By Janice Simon
May 31, 2017

Are you too busy or too tired to keep organized? It’s no problem. Here are some of my favorite hacks to help you through it!

First, know that you don’t have to set aside an entire day or weekend to organize your home or office. Using 15 minute increments can become magical when used regularly. By using small bits of time, automating bills and chores, and reducing your expectations, you can help you make progress and stay on top of the important things - like spending time with your nieces and nephews.

Race the clock: Set a timer for 15 minutes and see how much laundry you can fold or hang up, sort through mail, or clean out the refrigerator. Have food heating up in the microwave or heating on the stove? Unload the dishwasher or wipe down the cabinets. Waiting for the shower to heat up? Clean out a bathroom drawer or wipe the mirror. Watching TV? Sort through your mail and magazines or clean off the coffee table.

If you’re helping your niece or nephew clean their room, set a timer or play a song or two to see how much they can get done. Kids will treat it as a game.

See also: Help Your ADD Niece or Nephew Clean Their Room 

Automate what you can: Setting up automatic bill paying and utilizing grocery-delivery services are two ways to streamline your life. Amazon has a feature to set up regular, reoccurring orders so you don’t have to go shopping. By setting up certain tasks to be automatic, you can use your time for more important things, such as spending quality time with your nieces and nephews.

Spend less energy on your wardrobe: Make sure everything in your closet fits you now and is ready to wear. Anything you don’t wear, needs repair, or requires oodles of ironing should be removed.

Want to build up your wardrobe? Use a subscription service, such as Stitch Fix, Dia & Company, and MM.LaFleur. They send you clothing, you buy what you want, and send the rest back. Are you your niece's style maven? Help her niece build her wardrobe the same way with KidPik!

See also: How to Organize Wardrobe Capsules for You and Them!  

Meal planning and prep: Subscription services such as Blue Apron, Hello Fresh, and Purple Carrot deliver ingredients and recipes to your doorstep. Invite the kids over to open up the deliveries and help you cook!

Revamp your expectations: We all have those projects or tasks that we think we should do. We get hung up on them, and it can cause guilt and a sense of failure. You have to cut yourself a break.

When you’re busy or have low energy, focus on the big picture things. Do you have food, clean clothes and paid bills? You’re golden. No one is going to care if your stack of unread magazines increases by a few issues. Take a deep breath. It will be okay.

When you have no time or energy, what ways do you organize your life? Let us know on Facebook or Instagram or Twitter @SavvyAuntie @JaniceSimon #OrganizedAuntie


Janice Marie Simon, MA, CPO is also known as The Organized Auntie and The Clutter Princess.

Photo: Dmytro Sidelnikov