I know you might be thinking that getting organized always sounds so appealing… but actually doing it? With kids at home? A whole different story. Staying organized when you’ve got school drop-off, swim meets, homework folders, work deadlines, and 47 snack requests a day can feel nearly impossible.
Trust me, I get it.
I have three kids, our days are very full, and some weekends I don’t even see my house because we’re bouncing from one kid activity to the next. It can be a lot to balance work, school, home tasks, and the nonstop shuffle of family life.
That’s exactly why I’m sharing practical solutions and real-life organizing ideas — the systems, products, and methods I use every single day in our own home. I want you to feel like this is something you can actually do — not perfectly, not all at once, and definitely not alone — but with your entire family on board.
And here’s the part I want you to really hear:
Getting organized isn’t just about having a tidy pantry or pretty labeled bins. It’s about creating simple systems that make your days run more smoothly so you feel less overstimulated, less stressed, and more in control. That’s something we all want as parents, especially heading into a new year.
So whether you’re starting slow or diving in big, here are 25 mom-approved ways to get organized in 2026 — things that truly make your home (and your days) feel lighter, calmer, and easier.
Let’s make this the year your home finally works with you, not against you.
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1. Declutter Your Home: Start Small for Big Results
The first step to getting organized is decluttering. After all, the less you have to clean up and organize, the better!
Start small with the most-used room in your house. Having a decluttered space for everyone in the home to see will give you motivation to continue decluttering. You can make a plan to go room by room or even drawer by drawer to make this more manageable.
Need a small win? Set a timer and give yourself 10 minutes to focus on one space. Small decluttering wins add up over time. If you declutter for 10 minutes a day for 30 days, that adds up to 5 hours of work!
Tip: Keep a trash bag and donation box handy when decluttering to make it easier to get rid of items.
Studies show that having a clean home can make us feel lighter and happier! If you didn’t see my post on how to declutter before the holidays, make sure to check it out now for tons of helpful decluttering tips.
⏰ 5-Minute Organization Win: Keep a donation box by your garage or back door. Throughout the week, toss in items you no longer need. When it's full, load it straight into your car for an easy drop-off!
2. Best Storage Containers for Busy Moms (Kitchen, Closet & Kids' Rooms)
Reducing visual clutter and storing similar items together is another important part of home organization. If everything in your home is starting to feel scattered and hard to find, it’ll feel like a breath of fresh air when you see everything neatly organized into matching containers.
To help you save time, I’ve gathered up all of my favorite home organization products here:
- Kitchen organization
- Closet organization
- Bathroom organization
- Kids’ book and toy containers
- Office organization
- Garage organization
If you need more inspiration, you can also see how I organized my kids’ arts and crafts and my system for a clean garage.
3. Smart Storage Solutions for Your Space
If you don’t have a lot of storage room, I have some practical home organization ideas that would work well in smaller spaces. The goal is to get things off the ground and make them easy to find.
- Under-the-bed-organizers: Use them to store seasonal items, bed sheets, kids’ toys, or any household extras you don’t have a spot for.
- Over-the-door organizers: While most people use these organizers for shoes, you can also use them to store cleaning supplies, toys, stuffed animals, craft supplies, makeup, and more.
- Hanging organizers: Store folded clothes, purses, and other accessories to maximize closet space and dresser drawers.
- Built-in storage: Utilize ottomans, consoles, and coffee tables with hidden storage to tuck away blankets, magazines, books, board games, and electronics.
- Shelves: Check your rooms to see where you can add floating shelves, ladder shelves, or corner bookshelves.
4. Grab a Basket
One of my simplest organizing ideas is to grab a big basket (laundry basket also works!) and take it to one room. Put in the items that are out of place. Then take them to the room or area where they belong.
Doing it all at once will cut down on the time you spend deciding what doesn’t belong. And it will keep you from making multiple trips to various rooms or up and down the stairs.
You can also use decorative baskets to keep visual clutter more contained until you can get it more organized. Look at the places where items tend to pile up, like the stairs, a chair, a coffee table, or a kitchen counter. Place a basket near those areas so loose items can get dropped there until you’re ready to sort them and put things away.
5. Organize Kids' Art and Projects
Use a large accordion folder or digital app (like Artkive) to preserve kids' artwork while cutting down on clutter. I have a bed bin under each kid’s bed to store all their artwork! We go through it once a year to decide what is a keeper and what goes in the trash.
Another fun option that will make them feel proud is to display some of their artwork — either in their room or in a common area. You can pin their art on a corkboard, hang pictures using a wire and clip art display, or frame a few.
For more tips on taming the art supply chaos, check out my organization ideas for arts and crafts — it's full of practical solutions for keeping crayons, markers, and all those creative supplies neat and accessible!
6. Label Everything: The Secret to Staying Organized with Kids
Even if you use clear containers or pouches, labels make it really easy to quickly see what’s inside. This way, you don’t have to waste any time searching for what you need. They can also help you stay organized since everything has its own place.
Plus they just make your entire home feel more orderly! You can use labels to:
- Organize your pantry, office supplies, craft materials, and toys
- Keep track of food expiration dates and reduce food waste
- Personalize kids’ school supplies, water bottles, and sports gear
To make labeling easier, I highly recommend getting a label maker! Some even come with fun customization options, so you can change fonts and add icons.
7. Digital Declutter: Organize Your Phone, Email & Computer
Digital clutter can feel just as messy as physical clutter! If you have 20+ tabs open, hundreds of screenshots saved on your phone, and files scattered all over your computer (guilty as charged), you know what I mean.
Pick a day to delete or organize something in your digital world. Here are some examples to help:
- Declutter your inbox — categorize or delete emails, and unsubscribe from email lists
- “Deep clean” your phone — organize or remove apps and delete or back up photos
- Clear your desktop — put scattered files into folders and trash old documents
Tip: It can be really easy to get distracted during a digital declutter, so setting a timer for 30 minutes might help here. You can also give yourself a goal to accomplish, like “delete 100 emails.”
8. How to Create a Family Drop Zone (Mudroom Organization Ideas)
We have one small closet off the garage where all jackets, backpacks, car keys, sunglasses and more are dropped when kids (and adults) first come into the house. Prior to making this space, I would find these items all over the house! I recommend designating a hook or cubby for each family member.
If you don’t have much storage space, see if you can add a wall coat rack near your front or back door. Look for one with a shelf on top where you can place a catch-all basket for smaller items.
9. Sort Your Mail
This is a simple and effective solution to getting organized. And a mail organizer makes it even easier! There are lots of stylish options to fit your home decor, and you can even find one to hang on the wall so it doesn’t take up any valuable space.
Tip: It can be easy for mail to build up, so my tip is to do a quick sort as soon as you get it. This way, junk mail can get recycled right away and important mail won’t be forgotten or scattered.
10. How to Create a Family Command Center That Actually Works
Designate a place in your home for calendars, to-do lists, meal plans, and reminders. I recommend choosing a central spot in a common area, like your kitchen or dining room, (ours is in the kitchen) where everyone can easily see the things that keep the entire house organized and running smoothly.
Here are my favorite supplies to help you get set up and organized:
11. Family Calendar Organization: Sync Everyone's Schedule
Sync your family’s schedules on a shared calendar app (like Google Calendar) so everyone knows when practices, appointments, and events are happening.
If you want to get even more organized, you can:
- Color-code all scheduled events by category so it’s easy to see everything at a glance
- Set reminders for when you know you’re going to have a busy day so nothing gets forgotten
- Schedule recurring tasks so you don’t have to keep adding them to your calendar every week, month, or year
- Sync your calendar with voice assistants so you can schedule things anytime, anywhere
- Review your calendar every month to make sure it’s current and to see if there’s room for more efficiency (or more rest!)
12. Digitize Important Documents
Scan and save key files (medical records, warranties, school forms) on a cloud storage platform like Google Drive. Make sure to back up anything really important to an external hard drive! Then shred the unnecessary paper clutter. (Here’s my favorite shredder.)
Digitizing documents will save you a lot of time in the long run since you can quickly find and share them when needed.
13. Easy Meal Planning System for Busy Families
Pick one day a week to plan meals and write a grocery list. Get the kids involved too. Each of my kids gets one night where they can request their favorite meal. It helps keep a variety of meals in the rotation.
You can use a meal planner notepad to keep track of your meals for the week or a menu board that goes on your fridge or wall as a visual reminder.
Need meal inspiration? Check out my favorite crock pot meals for busy weeknights, easy summer dinners the whole family will love, and simple lunch ideas for kids that take the stress out of packing school lunches. Don't forget to stock up on after-school snacks to keep hungry kids happy between meals!
Tip: Create a list of meals that you enjoy cooking or are fast to get on the table. My list includes everything from tacos to chicken piccata, to easy scrambled eggs. This will help you and your kids with your weekly meal planning!
14. Freezer Meal Prep: Save Hours on Busy Weeknights
Choose one day a week to prep large batches of meals (soups, casseroles, and pasta sauces) that you can freeze and reheat for busy nights. While this can sometimes feel like a lot of work upfront, it will make your life so much easier! With batch cooking, you won’t need to constantly decide what’s for dinner, cook a new meal, or clean the kitchen.
Want easy freezer-friendly recipes? My favorite crock pot meals are perfect for batch cooking—just prep, freeze, and dump in the slow cooker on busy days!
Tip: Use that label maker we talked about earlier to label and date your meals. While you can use zip-top storage bags, I recommend getting more durable containers that can go in the freezer.
🎯 Weekend Project That Saves Hours: Spend one Saturday or Sunday afternoon batch cooking 5-7 freezer meals. You'll thank yourself on those crazy weeknights when dinner is already done!
15. Set Up a Chore Chart
Knowing who is going to take care of which household task reduces your mental load and ensures nothing gets forgotten. Your house will also feel cleaner and less cluttered when everyone pitches in throughout the week.
To help you get set up:
- List all chores on a magnetic dry erase board — make sure to hang it in a central location where everyone can see it
- Assign chores based on age (or ability) and which day they should be done based on everyone’s schedule
- Keep track of completed chores with a simple checkmark or sticker system
- For more visual organization, use a color-coded chore chart
If your kids are on the younger side, you can still set this system up! Toddlers can help put laundry in the washer or dryer, unload the dishwasher, dust, and wipe surfaces. Plus they’ll love putting stickers on chore charts.
Tip: Review your chore chart once a month with the whole family to make sure everyone feels good about their chores. Or you can rotate chores weekly like I do to keep things fair. Chores in our house include feeding the dog, setting the table, and clearing the table after dinner.
As a bonus, this teaches kids about responsibility and collaboration!
If you struggle to get your kids to help with basic tasks, join the School of Life. This practical (and fun) series is designed to empower your kids, from preschoolers to pre-teens, with essential life skills like household chores.
16. The Best Planners for Busy Moms (Stay Organized in 2026)
Every parent has a running list of what they need to do. If you’re feeling scattered or overwhelmed, it can help to get everything out of your head and onto paper! This is where a planner comes in handy.
A planner makes it easy to keep track of all your tasks, commitments, and goals. Plus you can pick one that fits your exact needs. Whether you want something really simple or more detailed, there are so many great options out there!
Once you have everything written out, you can see where you might be overscheduled or where you can fit in more time for something important.
17. Establish an Evening Routine
Every evening before bed, I complete a few tasks to make mornings easier. I recommend picking the same tasks to do so it feels more streamlined. And you can get your kids involved, too!
For example, we always run the dishwasher, the kids' lunch containers get laid out on the counter to make it easy to fill them up in the morning, and the kids lay out their clothes. I also always set the washing machine to run right before I get up — that way I can move the clean wet clothes into the dryer first thing.
18. 15-Minute Room Reset: Quick Nightly Cleaning Routine
In an ideal world, everyone in your family has pitched in to clean up common areas before going to bed. Realistically, there is usually something soaking in the sink, the remote is somewhere random, and books or toys are scattered.
Tidying up might feel like the last thing you want to do once the kids are in bed. But taking 15-20 minutes to quickly clean up and organize your home will help you feel much more calm and organized in the morning.
Here are a few ways to reset a room:
- Clean anything left in your sink that can’t go in the dishwasher
- Clear tables and counters — put things away where they belong and wipe down surfaces
- Straighten couch pillows and fold cozy blankets or toss them in a basket
19. DIY Charging Station: Organize Family Electronics
One of my home organization tips is to create a central spot for similar items, like phones, tablets, and chargers. It’s so easy for electronics to get scattered all over the house throughout the day and then be dead by the morning. Having a designated area to drop devices off and keep them charged ensures everyone knows where they are and can use them when needed.
We set up a charging station in my office to plan for the future when the kids will have electronics. Electronics are too much of a distraction for sleep, so they will not be allowed in the bedrooms. Plus, I won’t have to spend time searching for devices and chargers!
20. Stress-Free Morning Routine for Busy Families
Anything you can do to save time is an organization win! Especially if you feel like you’re always rushing around in the mornings. To reduce some of the chaos, set up a step-by-step morning checklist for yourself and your kids, like brushing teeth, making beds, and packing backpacks.
If you like to wake up early for some “me” time and want to have more productive mornings, you can create a list the night before of what you want to focus on. Then set yourself up for success! For example, fill a water bottle the night before so you can hydrate first thing, set out your workout clothes if you plan on exercising, or put a book you want to read by your coffeemaker.
✨ Mom-Approved Time Saver: Set your coffee maker on a timer, lay out breakfast items the night before, and prep lunch boxes after dinner cleanup. You'll save 20+ minutes every morning!
21. Set a Timer to Get Tasks Done
This might sound funny, but it works! If you’ve heard of the Pomodoro technique, then this should be familiar to you.
All you have to do is set a timer for various tasks. For example, try giving yourself 10 minutes to clean the kitchen — or 20 minutes to clear your inbox. Knowing you have limited time to complete a task will help you focus and work faster.
It can be easy to get distracted by your phone here. So I highly recommend getting a visual timer! You might also find that being able to visually see the time passing is helpful for you.
22. Time Batching for Moms: Work Smarter, Not Harder
Similar to the Pomodoro technique, batching is dedicating blocks of time to similar tasks. Think of how many times you’ve gone to check your email or social media and then get distracted from your original task. All of a sudden an hour has gone by and you’re not sure where the time went!
We all know that multi-tasking actually decreases productivity, yet we all do it. So my organizing tip here is to batch as many tasks as you can.
Here are a few ideas:
- Pick 2-3 set times during the day to check emails — typically sometime in the morning, afternoon, and evening
- Choose the same day, like Sunday, to meal prep for the week
- Combine all of your errands into one outing
- Dust, vacuum, and mop in one time block
- Schedule meetings on the same day each week
23. Build a Gift Closet
If you’ve ever scrambled to get a last-minute gift or send a card on time, this home organization tip is for you! Stockpile a variety of cards and versatile gifts (board games, candles, gift cards) so you’re always ready for birthdays, holidays, and other important events or gatherings. Keep wrapping supplies in the same area.
A gift closet is especially helpful when something unexpected pops up, like a housewarming party or holiday exchange. You can also check the closet when you need a quick thank-you gift. Need gift inspiration? Browse my gift guides for curated ideas for every age and occasion.
Tip: Add all birthdays, anniversaries, and other important events to your phone’s calendar. Review your calendar every month to make sure you’re prepared. And set reminders for when to send cards.
24. Schedule Time for Fun
It sounds silly but block out family time on your calendar—movie nights, game days, or even a simple walk to the park.
If it is not on my calendar, we often miss out on quality family time. These moments matter! I know how challenging it can be to fit in fun experiences when schedules feel full and busy. By blocking out the time, you can make sure it’s a priority and plan for it better too.
Planning a family trip? Browse all my family travel guides for destination tips, packing lists, and travel hacks that make vacations with kids actually enjoyable!
25. Start Small: One Organizing Goal Per Month
There are so many great organizing ideas out there — and I know this is a pretty long list! If it feels overwhelming, just choose one thing to focus on each month. Write down the 12 things you’re going to do, then hang them on a wall as a visual reminder.
Remember, a new year’s goal will only be successful if it feels doable. You can also stay accountable by sharing your goal to get organized with your family.
Frequently Asked Questions About Getting Organized in 2026
How do I find time to get organized when I'm already so busy?
Start with just 10 minutes a day! Set a timer and tackle one small area—a single drawer, one shelf, or decluttering your car's front seat. These small wins add up to 5 hours of organizing over a month. The key is consistency over perfection. I do my 10-minute declutter sessions while my kids eat breakfast or right after dinner cleanup.
What's the best place to start organizing my home?
Begin with the room your family uses most—usually the kitchen or family room. Seeing a decluttered, organized space that everyone uses daily creates motivation and immediate benefits. Plus, it makes the biggest impact on your daily stress levels when the main gathering space feels calm and functional.
How do I keep my kids' toys organized without spending hours every day picking up?
Use the "basket grab" method and clear labeled containers. Give each child one basket in the main living area for their current favorites. Everything else gets sorted into labeled bins by category (LEGO, dolls, cars). At the end of each day, kids help return items to labeled bins—it takes 5 minutes max. Rotate toys seasonally to reduce overwhelm.
What organizing products are actually worth buying?
Invest in clear storage containers (you can see what's inside!), a good label maker, under-bed storage bins, and matching bins or baskets for visual cohesion. These are the workhorses of home organization. Skip trendy products that won't hold up to daily family life—quality matters more than aesthetics when you have kids.
How can I maintain organization once I get it set up?
Consistency beats perfection. A weekly reset, seasonal declutter, and simple routines (like a Sunday prep or nightly tidy) make it easier to maintain organization. The secret is creating systems everyone can follow. Label everything, make sure items are easy to put away (not just easy to pull out), and involve the whole family in daily reset routines.
What's the fastest way to declutter before organizing?
Use the "donation box method." Keep a donation box in your house. When you notice something you don't use or need, immediately put it in the box. When the box is full, donate it that week. This prevents the overwhelming "declutter the entire house in one day" approach and makes it a manageable ongoing habit.
More January Tips
I hope you have a great new year! As we settle back into our regular routine of going back to work and getting kids off to school, I’ll be creating more posts for you full of parenting tips.
Looking for more helpful content?
- Check out The School of Life which teaches kids essential life skills
- Get ready for spring with my spring cleaning tips and must-have spring cleaning supplies
- Transform your most chaotic space with my garage organization ideas
If there's anything you need more help with when it comes to home and family life, please comment below and let me know. Of course, if you also have a home organization tip for our community, I'd love to hear it!
