5 steps to being more organised in 2017

Step 1: Create a Cleaning Schedule

If you're like me and clean all willy-nilly and need to have company over just to make you clean, a schedule is just the trick you need to start January off on the right foot! I keep telling myself to stick to a weekly schedule, so I finally took time to research it online and found a wealth of different plans. Browse around and find one suited to your personality - mine must be detailed, but simple and achievable because cleaning is really the last thing I want to do!

Step 2: Make a Weekly Meal Plan

A friend of mine has been doing this for years and swears by it. It sounds like a lot of extra work to me, but when I think of how much energy and time I waste deciding on what's for dinner each night, the planning doesn't sound so bad anymore! And once your meals are planned out, it's even easier to compile your grocery lists and be extra organized in the kitchen. A weekly menu planner with grocery list is the perfect solution to your meal prep woes.

Step 3: Dust Off Your Crockpot and Stock Your Freezer

If you have hectic afternoons and evenings, a slow cooker may be your true salvation. They free up a lot of your time and by using mainly fresh ingredients cooked at a low temperature for a long period of time, they retain nutrition-rich, natural juices from vegetables and meats. Try hearty, warming soups, immune-boosting bone broths and kid-friendly recipes for Sloppy Joes and Teriyaki chicken in your crockpot, and don't forget to make double batches so there are leftovers to freeze for another day.

Step 4: Downsize and De-Clutter

After the holidays, have your family go through toy bins, drawers and closets. Tell them they need to make room for the new stuff they received by giving older items they no longer use to goodwill. Also, when taking your Christmas decorations down, make note of what you didn't put up last year. It's more than likely you won't use them again this year either, so add them to the donation bin, too.

Step 5: Involve Your Children More Often

I know it's easier to do things yourself, but keep trying to involve your kids in chores and cooking whenever you can. Make chore charts and delegate tasks at mealtimes. It takes time and persistence, but it is so worth the effort, for you and them. All of a sudden, you'll feel liberated when you don't have to unload the dishwasher for the millionth time or fold the laundry and dust the living room alone. Your family will operate better as a team and your children will learn valuable life skills.

Source: Kristen Wint