Reddit reviews Smead Cascading Wall Organizer, 6 Pockets, Letter Size, Gray/Bright (92060)

It's probably going to be really dependent on what needs to be prioritized. At 4...she may be able to do some chores with supervision, but obviously I wouldn't rely on her for major tasks that you expect to be done in a timely manner. (I will link a few things, they're just basic Amazon links so you can see what I'm talking about.)

For my house (family of 5) the first thing is making sure EVERYTHING we need for the next day is ready to go. On Sunday nights each kid pulls 5 outfits out with socks and stacks them in their closet in something like this (one kid has one for sweaters, but another has one with smaller cubbies, not sure where it came from or what it's original purpose was but it works fine). This helps us in a few ways. First - clothes are already decided. No take-backs. No crying. No, "BUT I WANTED TO WEAR THE PINK DRESSSSSUGH!" The pink dress can go in the rotation for the next week. Also, you can see what kind of laundry you will need to do for the next week. One of our kids has 3 weeks of outfits before we need to wash clothes...but we can see in her drawer when just one set of clothing is left that we need to focus on her laundry (she's the youngest, older kids often do their own laundry as needed). Also - any special "spirit" week clothes can be picked out in advance. If you realize that you are missing an item for one day you have a good warning and can get it in place in time.

Backpacks packed, lunchboxes in the fridge, everything signed and ready. It may take time to create a habit for a particular time...we were trying to do it in the run-up to bedtime, but it just got too hectic. I started doing it as soon as we were home from school. This way, in the morning you wake up, take care of hygiene, eat, get dressed, pick up your stuff, and walk out the door. My kids eat breakfast at school now so we can literally be ready in 15 minutes if we absolutely had to.

I have this file-folder system on the wall next to the front door. There is a clear pocket in the front...right now I have the school calendar in that. The older kids each have 1 pocket, the younger kid has 3...though technically one is for me to store important papers we may need to refer back to (permission slips that have dates, times, and instructions on them, for example). But when each kid gets home we go through the backpack, homework is started, I start signing agendas, looking over notes, etc. At the end of the homework, everything goes back into the backpack, then the backpack goes by the door. I use tons of 3M hooks to make it easier to keep stuff together. The youngest kid has one for a backpack and another for her jacket. There is one on the side of her bed for pajamas. The big kids have them in their room for hanging headphones and various electronic cables. I would rather have a million hooks than a kid goes, "But I lost it b/c I left it on my bed and then someone washed my sheeeeets!"

I also put these shoe organizers over every door that can handle it. Low pockets for kids, high pockets for parents. It makes it easier to clean (usually) because if something doesn't belong in the room...I am for sure too lazy to walk one single thing across the house. I will put it in this (if it fits) and then once a week (or so) we can take what belongs to us, put it away, or put it in the room it goes in. This way I don't feel like I'm constantly running back and forth all the time. And it's off the floor, so if you decide NOT to deal with it - the house can still be neat without a hassle.

At night - dishwasher always gets run...yes even if it's not totally full (though with a family of 5, that is rare). Because at least in the morning I can empty it while the kids are getting ready for school and now it's ready for the daytime dishes...or I can even put in some big pots and pans that didn't fit the night before and run those so they're ready in time for dinner.

I have a timer on my washing machine. I put the load in with detergent then set it to run about 60-80 minutes before I get home (it's a fancy machine and usually takes at least 90 minutes to do a full load). This way I may hear it buzz just after getting home and can take the clothes out of the washer. So I can always do at least 1 load a day and laundry doesn't pile up too much. I've done soaking loads overnight as needed. I also keep a dedicated bucket in the laundry room so if I need to pre-soak just a few items or kid t-shirts or something I can put them in the bucket with some water and detergent or pre-treater. Then I put the bucket on top of the freezer...b/c I use my freezer every night (I like ice) and it reminds me that those things need to go in with a load.

I do *minor* meal prep. If I am making lasagna I just double ingredients and make two (it's super easy) then cook one and freeze the other. When I go grocery shopping I always buy a jar of sauce and box of pasta or a frozen pizza...this way if dinner gets ruined (like the time a kid turned the temp up while I was in the bathroom) I can have food on the table in 15 minutes or less and we don't have to try and drive out for fast food. If I'm cooking ground beef...I can double or triple it, then portion it into quart size baggies for later meals.

I also plan for 5 dinner meals each week...but have the same breakfast and lunch each week. So I might decide oatmeal for breakfast this week, with turkey sandwiches and a small green salad for lunch (for me at least, the kids again, have switched to school lunches for the most part). Then 5 different meals. Often they tend to share a spice palate or some ingredients so I don't buy a large container of X and then use one portion and have it leftover forever. Then the 2 nights I don't have a meal planned...we can reheat leftovers, get take out, make sandwiches (there is always bread, peanut butter, and jelly) or find something frozen to heat up. This reduces our food waste and makes sure that I don't have a lot of extras in the house that we might not use. I buy exactly 1 onion b/c only 1 recipe needs an onion, for example. If you have a list - it's a lot easier to get exactly what you need. Some of my local stores are also doing grocery pick up now where they get it ready and I just pull up and get handed bags. Most don't charge extra for this for now. But a few do - but sometimes the few bucks are worth not having to spend an hour in the grocery store. You can use that hour at home for something else.

I find trying to create a hard and fast schedule only seems to make me frustrated if I don't accomplish something or get behind. So being organized about the tasks I need to do helps create a less stressful schedule. Does that make sense? And sometimes...yeah, the laundry needs to be done, but just doing this one load tonight before bed will mean we have clothes in the morning and I have some time to work out how to get the rest of it taken care of.

100% suggest these for turn-in/ graded papers. Just put mine up with 5lb command strips and already love them!
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00H0FJLZS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Gonna start with this one first! Ordered one of these: Smead Cascading Wall Organizer, 6 Pockets, Letter Size, Gray/Bright (92060) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00H0FJLZS/ref=cm_sw_r_taa_T5oqybZQEF15C

"Pimp my cube, /u/quinnundine!" "OKAY /u/kickballa!"

• Letter tray! super cute and can free up all of that paper cluttler on your desk! :) Plus to can spray paint them different colours!
  
  
• Desk Mat! Available in an assortment of colours!
  
  
• Hanging wall filer! More decluttering papers! Super light weight, also full of pops of colour!
  
  
• These colourful clipon lamps are cute! :)
  
  
• Decorative folders! Manilla is so BLAHHHHHH
  
  
• Andddd a set of 6 cute little purse holders!