What makes a happy home in the eyes of an organizer? In this blog post, I’m sharing what my typical day looks like, but more importantly, I’m sharing how I organize my home and life to support my day-to-day activities.
Keep reading for a day in the life of a professional home organizer!
Day in the Life of a Professional Home Organizer Creating a Happy Home
Are you curious how other people spend their time? I think it’s human nature to want a peek behind the curtain. Surely, you’ll learn the secret to a happy home, right? While I’m certainly not claiming to have a perfect home, I’m proud to say we have a happy home.
My Morning Routine
I don’t have an elaborate morning routine, but the one non-negotiable is that I must wake up before my family for a bit of peace and quiet. If I don’t, I’m a grumpy zombie. It’s the truth.
I use the Hatch Alarm Clock and if anything happens to it, I will buy another one immediately. It has the most peaceful sounds to wake up to and even has a light feature to mimic the sunrise.
The best part is that I don’t have to have my phone by the bed. I love waking up to a gentle sound rather than a blaring alarm.
I would love to say that my peace and quiet time is spent reading a book or meditating over an herbal tea, but I actually read coffee with creamer and watch TV. My husband and I watch very different TV shows; morning is my time!
I love period shows and supportive female casts with minimal drama. I’m currently watching Hacks, The Crown, Girls on the Bus, and Grace and Frankie (for the second time).
After about 30-45 minutes, I wake the kids, fix them a quick breakfast, and prepare lunches before they go to school! I want our mornings to be pleasant, so I wake the kids so they have plenty of time to soak in bed or do what they need to prepare for their day.
My Mid-Day Routine
My work day changes a lot throughout the year based on the season. Once the kids are at school, I work until about lunchtime. I’m most focused and alert during the morning, so I handle the most complex tasks.
These days, work looks like networking, working with clients in my marketing company and The Simplified Island, writing blog posts, doing administrative tasks, meeting with the teams, etc.
I try to do some type of physical activity around late morning and follow that with a yummy lunch. I love to walk outside and do strength workouts in the Peloton app.
When I can attend an in-person class, I love Lynette’s yoga classes at The View at Sugarloaf!
Leftovers are my jam, and I count on them for my lunches during the week.
I have about another hour or two of focused work before I get in the carpool line. I always have an easy task to do in the carpool line. It’s when I make doctor appointments, return a call, or do other tasks that don’t require a lot of focused thought. If I need a brain break, I’ll take a book or cue up an easy-listening podcast.
When the kids get home, they have their own routines. I may have to remind them, but they know to empty their lunch bags, unload any papers I need to see, and hang up their backpacks. We have drop zones to make this very simple for them and so things are in their place when I need them the following morning.
I may do more work while they do homework, play outside, or chill out with a video game. Then we prepare dinner and wind down!
My Evening Routine
Similar to the morning, my evening routine is pretty simple. My husband and I may watch a show but generally, I read. I love historical fiction and autobiographies. Because I’m an early riser, I tend to go to bed early too.
My day is very full and can be intense, so I keep my mornings and evenings low-key. I used to feel guilty for not staying up later with my husband or not sliding in on some chores, but in this season of life, I’m tired at the end of the day!
Creating a Routine for a Happy Home
Routines don’t have to be complicated to be precisely what you need. Think about what fuels you and do that. If you’re slow to wake up like me, the morning may not be a great time to journal or read complicated books.
I love to wake up before my family, but that may be hard for you if you have toddlers who rise with the sun!
Take note of when you feel your best during the day and when you feel drained. Can you create little resets during the tired times to boost your energy or spirit? When you find something that works, create a routine around that.
I love to exercise around 11 am. I know it’s an odd time, but I’m usually done with my morning work sprint and need physical activity. That bit of activity, followed by lunch, is precisely what I need to have an energized afternoon.
Embrace the Season You Are In
Let your routine flow with the season you’re in. My ultimate luxury is a morning that doesn’t require an alarm clock. While I love to get up before my family during the school year, I take advantage of summer to sleep in a little or wake up early and read in bed. It feels like a vacation!
Consider having a morning routine for different days of the week or times of the year. A routine doesn’t have to be strict.
To have a happy home in the morning, set yourself up for success the night before. Think about the tasks you do in the morning that you could do the night before. We make lunches in the morning, but I know plenty of people who prepare school lunches the evening before because it works better for them.
You may need to lay out clothes for yourself or your kids the night before to have a smoother morning. Or maybe knowing where the kids’ shoes are is enough to get out of the house quickly. (Why do shoes love to disappear?!)
This applies to meal prepping and making sure you have food options for lunch! We prepare more dinner than we need knowing that I will eat leftovers for lunch the next day. It makes having a nutritious meal so much easier during a workday.
An Organized Home is a Happy Home
Organize your home so you can easily find things you need. A home that is organized runs more smoothly.
First, ensure the items you use regularly are easily accessible and not cluttered by other things.
Second, create drop zones to hold items that are frequently moving in and out of your home. Third, set expectations for your kids, so they know what needs to be done when they get home. It won’t be perfect, but they’ll get it!
Follow your energy flow. This is one I’m constantly working on and tweaking. Sometimes we have to do things when we don’t feel like it.
For the things you have control over, do them when it makes sense for your energy levels during the day. Know when it’s best to do critical thinking and when you need some activity.
The most important thing to remember is to stay flexible. Try different routines and see how they feel.
Give a new routine a week or two, and try something else if you don’t like it! I’m so excited about what you think!
Need Some Help Creating an Organized Home Experience?
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Let our professional home organizers guide you through personalized solutions that work for your lifestyle.
Contact us to learn more and schedule your consultation today. Your happy home awaits!
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