Must-Have Family Organization Tips When You Have A Large Family

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The struggle is real. If you’re a mom managing a large family, you know all about trying to keep everything organized. Organization is key to keeping your household running smoothly. Between the never-ending laundry and the endless piles of toys, and with so many people to manage along with so much stuff to keep track of, it can be tough to keep your home in order, let alone try to think about family organization ideas with that tired mom brain! That’s why we put together a list of our top family organization tips to help you keep your sanity (mostly) intact!

Top Family Organization Ideas for Managing A Large Family

You have a large family. That means a lot of mouths to feed, a lot of people needing attention and care, and a lot of stuff to keep in check. But with the right organization strategies, you can make managing your large family far less chaotic. Here are some must-have family organization tips for families with multiple children:

1. Have family meetings.

To ensure everyone in the family is on the same page, having family meetings is vital to the health and goings-on of your entire family dynamics, which is why it’s number one for the family organization tips. Designate a time each and every single week for a family meeting to check in, plan upcoming events and activities, and discuss any issues or concerns.

Meeting together once a week may seem too much, at first, but I guarantee you it will be well worth it once you see the nice results after a while of doing this. It may take a little longer, too, when you’re just beginning to implement family meetings, but eventually, it will become natural and second-nature, for everyone. And in turn, the meetings will become shorter since everyone will already know what to expect out of each meeting.

2. Use a family calendar.

Having one central place where everyone can keep track of important family events, activities and appointments can make things run much more smoothly for everyone. Hang a spacious monthly family calendar on the wall or fridge, or use an online calendar app to help you stay organized and keep track of everyone’s activities, appointments, and events in one place.

If you have a lot of small children, you can add colors and visuals, like cute elements or graphic pictures, for them to see. If you have older children, maybe you can make a digital family calendar that you all can share with one another.

Sharable Digital Calendars

Two sharable digital family calendars worth mentioning are:

Cozi
Sunrise Calendar

Both are a family organization app that helps families keep track of everyone’s schedules and events in one place. They can be accessed online or through an app, and they allow families to create a calendar(s), shopping list, and to-do list. Families can also share the Cozi or Sunrise calendars with other family members.

And, of course, you can also use the Google Calendar App or Yahoo! or Apple’s iCal since they’re free and can be easily set up with notifications, reminders, and invitations to family members.

Wall Calendars

Wall calendars are part of our top family organization tips because of the simplicity, yet effectiveness of them. And if digital’s not your thing, a wall or fridge calendar may be the way to go in managing a large family life. One of our best-selling refrigerator dry-erase board calendars is called the Magnetic Weekly Dry Erase Board Calendar Whiteboard.

You can write on it with a dry-erase marker to keep track of all family activities, appointments, and events for the week, as well as any reminders or ideas you want to jot down throughout the day.

No matter which way you go, whether it’s a digital calendar or a wall calendar, or a refrigerator calendar, you just need a good system to keep track of the life of everyone under the roof, and not leave out or overlap anything. Because that’s really when chaos ensues!

4. Create a family command center.

A family command center can establish the perfect go-to spot for the whole family. Your family command center can house all of your family’s organization in one spot making communication easy and clear. This will also help to eliminate clutter and confusion.

A good command center station should contain:

4. Establish routines – and find time for yourself.

No matter what, your life with so many kids needs a routine. I’m a firm believer in having some kind of family rhythm at best, but with lots of kiddos, a dedicated routine is what’s called for. You need things to flow easily and as you do things you’ll perfect this routine over time through trial and error. But you’ve got to have one!

Prioritize Your Mommy Time

It can be difficult to find time for yourself when you have so many people in the family to manage, but it’s important. You need to be able to refuel your own tank, so be more intentional and greedy about your time for yourself. Make it a non-negotiable.

And don’t feel guilty about it! Everyone else gets the remainder of your time, so you can take time for just you to unwind and chill out.

This could be after bedtime, or on a Saturday afternoon, or you can even create your own self-care Sundays! But add it to your new family calendar and mention it in your next family meeting, so everyone knows what to (and what not to) expect during that time.

A great, printable self-care planner is the perfect way to ensure you get the time you need to care for your mental, physical, and spiritual self! This way, you can customize your care to your specific needs and goals and keep track of your progress. We have designed this planner with busy moms in mind.

Set Routines For Different Events

In addition to making time for yourself, be sure you set up daily routines for different events, such as meal times, bedtimes, bath times, and so on. Everyone will know what is expected of them and when if you have a dedicated routine in place. Add in your Mommy Time in a weekly/biweekly routine as well!

When you create a daily routine for your family, everyone knows what to expect. This will help keep things running smoothly and reduce stress levels.

Plus, this is especially important for children who thrive on predictability and routine. Having a set time for homework, meals, and bedtime can help reduce stress levels for both kids and parents. Knowing what comes next can also help kids focus and stay on task – another added benefit.

On top of all that, a daily routine can help families make the most of their time together. By carving out regular time for family dinners, game nights, or simply spent together talking and laughing, families can create lasting bonds that will help them weather any storms that come their way.

Of course, there will always be days when things don’t go according to plan. But having a daily routine can help make those days a little less chaotic. Plus, it’s a great way to teach kids responsibility and promote good habits. So if you’re looking for ways to simplify your life, creating a daily routine is a great place to start.

5. Create designated storage areas.

Having a specific place where everyone can store their belongings will help keep you from constantly searching for things (or stepping on them). It can be difficult to keep a tidy home when everyone has their own stuff to contend with. Toys, shoes, sports equipment, and school supplies can quickly turn any room into a cluttered mess.

You can also get storage containers of all sizes and use them to contain all the “stuff” that comes along with having a large family. Label each container so you know what’s inside and keep them in places where they’re easily accessible.

large family storage organizing bins for toys shoes garage

One way to combat the chaos is to designate family storage areas for each family member. Everyone can have their own space to keep their belongings, and they will be less likely to leave them out in the open where they can create tripping hazards or be lost.

Having designated storage areas and containers can help you stay organized and make it easier to find things when you need them. Reduce the clutter in your home by creating designated storage areas for each person in your family.

3. Make a chore chart.

Create a chore chart with tasks that each family member is responsible for and set up a system to reward them when they complete their tasks. Chore charts are a great way to ensure every family member is helping out with the responsibilities around the house and will probably always be among the top family organization tips for all people since chore charts will help create accountability, keep your house tidier, and will also teach kids responsibility along with the value of a job well done. I’m so proud of you, son!

Make sure everyone in the family understands their chores by having a family chore chart visible in a common area of the house. Write down specific tasks that need to be completed each day and assign them to different family members. You can also include tasks that need to be completed on a weekly or monthly basis.

Like I mentioned, use a rewards system to motivate family members to complete their chores. For example, you can give kids an allowance for completing their tasks or have the points add up to something the kids will look forward to, like a trip or a place, or even a toy or game.

Make chores age-appropriate and manageable for each member. When you put this info down on the chore chart, everyone in the family will know exactly what tasks he or she needs to complete, keeping things organized and running smoothly. And by setting up an incentive system, you can ensure that everyone is doing their part and staying on task.

If everyone in the family pitches in, household chores will become much easier to manage. Divide and conquer! With so many hands helping out, your house will be shiny in no time while strategically managing a large family!