I often joke that I used to be organized before I had kids and it’s true.

Clutter, inconsistency, and not so great time management: these are my organizational fails.

Now what am I doing right?

I’ve become a pro at saying no to projects, both on the school volunteer front and for my blog and elsewhere, and I generally limit the girls to one activity outside school. I’m woefully inconsistent, however, in other areas. I tend to traipse all over the place when it comes to home management, whether it’s our budget or grocery shopping (thank God my husband doesn’t mind grocery shopping or cooking but he works about 85 billion hours a week) or laundry. I’m pretty gung ho right now about planning our meals, but I’ve joked with hubby about how long that will last.

Perhaps the first step to consistent organization is owning up to my slacker ways.

Mama like (from Ballard Designs).

Here are some helpful posts about organization, productivity, and products:

• I know Christmas is over and you super organized people packed your decorations the nanosecond December 26 rolled around, but for those of us procrastinators who still need to take down the tree (yes I have managed to pack away everything else), Penelope Loves  Lists has a great post about holiday organization products.
• Love these storage sacks made from recycled coffee bags at Henry Road (via Busy Bee Lifestyle).
• Great advice on paper clutter from Stephanie Calahan guest blogging at Organize With Sandy. Paper clutter is one of my biggest issues (nothing makes me happier than the zum zum zum of our mondo paper shredder.)
• I bought a magnetic dry erase calendar for our fridge last fall from The Container Store and it’s really helped us stay on track of the girls’ obligations for school, soccer, and Girl Scouts.
• This vinyl chalkboard wall decal from Urban Outfitters would be a great family message center.
• Love this magnetic meal planning pad for the refrigerator from Whoops Bunny, although I do not need one more thing on our fridge.
• The Clutter Diet Blog has a great article about creative ways to say no. I’ve made great strides in the past year determining what projects are worth focusing on and what to turn down.
• Love these colorful storage boxes on sale at Land of Nod. My younger daughter is a pack rat and I like that these are semi-translucent so you can see your junk, er, treasures.
• These Orleans Wire Baskets on sale at Ballard Designs would be pretty in a bathroom or kitchen or on a desk.
• This book, Absolutely Organized: A Mom’s Guide to a No-Stress Schedule and Clutter-Free  Home, is now on my Amazon wish list
• Great post from 2009 on Simple Organized Life about reducing memento clutter by taking photos. This is something I really struggle with, especially when the girls bring home tons of cute pictures, artwork, papers, etc.
• Centsational Girl has a fun guest post by Cristin Bee featuring stylish planners. If you’re going to be organized, you might as well be stylish!

Have you found something fabulous to help you get organized? Let me know in the comments.

Disclosure: Affiliate link used.