Whether you work or are a stay-at-home-mom your time is precious. That is why time management is so important. Ironically it is the area most moms struggle the most. There are thousands of amazing free resources out there to help you out. The problem is that you don’t have the time to scour the internet for them. If you had that kind of free time you wouldn’t need the resources to begin with. That’s why I’ve created the ultimate list of time-management resources for you. Find the resources you need itemized by category to save you time and get your job done. My friend, for example, got into a bit of a housing dilemma and decided to hire a skip to move all of the rubbish out of her house. Because believe me it was a real mess! She decided to look into rubbish bin hire and she is really glad she did! It helped he manage everyhing a lot easier.

[bctt tweet=”Boss your time around with the ultimate list of time-management resources for busy moms.” username=”diyadulation”]

To-Do List

5 Tips to Dominate Your To-Do List

Dominating your to-do list doesn’t have to be hard. Find out my 5 easy tips to do it right here.

3 Tips to Catch Up on Your To-Do List

These tips from Laina at lainaturner.com are fabulous! She has a straight-forward way of kicking your behind in gear and helping you finally get caught up on your to-do list. (Disclaimer: there is some foul language on her site but it is still 100% worth your time to read.)

10 Ways to Get Ahead Even When You’re Already Late

Let’s be fair. We all get behind sometimes. We take on more than we can handle or it is simply a busy time of year. No matter the reason, Momprenuer on Fire can help. I need number one as a reminder every day.

6 Tips to Help You Cross More Items off Your To-Do List

If there is anyone who knows a little something about the importance of time management it is Sharon at momof6.com! She has 6 tips to help you out and they are all fabulous. Scheduling social media time, anyone? Be inspired by a mom who is truly doing it all.

Free Printable To-Do List

Sometimes managing your to-do list is as simple as writing it down. If you need a pretty printable to motivate you then check out this free one from Leslie at LambertsLately.com.

How to Organize a Master To-Do List with a Brain Dump

Do you have a master to-do list? Find out why you need one as well as how to create it with these awesome tips from Kelli at 3boysandadog.com!

How to Get More Done: Work Smarter Not Harder

Shonee at hawthorneandmain.com has great points to help you balance your to-do list. Find out about how she uses time-blocking to get it all done.

31 Ways to Get More Done

If you have time to delve in and really explore, these 31 ideas from Raki at outsidetheboxmom.com are inclusive. With so much juicy content you’ll want to pour yourself a glass of wine while you explore all she has to offer here.

Evenings

Establishing Your Evening Routine

What I love most about this post from Natalie at refinedroomsllc.com is that she doesn’t just focus on your routine. As a mom you are largely in charge of the entire family’s routines and she includes tips to help you manage them all.

6 Evening Rituals that Guarantee a Stress-Free Morning

Kara at Everyday Victories has great ideas for your evening to make your mornings better. I struggle the most with her tip for having a set bedtime (and not just for your kids) but it is true that it can seriously makeover your mornings. Get the rest of her tips here.

Mornings

Create a Morning Routine that Works for You

Do you hate getting up early? Maybe you just can’t seem to get to bed early enough to pull it off. Either way, I love this post from Melissa at avirtuouswoman.org because she emphasizes how to create a morning routine that works for you whether that means beating your kids to waking up or not. Only you know what works best for your family and she recognizes that.

How to Organize Your Day (For Moms)

This is another great post from Melissa at avirtuouswoman.org that covers structuring your day from morning to night. This is a fantastic resource because she includes how to structure your mornings, your cleaning schedule, and your day with kids. It doesn’t get much better than that.

After School

Creating an Afterschool Routine

This awesome resource from Natalie at refinedroomsllc.com is made even better because her tips are paired with an awesome free printable to help keep your kids on track. She covers everything from when they walk in the door to homework time so that your afterschool routine is streamlined and easy.

After School Routine Clock

This idea from Arena at kidsactivitiesblog.com is a little different than all of the others because this is actually a DIY tutorial. However, it is too genius not to include. Kids do fantastic with visual references and this routine clock is perfect for that.

Meal Planning

Creating Your Meal Planning Routine

Here’s another great post from Natalie at refinedroomsllc.com. Not only does she give you a ton of tips for creating a meal planning routine, she also gives you free printables to help you do it. Quickly see your meal options and your weekly meals at a glance.

Free Printable Weekly Meal Planners

Just looking for a free printable? Emily at myloveforwords.com has just that. No fuss, no muss, just an easy freebie to get you organized.

10 Steps to Simplify Meal Planning

These steps from Melissa at avirtuouswoman.org cover everything you need to simplify your meal planning from pantry staples to prioritizing.

Fitness

5 Tips for Finding Time to Workout

You’ll notice that there’s only one link under this. Why? Because Heather at divasrunforbling.com pretty much covers it with these 5 tips.

My Fitness Board on Pinterest

Part of fitting fitness into your schedule is finding a routine/workout that works for you. Find 30 day challenges, playground workouts, and more on DIY Adulation’s fitness board.

Balance

When God Tells You to Slow Down

Part of time-management includes finding time to relax and enjoy your family. Unfortunately we don’t always take the time to do it. When that happens, God has a way of forcing you to slow down. Find out what to do when that happens.

6 Steps to Gain Control over an Unorganized Life

Another important strategy in managing your time is being organized. It’s hard to get you to-do list done when you’re spending all of your time looking for things you need. These 6 tips from Sharon at momof6.com make it easy to implement organizational systems that save you time.

8 Reasons Me Time is Important

Why is it that the first thing that always gets cut is taking care of yourself when you run out of time? That is why you need to read this post from Ash at quirkyinspired.com. She will convince you that you can’t be your best if you don’t take care with some me time.

Secret to Living Life with More Intention and Purpose

This post from Andrea at tablerpartyoftwo.com is more about how she uses her created planner to organize her life. However, I’m including it because she offers a free daily planner printable that is seriously inclusive. It includes all of the components you need to have your day organized at your fingertips.

4 Strategies to Say No Guilt-Free

I love how Kara at Everyday Victories phrases saying no at “defending your time” because that is truly what it is. Your time is a gift but moms often treat it as an obligation that we owe to other. If you need tips for how to say no then you don’t want to miss her strategies.

10 Secrets to Getting More Done as a Full-Time Blogging Mom

Although this post from Cristi at thekeeperofthememories.com is geared towards bloggers, the advice is sound for any work-at-home mom. These are great strategies to knock-out your work and still have time to spend time with your family.

$3 DIY to Save Your Sanity

Timing is everything when it comes to time management. I have found that this one secret is perfect to help your whole family manage time effortlessly.

Tips and Planners

Tips to Organize Your Planner

My planner is seriously my lifeline. It helps me manage my time and my to-do list. Part of why it is so effective is because of how I organize it. These tips will tell you why it’s important and how to do it.

How Creating a Routine Makes Yours Day Easier

A routine is an easy way to make sure you accomplish everything you need to in one day. Find out why this is (and how to do it) with this post from Melissa at a virtuouswoman.org.

7 Essential Habits to Instantly Become a Highly Organized Mom

This is another post that covers the basics of getting your life organized. Think of it like a mini-crash course in routine, organization, and time-management. Number 6 from Kara at Everyday Victories is my favorite but they are all fantastic!

One Step to Beating that Crazy Day

Crazy days are inevitable but this tip from Momprenuer on Fire is fantastic. The best part is that it is way easier than you think.

How to Plan Your Life without Losing Your Soul

What does it mean to plan your life without losing your sole? It means that you need to plan it all, not just work and vacations. Find out more and get a free printable to help from Debbie at debbiesinshape.com.

6 Time Management Tips to Master Your Schedule

Erin from erinshebish.com points out the importance of delegation along with 5 other amazing tips to master your schedule. Don’t think that you can’t delegate because you’re a stay-at-home mom, either. Your family needs to work together to take care of things. You may be supermom but you still can’t do it alone.

Free Planning Printables

Yes, this link is to Barb’s 2016 printable planner but I’m including it because her free goal setting and to-do list printables are incredible. See all of it over at Second Chance to Dream!

Stop being overwhelmed and feeling like you’re getting nothing accomplished. This list is so inclusive that you can easily find what you need to stay productive as your life and goals evolve. Mom life is hectic but it doesn’t have to cost you a fortune to rock it! Utilize these free resources and be the queen of the playground set. Don’t forget to pin this for later so you can find it when you need more printables or have new tasks to conquer!

See where I’m linking up!

The busier you get the faster time seems to go. If you’re not organizing your time, you are losing it. A planner is the best, and might I say prettiest, way to organize your time. However, a planner can help with more than just your schedule. If you’re like me, you operate best when everything is in one place. To celebrate DIY Adulation’s first birthday, here are my tips for organizing your planner as well as a giveaway to give you all of the tools you need to do so.

Affiliate links may be used in this post. Ordering a product through these links may result in a commission. Read the full disclosure here.

 

 

[bctt tweet=”Celebrate DIY Adulation’s first birthday with tips for organizing your planner! #planner #giveaway” username=”diyadulation”]

 

Your Planner

Choose a planner that works for you. My personal favorite is the Happy Planner which I have been using for a year now. There are a ton of reasons I love it but the biggest reasons are:

1. It is easily expandable.
2. It can be folded completely in half due to its unique disc system.

 

Your Responsibilities

It is important to consider what your household responsibilities are when organizing your planner. If you take care of the cleaning and cooking in your household then you need sections in your planner for keeping track of these. With the Happy Planner, you actually have 2 options for achieving this.

1. You can buy the Home Planner set which is what I have (and totally recommend).
2. With their awesome punch, you can create your own. Simply design you planning and organizational pages. Next, punch them and place in your planner.

 

Accessories

Let’s be fair: the accessories are the most fun part of your planner. They make it unique. They make it yours. Some of the accessories I use are:

• Dashboards – These are a unique idea from Create 365. They are plastic inserts that are perfect for sticky notes and to-do lists.
• Pocket Folders – Frankly, I feel like these are a must. You definitely want folders in your planner to help you organize.
• Washi Tape – While not a necessity, washi tape makes organizing easier and prettier. I use it to block large events such as when Hubs goes to drill or when we go on vacation.
• Sticky Notes – Create 365 actually creates ones that are perfectly compatible with your Happy Planner. These are handy for a multitude of things such as your to-do list.
• Colorful Pens – I’m a little OCD when it comes to my planner so I use colorful pens to color-coordinate tasks and appointments.

 

Your Sections

At the very least, you should have monthly and weekly calendars. Put your important events on the monthly calendar so you can see everything at a glance. It is important to note that you need to make sure you move these items to your weekly calendar as soon as they come up. You don’t want to plan out your week and forget about an obligation you have.

 

Case

A case for your planner makes the entire organizational process so much easier. That is the one regret that I have. I wish I would have bought my planner case sooner. It is so convenient to have all of my supplies in one place. I’ll show you how I organize my case in a later post but for now, trust me, this is definitely worth the investment.

 

A Peek Inside My Planner

My planner has to work overtime for me. I tried having separate planners for both my blog and my personal life but it just didn’t work for me. I need everything in one place. That’s another reason that I love my Happy Planner. Now, I am more effective because everything is organized and at my fingertips.

 

My Dashboards

• I use 2 of my 3 dashboards. One holds post ideas that I want to write. The other holds appointment sticky notes and the tops items on my to-do list.

 

Monthly Calendar

• Those post ideas I talk about on my dashboards? I put those on my monthly calendar. This is excellent for bloggers especially. It allows you to rearrange your editorial calendar as necessary. For example, if a sponsored post comes up.

 

Weekly Calendar

• On the weekly calendar, I lay out my daily schedule. It is important not to do this more than a week in advance because of how quickly things on your schedule can change. The Happy Planner allows me to block my activities and responsibilities into morning, afternoon, and evening categories. This is incredibly helpful when blocking things such as doctor’s appointments and kids’ activities onto the weekly calendar.

Cleaning Schedule

• I love the daily cleaning checklist that comes with the Home Planner set. There is plenty of room for me to add my own cleaning tasks and the basic ones already included are helpful and relevant. This can be a life-saver for staying on top of the household clutter.

Meal Planner

• The last important section I include in my planner is the meal planner. It has a calendar for scheduling your meals and it also have an itemized shopping list. We like to have use a dry erase board on the fridge for our grocery list so, instead, I use the shopping list to keep track of what we have available for meals. It is my pantry and freezer list.

 

The Home Planner set also includes a budget section. If you do yours on pen and paper, this is excellent. I keep track of ours electronically so this isn’t a section used in my planner. One last thing I want to point out is that your can get expander rings to enlarge your planner (you can see mine in the photos above). These are perfect when you need a lot of items in your planner, like me. Whew! That was a lot of information to cover and those are just the highlights. It is time for the birthday celebration, though, so here it is! Help celebrate the One Year Anniversary of DIY Adulation where you could get the gifts. Enter for your chance to win the basic necessities to start organizing your time and responsibilities below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

See where I’m linking up!