UHeart Organizing: Sanity Saving Home Stations

There are definitely some organizational systems that create a positive impact on daily life, while others are a nice touch, convenient and helpful at times.  It is always important to first focus on your daily routine, and put together stations or systems that fit that routine and phase of life.  From there, slowly chip away at those random bins in the garage and boxes in the attic.

Today, Megan is stopping in from Honey We're Home to share four systems she uses on a daily basis that ultimately streamlines her routine.  Just putting in 15 minutes here or there to create simple stations can truly reduce stress instantaneously.  I really hope that seeing her simple stations will make you stop and think about your day, and consider areas of your home that can be set up for smoother mornings, afternoons and evenings.  It really got me thinking about what solutions in our own home have helped us more than any others, and what hot spots we still need to tackle.  And while Megan and I have you thinking about your daily stations, I will also be back tomorrow to chat more about specific actions and steps that can be taken on the weekends to combat a busy week.

Hi friends! It's so good to be back here sharing a few organization tidbits from my life lately.  Things have been extra busy around here with the addition of our sweet baby girl, Jordan Nicole.  It's hard to believe she's almost three months old, but my body believes it.  The round-the-clock feedings are definitely wearing on me, so hopefully she cuts out one of the middle of the night feedings soon! We're also busy with our six year-old son, James, so it's a bit like living in two worlds with their days and needs being so very different at this point.  At least we have a good routine for getting him to school on time.  I'm definitely not able to do as much as I used to with the differing demands, but I've sort of made peace with it and now just try to accomplish the most important thing each day.

Today, I'm sharing 4 ways we've organized things in our home to help make the days run smoother. These little organizational processes add up to a more sane mama and every little bit of organization helps!


COFFEE/TEA STATION 

Can I just get an Amen for coffee?!  I always begin my mornings with a fresh cup of hot coffee and my doctor approved two cups a day while pregnant and breastfeeding. I would be a whole lot crankier without that cup of Joe.  I created a coffee station on our kitchen counter and it's a great way to start the day.  We keep our whole beans decanted in a big glass jar right by the coffee maker, since our coffee maker grinds automatically.  I typically empty two bags of beans into it at at time and the jar has a seal to keep the beans fresh, which means I don't have to refill it as often.

I sometimes opt for tea, so I keep those tea bags handy in a small decorative bowl, along with some sweetener. Since my hubby uses sugar in his coffee, we keep that decanted nearby also, along with the to-go cups he likes to use on some mornings. The little fox spoon rest is a cute decorative (and functional) touch that keeps the coffee drippings contained after a good stir.


DIAPER ORGANIZATION

Of course, with a baby on board we've got to keep plenty of diapers on standby.  I may have baby amnesia because I don't remember changing that many diapers with my son! When we built our home about six years ago, we had this media center built-in and it definitely comes in handy for extra storage.

We dedicated one drawer to diapers, wipes and burp cloths and now we can easily access them when needed, but they are out of site.

STAIR BUCKETS

Our home is a two-story and there are always things that need to go back upstairs to their proper places. I used to just pile things on the steps, and was forever carrying piles of things upstairs.  And it seemed like I was the only one.  Are the piles invisible to everyone else?!  Tell me I'm not alone on this one ladies.  I finally got smarter and added stair buckets from Target and labeled them with a Sharpie.

Each person in our house has a bucket (I share with my husband since he doesn't seem to accumulate much) and there's an extra one specifically for laundry.  It's handy because we know where to deliver each bucket when it gets full (and you'd be surprised at how often they get full)!  The goal is to empty them each night, but I have to admit, these have sat full for about a week! Ugh! At least the piles are contained now.

BATTERY STORAGE

With an active household and toys and electronics that are forever requiring battery changes, we store them in a wooden silverware divider in our media cabinet.  The dividers on the wooden tray make perfect battery organization and we can see how many we have.  I think we were buying duplicates before which is how we ended up with so many.

Even while I was typing this post from my newly redecorated home office, I had to change the batteries on both my mouse and the computer keyboard! 

I hope these little organizational tips help you in your own home.  Are there stations set up in your home that keep your sanity in check each day?

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My name is Megan and I am a lawyer by day, design and decor lover by night, and Mama to the sweetest 2-year old boy you've ever seen. I'm passionate about fitness (and chocolate!) and could not live without my relationships, girl talk, and my morning coffee. I've been blogging for two years over at Honey We're Home, sharing my love of keeping things organized and beautiful at our house. My efforts to live in the moment and cook more are an adventure in progress.