Our Organized Family Drop Spot

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Annnnd just like that we are a week into January. I hope everyone has eased into the new year without too much pain after the holiday break. I think we can all agree that getting back into a routine was ROUGH! And is anyone else kind of wondering if Christmas break even happened? It was all such a blur, the twinkly lights and lazy mornings feel like just a wonderful dream at this point.

Well we all count down the days to Christmas…and as nice as it was to spend so much time with the family, I think we all count down the days until the kids are back in school to get back in the swing of things. After being on break for a couple weeks, I know everyone is ready to refocus on routines and eating healthy.

So today I thought I would share our organized family drop spot and how this has become SUCH an important part of keeping my crew organized. Basically I don’t think we would make it out the door on time anywhere if we didn’t have this drop spot to serve as a corral of all the things.

Oh, you know the things. If you are like me, the things can quickly swallow your house.

The bags, the coats, the lunch box, the diaper bag, the purses, the leash, the briefcase, the hats, the gloves…

I could go on and on.

After months of bags and coats strewn about the dining room table it finally occurred to me that unless we created a place for these items to live, we would be in the perpetual state of chaos.  Enter Our Organized Family Drop Spot. This is one of those DUH! epiphanies. If there is no place it belongs, it will always be out of place. Our solution is a great set of lockers we found at the local Ballard outlet. Now this is where we drop all of our things on the way in the door- a.k.a- my lifesaver.

(**Disclaimer: THE SHOES. Ohhhhh. The shoes. If I had a quarter for every time I ask “where are your shoes” every day I could splurge on some new throw pillows. Please tell me I am not alone. )

We bought this locker when we were a family of 3 but it has actually worked out well for the boys to share one locker. I have my own, and so does the Big Sweet. Then on top I use one basket to corral the gloves, mittens, hats. (in the summer it holds citronella candles, bubbles and bug spray since it’s close to the deck) The other basket is a holding ground for random clutter- items to return to the store, or maybe a dish that needs to be returned to a neighbor, a scarf I borrowed from my Mom that I need to give back. The basket on the floor is a shoe corral and the drawers below serve as storage. Since we don’t have a designated mudroom, this organized family drop spot set-up really helps to maintain “all the things” (and my sanity).

So this week as we have gotten back into our routine, I cleared the clutter out of this drop spot that had collected over the break and got us geared up for the hectic mornings. Because let’s face it, mornings are crazy no matter what. But at least now I can just grab our coats and bags and some belVita Breakfast Biscuits for an on-the-go breakfast and we head out to the carpool line.

We love belVita Breakfast Biscuits and I found a big variety at Target. I was first introduced to these by accident this past summer when Sweet baby B had an ear infection. We were out of town (of course, isn’t that when it always happens?) and my Dad came to the doctor with me. Well of course, the wait was much longer than we thought so we needed a bite to eat. belVita for the win! The baby LOVED them and so did I. We have been hooked ever since.

I am loving the Banana Bread these days. Sweet B loves the little bite size Mixed Berry ones and Sweet P likes the Blueberry. These are great for breakfast in the carpool line if we are running late. I keep these in my purse, diaper bag, car- you name it. Mom to the rescue!

Do you have any tricks for keeping your crew organized? Do you have an organized family drop spot? Even if you don’t have a mudroom, I think a space like this can be created in any unused nook or hallway. I’d love to hear about it!

xoxo-

Heather