Tips to Help New Moms Stay Organized
By Kimberly McCool

A place for everything, and everything in its place.

That old saying is so true. I know this because I am living proof that the opposite doesn't work. I am just now getting my house organized. I was so stubborn and cynical about all those "organizing" tips and products. It took a long time to convince me, but here are a few things that turned my cluttered house back into a home by the time baby number three appeared.

• Diaper Changing "station". Keep diapers, wipes, ointment, and a change of clothes in one location. In error, I thought keeping a stash of supplies in every room would be convenient. I couldn't keep up inventory on everything in every room, I would end up running in another room for ointment one time, wipes the next, you get the picture.
• Keep baby's laundry separate. My former laundry habit was to throw everything into the hamper and sort it out later. This time, I made a special effort to sort baby togs before they hit the laundry room. Babies generate a lot of dirty blankets, onesies, sleepers, burp-cloths, and crib sheets. You may find yourself out of something, and need to wash a small load ASAP.
• One diaper bag, packed and ready to go. The principal here is similar to the "station" example, except this one is mobile. When you tuck baby in at night, stock the diaper bag with two of everything you need (something always gets left at grandma's), and you'll be ready to go in the morning.
• Pick one thing, and make it your routine to clean it. For example, it always bugs me to have the couch cushions in disarray. So, even if the rest of the house is a disaster, I will straighten the couches before I go to bed. (Seriously, I can't sleep if I know they are messed up.) Add one thing at a time to your routine when you have formed a habit.
• Resist the urge to get more stuff. More is not always better. Challenge yourself to get along with the least amount of toys, clothes, shoes, books, decorative items, and etc.

Take care of what you've got, put things where they belong, and you will sleep like a baby!