10 Fall Organizing Tips

The secret to an organized life? Time. Since we can't get any more of it, we need to deftly manage what we have, especially during fall's hectic days. These 10 fall organizing tips can help.

Right now, before the mad dash of the holiday season is underway, is the time to get a handle on your home and family schedule.

Start with a master family schedule and conclude with a renewed cleaning routine just in time for fall's cooler, indoor days. 

10 Fall Organizing Tips

1.  Create a Master Family Schedule

10 Fall organizing tips task one: Create a shareable master family schedule. Include details such as doctor appointments, soccer matches, play dates, and lunch meetings in the week ahead. Here's how it works:

• Put everything on the calendar as soon as it's scheduled. This includes party invitations, business dinners, basketball practice and game days, theater tickets, and volunteer activities.

• Coordinate calendars regularly. Everyone in the family should check the calendar for new information daily, add his or her activities, and update accordingly. A shareable calendar is ideal for this purpose. No, you still won't be able to do everything -- but at least you will be able to choose between activities.

2.  Fall Organizing Tips for Saving Time

Plan to combine errands this fall to save time and make room for more enjoyable activities.

• Schedule errands by time and location. Instead of making trips as needed to the post office or grocery store, set aside one morning or afternoon each week to run such errands.

• Combine tasks. Make walking the dog part of your exercise regimen. Call your best friend while you do the dishes or are folding laundry. Help your kids with homework while you cook dinner.
  

3.  Declutter Your Home

4.  10 Fall Organizing Tips for Quicker, Easier Meals

Take a tip from school cafeterias and set up a monthly meal plan. Assign each meal a night on a biweekly basis.

If it's Monday, you're having pasta. If it's Thursday - pizza. Plan to grocery shop for two weeks in advance because you will actually know what you're cooking. (After a month or so, you probably won't even need a list.)

5.  To Air Is Divine

6.  Clean Out the Coat Closet

You likely haven't opened your coat closet much since last winter, so now is the time to decide what to replace or give away. Give the interior a thorough cleaning, and you're ready for the chilly coat and boots season ahead. 

7.  10 Fall Organizing Tips for the Family Routine

• Bathing. Have the kids bathe or shower the night before, instead of on school mornings.

• Checking homework and signing school papers.

This way, there should be no surprises in the morning. No last-minute discovery that the math homework wasn't finished. No fights about inappropriate or missing clothing.

8.  Replace Summer Appliances With Fall Favorites

Replace summer appliances - the blender, the ice cream maker - with the fall staples. Think slow cooker, Instant Pot.

9.  Organizing Tips for Family Life

Designate days for regular weekly errands or activities. Saturday mornings, for example, could be house cleaning time. Wednesday nights, laundry. Friday afternoons could be devoted to errands.

Break up chores into time segments. What needs to be done daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly? Post them on the family calendar.

Schedule in some fun as well. Save Sunday afternoon for family time.

10.  Stay on Top of Cleaning

Your mother was right. You should always clean up a mess the minute it is made.

• Get in the habit of tidying the house every night before going to bed.

• Load and unload the dishwasher promptly.

• Make your bed the minute you get out of it (unless someone else is still in it).

Keep a basic level of tidiness, and you'll never face an overwhelming mess. If you follow these fall organizing tips, fall will be the start of more than a fresh new season. It will be the season you at last organize your home and family life.