Here at Laurel Denise pride ourselves on trying* really really hard to keep our families organized and this is especially so during Back to School season. Nerves are high, transitions are always an adventure, and everything feels a little chaotic (even though we swear we've done this before!!). *Emphasis on trying. And, perhaps we should also say, trying with extreme grace and trepidation and oh so many mistakes?

We've learned a lot along the way (especially from Super Mom Mabby) and we want to share with you what has worked best for us! So far. We're not experts, but we're taking one step at a time! And you know what they say, there's no perfection in family planning systems...right? Don't they say that? Surely.

The truth is that building a system for your family is the same as building system for anything else - it takes time! You've got to try it out and see what fits. So, as a reminder that we are all learning and before we get started, let's keep these things in mind:

1. Give yourself grace. It doesn't have to work perfectly from the get go. And even if it does, laundry still becomes a mountain and dishes will still clutter the countertops. It's all good.
2. Hold your self accountable. You've got this. You can start something new. 
3. Someone needs to own the system. I know it's hard, I know we already own a ton of things and life is crazy. But being the CEO of the household system will bring you more peace than waiting for someone else to do it. I promise you.
4. Don't overcomplicate things! Start with one trick at a time and keep that positive self talk rolling.

Great! Now that we're all feeling motivated and ready to go, here are TWO of our biggest non-negotiables when it comes to Household Management 101 (the quick tips + tricks are listed right below). Let's gooooo!

Numero Uno: Communication is Key

We've found that our families run the most smoothly when everyone is involved and can take some responsibility. Mabby and her husband have four kids so this is huge for them! She sits down every Sunday so align her digital and paper planners, write an email to her husband laying out plans for the week, and meets with each kid individually for their "kitchen talk" where they can discuss weekly schedules and expectations. This is also when Mabby can get input for meal planning and put together a grocery list for the week (PRO TIP: use your at home smart speaker to make adding things to a digital grocery list so easy for everyone in the family to help out with!). Mabby chats more about her weekly prep in this video.

During the summer for Lolly's two girls, it's super helpful for them to know what's expected of them daily. Without the routine of school, this is great for teaching them how to build habits in a low-stakes way. Lolly prints out a piece of paper every day with checklists for must-dos and can-dos around the house. This is also where schedules and upcoming events are listed so that everyone stays on the same page. Here's where she talks about this in our latest YouTube video. Another super awesome tool are these reusable sticky notes so that notes can be posted around the house. Tangible reminders for the win!

Numero Dos: Model What You Want to See

We all know how much actions tend so speak louder than words - especially with the littles - and a a lot goes into sharing the load (invisible load, anyone?!) of running a household as a family. @samkelly_world is amazing. We're big fans. And something she recommends is using the phrase "notice and do." So, instead of turning into the mom broken record asking for the same tasks to be done again and again, the conversation can start with "hello child whom I love dearly, is there anything that you notice that you can do to help out the family right now?" And if that isn't working the best, Mabby has switched from correcting how her kids clean, tidy, etc. to saying "I prefer" and "I appreciate" statements. There's a huge difference between "no, you did that wrong" to "I actually prefer when you help out this way instead." Wow, honestly it even just feels so much calmer typing that!

Some Helpful Tips and Tricks

And, finally, here are some narrowed-down tips + tricks that might help if you just need a place to start! Pick just one and see if they help you this Fall! 

1. 2-Minute Tidy Every Night - Put on a song and choose an area to tidy up.
2. Pack 3 Lunches at a Time - We always make Mon-Wed lunches on Sunday and Thurs-Fri lunches on Wednesday night. There are some weeks where mom or dad helps by doing this for them, but this is such an easy way to streamline the mornings!
3. Sunday Kitchen Check-Ins - Mabby has quick one-on-ones with each member of her family on Sundays while she's meal prepping. They discuss the week ahead and what things each person can do to help set themselves up for success! Her Vertical Planner is a big part of this meeting.
4. Family Command Center - One of my favorite planner friends, Annie, uses her Horizontal Weekly as her family command center. It includes things like sports schedules, weather, lunch choices, and more!
5. Backpack Chores - The first thing my kids do when we get home is "backpack chores." They have to empty their backpacks, put their lunch containers in the sink, and their water bottles on the counter.
6. Establish Screen Time Rules - Chat with your family about what after school screen time will look like ahead of time. Agree to try it for 2 weeks. If it needs adjusting, just adjust!
7. Lower Your Expectations - Remember that transitions are tough on everyone and we all need a little grace to forget things, lose a few things, and have a melt down or two. Keep it simple. Especially if this is your first back to school!

Here's the link to our full YouTube video to see how we talk all of this out even more.

xo, Team LD