10 Organizational Tips for New Mothers
This post is written by contributing writer, Tasha from Spann-ing the Globe.
10 Organizational Tips for New Mothers
1. Commit to organization. Nothing in life works well without a commitment. If you don’t want to do something, you will not accomplish anything. If this is a goal, you can succeed.
2. Be realistic. Don’t expect to be able to keep the house spotless for guests with a newborn! You will be exhausted and the simplest of tasks, like putting away clean clothes, will wear you out. Do not fool yourself into believing that you will have enough energy to get everything done. Set reasonable goals, like doing the laundry every two days instead of everyday.
3. Create a checklist. This is my pilot husband’s favorite one. You just had a baby, you are going on three hours of sleep, and you are adjusting to life with a new baby. Do not believe that you will be able remember to do something unless you write it down! It does not matter if you have an excellent memory or not, you will forget something.
Most importantly, decide where you will put your checklist. I placed mine on the refrigerator because I open it at least six times a day. It is in an area with high traffic and walking into the kitchen to write something down is a dual task for me…I am sure I want something to drink while I am there.
4. Make a plan. Plan out your priorities and tasks. Decide which ones NEED to be done versus which ones you WANT to have done. This will make things much easier on because you will know what is most important (i.e. laundry vs. dishes; packing the diaper bag vs. sweeping; etc.).
5. Routine, not schedule. Babies do not understand the concept of time. Toddlers don’t understand time either! In order for your plan to work, you need to have a routine. For us, our bedtime routine is standard: bath time with daddy, swaddle up, mommy feeds, and we all go to sleep. We have been doing that for a few weeks now and our little girl has caught on fast! She gets fussy earlier and earlier every day to the point that she is telling us when bedtime is. Now, I can put her to bed and go on with the things I need to accomplish for the day without having to worry!
6. Have stations. When you want to get things done quicker, it is much easier to have a place for everything. We have a night time changing station (a mat on a dresser with wipes, cloth diapers, and a trash can); we have a bath station (cotton balls, Q-Tips, swaddle, cloth diapers, soap, towel, and trash can); we have a daytime feeding station (book for mama, baby grooming supplies, and Boppy pillow, etc.) The idea is to have everything you need in one place so you don’t have to scrounge around looking for one little thing.
7. Simplify. Not everyone desires the minimalistic lifestyle, but I highly recommend filling your life with “multi-taskers.” Babies require a lot of things, but there are so many things you can eliminate that just sit around and get in your way or collect dust.
For example, who needs shampoo and body wash when they make an all in one? What about baby powder? Not needed if you have a cooking cabinet with corn starch. Baby lotion? Nope! You only need that stuff if you have hard water or a very dry baby. Disposable wipes? Nope! If you have a plethora of baby washcloths, you can make your own baby wipes. Own a crib, pack-n-play, bassinet, and travel bed? Your child will never want to play merry-go-bed! Pick one (or two) and donate the rest!
8. Remove clutter. When you are done with your station, pick up after yourself. Your floor is not a storage space even if it is roomy! Besides reducing the amount of cleaning you might need to do later, it creates a safe environment for you. No one wants to trip over a burp cloth at 3 AM while going to the bathroom. Save yourself time and effort by simply cleaning up after yourself as you go.
9. Ask for help. The easiest thing you can do for yourself! There are always flocks of people wanting to see a new baby! Why not put them to work? If you are like me and get weirded out by people doing things in your house, have them hold the baby while you conquer a task on your checklist!I finally got over this by letting my mother-in-law do the dishes in the house! What a gift! My least favorite chore that is always on the top of my checklist! You can let neighbors bring you dinner, allow church friends to fold your laundry, enjoy family holding the baby, all while knowing something is being accomplished!
10. Reward yourself. Hey, all work and no play makes for a bad day! This isn’t just for kids! When everything on my checklist gets done, I get a nice and quiet bubble bath (courtesy of my hus-friend!) Maybe you were eyeing that naughty red velvet cupcake at the grocery store, or perhaps you just want an hour to yourself! You deserve it for committing and sticking to your plan to get and stay organized with a newborn in the house!
What tips would you add to the list? Share with us in the comments!
This post is linked to The Better Mom, Time Warp Wife, Women Living Well, and Works for Me.
This is so helpful as I expect my first baby in October! Quick question, a little unrelated but mentioned in your post, do you swaddle and then feed? Or do you feed your baby swaddled? I know this seems like a simple question, but as I *try* to play all this out in my head I wondered about that. 🙂
I’m not sure what Tasha does, Brenda, but I can tell you what we did. In the beginning (first 4-6 weeks or so), we would strip Samuel down to his diaper and try to do as much skin to skin. Also, his being stripped down to diaper kept him awake for his feedings. After he had his fill of the first side, I’d change his diaper to wake him up some more before feeding on the other side. Once we fed on the other side, I’d clothe him and either put him back down if it’s a night feeding or play with him. We were big swaddlers because Samuel didn’t like it. He liked being free to flail and stretch. He’s still that way. 🙂 You can experiment and find what works best for you. But that’s what we did. 🙂 Oh how I miss the baby days.
Brenda – I agree with LeighAnn, it depends on your baby. The first week Adah wouldn’t stay awake for her feedings, so we striped her to her diaper to feed her. When she fell asleep, we would change her diaper or wipe her down with a cold cloth. After that week, she was very much awake for food and we began using a swaddle the third week. We went with a swaddle because her “startle” reflex would wake her up during the night. We found the swaddle would “hold her down” and prevent her from waking herself up. So, after bath, we swaddle first, then feed. She will fall asleep when full and then we can lay her down. Otherwise, our fussy sleeper would wake up when we swaddled her and we would have to start all over again! Adah doesn’t like to sleep very much! 🙂
As a new mom, the exception to the rule is the first two weeks! Do not attempt anything until after the first two weeks. Think of it as an adjustment period for all parties! Just relax and go with the flow!
These are really great tips, Tasha! I think the first 2 weeks are so telling. You have time to gauge what your baby likes and prefers. Amazing how different they all are!
Great post! The two things that have helped me the most are lowering my standards and putting things away when I’m done with them! Everything does not have to be perfect, and I’m not out to impress anyone. My house is tidy (usually) and not toxic, and I’m good with that! 🙂
Kelli, you sound just like me. 🙂 Find what works!
Becoming a mother is a special feeling. However when it is the first time than you panic. These tips will be so helpful for mum to be. One often wonders what to do to make the child comfortable or make him feel good. This will surely put an end to many queries. Please continue to post such useful tips.