1st golden rule: anticipate
To avoid being overwhelmed, warn of any difficulties. A maxim that organized moms apply to the letter. Every Monday, Pauline summarizes the program for the week and Anne-Sophie does the same with her 3-year-old daughter. On the food side, Aurélia prepares her menus in advance and orders on the Internet before going to the nearest store; a saving of time but also of money since it makes no unnecessary purchases. "I buy fresh products at the market, with the family every Saturday," adds Eustelle. Diane then prepares the compotes and purees for the week that she freezes and Véronique, she always cooks in large quantities to anticipate hurried meals. Lois, mother of 3 children, found an alternative: "I prepare three tons of pasta and I put it in the fridge. Then we just have to reheat it or make it in a salad." And for the little ones? Eustelle prepares milk pods and a bottle of water on her bedside table to barely open her eyes when her daughter Romane wakes up in the middle of the night. Each of them provides for business the day before (clothes, school bags, etc.) to compensate for any unforeseen events! Véronique has "several diaper bags already ready on busy days (diapers, teats, wipes, water bottles ...)"
Joseph Joseph helps us to better store our food in our fridges with its stackable storage boxes with lids and date dial: prepare "three tons of pasta" like Loïs, Joseph Joseph does the rest.
2nd golden rule: do not let yourself be overwhelmed
Lætitia admits imposing on her three children a strict rhythm each evening, chaining bath, dinner and bedtime at very precise times "without leaving room for improvisation". Hélène, for her part, establishes the ritual of calm time each evening between stories and music to listen to for her 3 year old baby boy. This is good, the routine is just as suitable for the child as for the parents because it allows him to situate himself in time and to feel secure. Less fun but also full of common sense, each mom advises not to wait for ironing and clutter to accumulate and to do a little each day! Being organized to save time sounds like a tragedy ... but the fact remains that our super-moms are not short of tricks not to skip an important meeting. "We have a huge calendar hanging on the wall where we write down everything," explains Lois. Same method with Sophie, mother of three teenagers who encourages them to note their appointments as much to communicate as to gain autonomy. Paper is good, but many of our organizational pros combine with phone alerts and computer planning… synchronized with that of the husband, it's even better! We reassure you, the post-it on the fridge, it still works! Another method, Anne-Sophie holds all the medical specialists at the start of the school year to be quiet the rest of the year. Finally, we did not find better than the accumulation of tasks to save time: we try to group extracurricular activities on a single day for example.
You just have to download our illustrated calendars to hang them in plain view on your fridge, right?
3rd golden rule: know how to delegate
Who told you that everything should rest on your frail shoulders? A time-saving mom is a well-surrounded mom. For activities, Lætitia organizes shifts with the other mothers. At Camille, it's troubleshooting between neighbors! What about daddy? "We obviously divide up the tasks", specifies Patricia and Sylvia to complete: "One of the parents gives the bath and reads the story while the other arranges and prepares the meal for the next day." And all the mothers to hire the role of grandparents, nannies, drop-in daycare and baby-sitters who often make the link between leaving school and coming home.4th golden rule: empower your child
Do you feel very busy all day long? It is great your child, from 2-3 years, would also love to have this impression ... and that is why it is so often in your paws. "I make Julia very responsible for her little sister: throw away the dirty diaper, bring the forgotten bib, keep her sister busy while I prepare the bottle… she feels important and me, it helps me a lot", says Eustelle. Involving your child in the daily preparations - without entrusting him with missions that are too complex for his age, of course - benefits everyone. As it gains in autonomy and confidence, you glean precious moments! This is why in Mathilde's bedroom, Anne-Sophie has placed all the storage space at her height, allowing her to play alone and Camille lets her little boy every evening choose his outfit for the next day. Accountability is also a way to gently approach subjects that could lead to conflict. "I involve my daughter in the preparation of the evening meal. She is always ready and is more willing to taste new foods," explains Sylvia. Having tasks accomplished by asking them to invest is also an indirect way of teaching the discipline ... And therefore, saving time and energy!
We are fans of this book storage which has just been released at Ikea and which allows children to dig themselves out of their books!
