Keeping Organized with Young Kids and Busy Jobs
Most of us are familiar with the movie called Dude, Where’s My Car?—and while we’ve never actually lost our car, we’ve definitely had moments where the question feels uncomfortably close to home.
Because when you’re raising two very mobile little humans, items in your house tend to… wander.
Real-life examples from our week:
Q: “Jana, where are my keys?”
A: In the bathtub—thankfully without water this time.
Q: “Dan, where’s my purse?”
A: Which one? You bring a hundred bags to work.
Q: “Daddy, where’s my other shoe?”
A: In the dog crate. Don’t ask us how.
The Morning Rush is a Tightrope Act
For working parents, getting everyone out the door is part logistics, part negotiation, part triage. You’re packing lunches, finding missing homework, convincing your toddler to wear pants, and checking your email before your first meeting—usually all at once.
Some things are laughable - like realizing your shoe is in the dog crate. Other things? Not so much. Misplacing your wallet, your keys, or a permission slip minutes before you need to leave the house can turn an already hectic morning into pure chaos.
Over the past few years, we’ve figured out a few strategies that keep our household functioning - and keep us sane(ish).
Our Go-To Organization Hacks
Take care of important tasks immediately: This has been a game-changer. When the car registration renewal comes in the mail, we handle it that day—before it can end up in a “to-do later” pile that magically never gets smaller. Same goes for bills, mobile check deposits, or signing a school form. If it can be done in five minutes or less, we do it right away.
Have a few really good hiding spots: We’re not talking about “hide the Halloween candy from the kids” kind of spots—we mean strategic locations for things you cannot lose. For example, our couch has a secret compartment where we keep remotes and chargers. The kids haven’t found it (yet!), which feels like a parenting win.
Keep backup gear for the essentials: There’s nothing worse than realizing you’ve lost your sunglasses again—right before you’re running out the door. We’ve learned to keep at least one spare pair of inexpensive but durable sunglasses on hand. We’re big fans of Goodr—they’re stylish, affordable, and come in colors both parents and kids can agree on.
Why This Matters
Being “organized” as parents doesn’t mean we have a color-coded pantry or that our home looks like a minimalist dream. It means we’ve built small habits that help us function better, avoid daily panic, and most importantly, spend more time being present with our kids instead of frantically looking for the missing shoe.
We still have days where the wheels fall off. But having a few systems in place means that when the inevitable chaos hits, we can roll with it a little easier.
And if you ever visit and find a car key in our bathtub… just know, that’s probably intentional.