or snuggle bed if you want to have your baby in the room with you (they grow out of these in about 3 months), cot with 3 sets of sheets (or just bottom sheets if you are going to use a sleeping bag), sleeping bag/s, blankets & wraps (the larger the better), N.B. Babies don’t need pillows & avoid leaving any toys or loose items in the cot when your baby is sleeping
  • Nappy changing – change table with nappies, wipes, nappy bags & nappy cream. Ikea have some great solutions, including a set of shelves with a change table that can be removed once you no longer need it.  
  • Feeding – bibs (recommend getting at least 10 as a baby that vomits a lot can use this number in one day & the ones that velcro round the side are nice and easy to get on and off and don’t scratch baby’s neck), cloth nappies (great for feeding/burping cloths), breast pads, breast soothers (hot or cold therapy for sore or engorged breasts), bottles (recommend Pur self sterilizing that just go in the microwave so you don’t need a sterilizer) & a bottle brush/cleaner, a glider if you have the space and budget (like a rocking chair with a footrest - great for feeding and rocking bub to sleep), pillow/s to support your back and rest baby on
  • Bathing – baths built in to change tables that slide out are handy and save space but you do have to carry the water to them in buckets and they don't take long to grow out of them, a clean laundry tub works just as well, or a bath support to stick on the bottom of a normal bath, plus an all in one baby shampoo/soap, towels, face washers, cotton wool balls & baby cotton buds (Johnson & Johnson) 
  • Pram – if you are planning on having more children close together it’s worth investing in a double/tandem pram or one that can be fitted with a toddler seat to save you having to buy another one later, 3 wheelers tend to be easier to steer and better or rough services but tend to be wider & heavier & take up more room when folded up than a 4 wheeler, look for one with good storage, easy to fold up and not too heavy and get a rain cover if your pram doesn’t come with it
  • Clothes – lots of all in one bodysuits, singlets & socks
  • Chest of drawers
  • Hair brush/comb, toothbrush (for babies), nail clippers, thermometer
  • Sunshades for car if you don’t have dark window tinting
  • Portacot if you plan on traveling whilst they are young (also great for when people with babies/toddlers come to visit) – look for one that’s light and easy to assemble
  • Take n toss bowls, cutlery & cups (available in packs from places like Target & Big W) – great for when baby first starts on solids right through to toddlers for packing lunches and snacks
  • Nappy bag – try to buy one that has lots of compartments including one big enough for things like your purse, keys, etc. so you don’t have to carry a separate handbag (for a while at least). Keep in it a change of clothes, nappies, nappy wipes, disposable nappy bags, nappy cream, sunscreen, hat, tissues, hand/face wipes, breast pads and/or bottle & formula (in portion storage container), bibs, feeding cloth, snacks & hand sanitizer (the kind you don’t need water with) – and remember to replenish the bag every time you get home.

Day to day tasks

  • Showering - if you are a stay at home mum or work from home, have a shower before your partner leaves for work. You will get 5 minutes of peace, be refreshed and ready to face the day and have one thing you don’t have to worry about trying to do later.
  • Breastfeeding - keep a small basket or table beside the chair when you feed to keep things like bibs, feeding cloths, breast pads, water bottle, TV remote, your phone and a book. One of the good things about breastfeeding is that you have one hand free so you can do things like make those phone calls you’ve been putting off, catch up on your reading material or of course simply watch some TV, read or book or sit quietly and enjoy the moment.
  • Plan your day - depending on the ages of your children, break your day up into what you can do whilst they are awake (e.g. washing if your toddler can come out and play while you hang it out, checking email whilst you are feeding) and what you need to do whilst they are asleep. Once your kids get older and go to say the one afternoon sleep, take them out in the morning to play or do whatever errands you need to do then do the things you have to do at home in the afternoon whilst they are sleeping.
  • Working from home - if you need to keep your little one amused whilst you answer emails, etc. and you have a second computer and they can click keys then try them on www.fisher-price.com/au/playtime which has online games from early ages where all they need to do is click any key to make music play, characters pop out, etc. Alternatively, set them up with some paper and pens or stamps. They will love imitating you working!
  • Toilet training - to protect things like children’s fold out couches, chairs and soft furnishings from accidents whilst toilet training, put mattress protector covers over them temporarily.
  • Safety - don't wait until your baby is crawling or walking before you start moving things to a higher level, installing power point safety plugs and stair gates. Buy these items when they are a few months old and even move things before the baby is born as it's just one less thing you have to worry about and won't be racing to do it all of a sudden when they are on the move.
Bedrooms/Storage 
There are so many toy storage options in the shops these days it really is easy to get your kids’ rooms organised, it’s just a matter or matching the storage products up with the size of the toys and the space you have:
  • My favourite storage option for kids are the cubed bookcases as they can store books, DVDS and tubs of toys. Sort the tubs for specific types of toys and label them with pictures of what goes in there to make it easy for kids to find things and encourage them to put them away (we can dream!). 
  • Cupboards - use hanging shelves in kids' cupboards to give you more shelf space as their hanging clothes are short and minimal so waste a lot of space in cupboards.
  • Small rooms - use tall storage units (fixed to the wall for safety) like the narrower cube ones with less columns are a great space saver (taller furniture also makes a room look bigger) as they can store books, different sized toys, clothes, etc.
  • Doors - behind the doors is also a great storage spot and storage products that hang on the back of doors are great for things like hats, scarves, etc.
  • Puzzles - store in ziplock bags so the pieces stay together and write on them what the puzzle is (or take a photo and stick on the outside so your child knows what the picture should look like) and how many pieces there should be and store them all in a tub together.
  • Nets - stuffed toy holders are also great as they hang from the ceiling in the corner of a room so don’t take up much space and you don’t have to use them just for stuffed toys, use them for things like hats, etc. as well
  • Knobs/hooks - use these to get things off the ground, e.g. toys, bags, etc. You can also get ones that double as a shelf for extra storage 
  • Beds – when it comes time to buy your toddler’s first bed, think ahead. Whilst beds in the shape of cars and trains are tempting they are generally not full size single beds and don’t provide storage so you may need to buy another bed again in a couple of years time. Look for something like a bed with drawers for added storage or one that converts to a bunk, i.e. a single bed at normal height until your child is old enough to then turn it over and sleep up the top then you have the space underneath for storage, play area, desk, etc.  
  • Seating - try to avoid high seating in kids play areas as they tend to fall off all the time, especially babies & toddler and you are forever getting stuff out from underneath things like sofas.
  • DVDs - if your kids are forever removing the covers, tearing the covers, leaving the discs lying around, etc. then throw out the covers and get a CD storage unit like the one pictured above to put them all in. Takes up a lot less room and you can take it with you if you have a portable DVD player in the car for long trips.
Outings & Daycare/School
  • Getting ready - if you need to go out get you and your children dressed, teeth brushed, etc. ready before you take time to do any chores like washing, etc. That way you aren’t rushing to get ready before running out the door.
  • Bags - always pack the nappy bag and any daycare bags, school bags, etc. the night before - it's one less thing you have to do in the morning.
  • Doctors visits – include details of any illnesses, etc. in their medical book (i.e. the blue one you get in NSW or red in Qld ) and don’t forget to take this with you to any doctor’s visits, especially vaccinations (good place to keep it is in the car if you have the space). Avoid making appointments around sleep or feed times, unless it's a vaccination in which case a feed straight after is a good way to settle your baby. 
  • Beach/swimming – if you go to the beach regularly, have a big beach bag packed with beach towels, hats, sunscreen, nappies, spare clothes, etc. so all you need to do is throw on your swimmers and you’re ready to go. Same for regular swimming lessons, and remember to repack this when you’ve washed the swimmers and towels ready to go for the following week.
  • Park/playground – keep a picnic blanket, ball, etc. in your car/cars at all times so you don’t need to go looking for them and are ready for those last minute picnics/play in the park. Also keep a small bag of toys, colouring in books & crayons in the car for visits to places like the houses of people who don’t have children so they have something to do.
  • Daycare - keep a separate bag just for day care (I recommend ones that come with the detachable lunch box & side pockets to put their drink in so you only have one thing to carry) packed with nappies/pants, change of clothes inc. socks, shorts/skirt, top, long pants, long sleeve top & jacket (so you have covered all types of weather!), a hat and sleeping gear. For sleeping gear I recommend an all in one style that has a bottom sheet, top sheet & blanket all attached so you’re not trying to find a sheet and blanket, etc. each day/week plus you can throw the whole thing in the washer and dryer. Make sure you replenish the bag when you get home from daycare or repack the night before your child has daycare. 
Templates
  • Newborn schedule – in those first few weeks it’s hard to keep track of when you fed baby, what side breast you fed from last, what their bladder/bowel movements are, when they slept/woke up, etc. – create a spreadsheet/table, print it and keep in a handy place, e.g. on a clipboard with a pencil near where you feed
  • Pregnancy, birth & milestones record – it’s easy to forget the details of your labor and all those milestones a newborn goes through, particular in the first year so every three months jot them down so you can look back later or give to your children when they get older
Organisation Products & Suppliers
  • Cube storage units - Ikea (+ tubs), Super Amart
  • Wardrobe organisers - Target, Howard's Storage & Spotlight
  • Hanging knobs - Spotlight, department stores
  • Door hanging storage units - Target, Spotlight & Ikea
  • Stuffed toy nets - Ikea, Crazy Clarks & other discount stores
  • Beds with storage or space saving - Ikea, Super Amart
  • Bedding for daycare - www.daycareswags.com.au