Beating the morning madness with IKEA
This post is sponsored by IKEA. All items were gifted and we were compensated for our time. All words and opinions are my own.
One of the biggest questions I’m asked by other parents, usually when eyeing up my gaggle of kids incredulously on the school yard each morning, is how do you ever get to school on time?? And whilst I don’t claim to be an expert, and nor am I immune from that chaotic five minutes just before we leave the house each morning, what I have learned in fifteen years of parenting is that organisation is key.
I haven’t always been organised. Infact I’d go as far as saying, in most aspects of my life, I’m still highly disorganised (just ask Gaz!), but last year when Harry joined Lewis, Eva and Megan at school, I realised that unless I upped my game I was in serious danger of being late for school five days a week. I knew that with twenty uniforms to wash and iron each week (I dream of the day we get two wears out of one jumper), four pairs of shoes to clean, PE kits to pack, homework to do, reading to practice, hair to sort and little teeth to clean, I was going to have to conduct a military operation and make sure that each child took responsibility for their own part.
Thanks to IKEA and their fantastic range of furniture, accessories and storage solutions, I’ve been prepping the children for when September comes around and the madness starts all over again.
Keep it all in one place
The biggest lesson I’ve learned over the last few years is that if your home isn’t organised, the chances are your life won’t be either. We found that making sure the children each had a large, multifunctional wardrobe was a real starting point and meant we could separate their school items from their day to day wear and have everything right there in one place.
We have the PAX Wardrobe for the girls which offers hanging space, shelves and easy pull out see through drawers so the girls can clearly see what’s inside and get dressed themselves without causing too much mess! Plus with everything put away in the wardrobes each night there’s no mad panic looking for that missing shoe or a lost PE kit!
With the girls sharing a room I love that the PAX Wardrobe is big enough for the two of them, especially as they grow. IKEA has some amazing furniture ranges and I’ve already got my eye on the STUVA range for Harry’s new bedroom!
Sundays are for sorting
Every Sunday I give myself a couple of hours to make sure that each child has five uniforms washed and ironed (or at least washed….) in their wardrobes all lined up ready for the coming week. I won’t lie, there are Sundays when I just can’t be bothered but I also know that once it’s done, it’s done. I usually stick on my favourite tv show or put my best friend on speaker phone and plough through it so I know that for the rest of the week I can relax when the kids are in bed.
Get a peg board
One of the biggest things we found which has helped each child take responsibility for their own morning routine is using peg boards. We used to have just one peg board in the kitchen but recently decided to get each child a peg board for their bedrooms which we update each week so they know exactly what they need and on which day. With four children there is always something to be prepared for – after school clubs, swimming, craft classes, sports practice, play dates or parties – and I try to encourage them to take responsibility for each of their kits and equipment, even at a young age.
We use the SKADIS Pegboard Combination which not only means you can hang little notes as reminders, but you can even peg small items you need to remember such as keys and mobiles or, in the children’s cases, glasses, pencils and party invitations.
The accessories are easy to fix anywhere on the board and you can move them around however you like, easily switching them up depending on what you need to peg that week. The peg boards are wall mountable (using fixing devices sold separately) and luckily ours fits perfectly inside the PAX wardrobe so that every time the girls open it to get ready for school they can cross check against the peg board and make sure they know exactly what to pack in their rucksacks.
Make it easy
When it comes to encouraging kids to organise themselves in the morning, I find that it’s best to just make it as easy as possible. In the PAX wardrobe I love that the built-in drawers are perfect for sectioning off everything the children need to get ready for the day ahead.
Although each uniform is hung ready and waiting, each drawer also contains underwear, socks or tights, cardigans or jumpers, and shorts and t-shirts for sports clubs and PE.
Use storage solutions for all the extras
Keeping with our plan of putting everything in the same place, I find that using storage solutions within the children’s wardrobes is a great way to compartmentalise everything the children need for the day ahead, not just their uniforms. We love the TJENA range from IKEA with so many colourful and practical storage ideas which easily slot into wardrobes, shelves and desks.
Each of the girls has a TJENA storage box with a lid where they store their homework, notebooks, reading books and library books and each night everything goes back into that box. They also have a second box each for small accessories such as gloves, pencil cases and hair bands. It saves a lot of hunting for lost items, arguing over which book belongs to which child, and also avoids cluttering up their rooms with small items.
I love that the TJENA range is a really affordable way of organising your storage and with so many fun designs and colours to choose from you can switch them up to change your colour scheme.
Of course, I’m not going to lie to you, there are days when the kids forget to put their things in their boxes, or we get confused over who is at which club, and which day is PE for which child. But, for the most part, our routine works really well for us and although there are weeks when I feel like giving in to the chaos, and although there are days when it takes all of my will power to drag the ironing board out of the cupboard, I know that sticking to our routine makes our lives a whole lot easier and when September comes around I will be prepped and ready!
oh my goodness i def need something like this for my daughter who starts kindergarten TOMORROW ha. this closet is so great to keep everything together for your girls! Sundays are def my day to get everything prepped and ready for the week too to make the day go a bit smoother– at least monday ha
Now those are some amazingly organised spaces! It looks like you have a plan underway for the back to school time already! Good luck!
My boys need new dressers. I need to look at Ikea for them as I like this one.
Oh you have some really good ways to stay organized. The peg board is clever and I really like the storage system for school supplies.
Our son has the PAX wardrobe too, it’s brilliant. I’m always looking for ways to keep his bedroom tidy so these ideas are great, thank you!
I love these ideas! IKEA has some great stuff. They just built one like 30 minutes away. I need to go and pick up some things.
I really love the built in drawers in the wardrobe. I bet they make things a lot easier.
My boys need new dressers in a bad way. I should look into these instead. Looks so much more organized than any dresser would. And I love the accessories!
I love Ikea! They have the cutest stuff there. I am so overdue for a trip back there.
Love all the storage options IKEA has. We need to redo the kids’ closets to make them more organized.
Ikea is truly a MAGICIAN when it comes to being NEAT AND TIDY! I just love their innovative designs!!!
You guys are so incredibly organized! Love the storage that you went with. Looks great and the decor is so nice.
IKEA is the place to go when you need to pick up items to keep your house neat and organized. Your girls’ closet is perfect! I love that everything they would need is within reach! You did a good job!
Love how organised this is – you guys are going to be owning back to school Laura! x
I think IKEA is a really wonderful brand. I don’t have kids, but I can already see how this wardrobe could be useful for my daughter. Great job! 🙂
So many great tips here! My eldest daughter starts school this September, which I can barely believe so I’m trying to gain all the tips I can prior to September 🙂
If my room was big enough, I would TOTALLY be buying a PAX Wardrobe. I love IKEA’s PAX systems. They’re so nice, clean cut, and have the coolest storage.
I love all the organization ideas in here. I don’t like seeing clutter and those storage ideas are awesome. I will have to go to Ikea again.
We are fighting this battle in our home. There just isn’t enough useful storage so things end up all over the place. IKEA is the perfect option for families. There’s a perfect balance of grown-up style and kid-friendly designs.
I love Ikea and all of their organizing tools. The peg board with hanging baskets looks awesome.
Who doesn’t love IKEA! We also have to be super organised in the mornings, with work and school. Love the idea of the boxes with individual bits and pieces in.
You guys are so well organized and prepared! Your kiddos are absolutely adorable. I love these wardrobes — they make compartmentalizing so easy. IKEA’s furniture really is great quality for the price!
I just have two kids, and trying to get them ready and out the door on time can be a bit trying. I love the peg boards and will have to pick one up for each of my boys! My youngest will be in kindergarten next year, and since the schools don’t use uniforms, I need to get planning in advance to speed up the mornings!
I love all of this and how organized it is. I need more organization in my home. I just love all these ideas, and I also love Ikea. Great place to get a lot of items.
I love shopping at IKEA! It is so fun just to walk through their store, although I never leave empty handed.
Ikea makes such great kid’s furniture. I also love all their organizational tools. It helps keep everything in its place for easy access.
You are so organised for school! I can barely drag myself out of bed in the mornings for the school run and then I have to run and get the train to work. I am actually enjoying the summer holiday without the school run stress.
I love that you’re having them take responsibility sooner rather than later. Such a great idea. These wardrobes look very handy as well.
I wish I was as organised as this! I could really do with organising my kids’ bedrooms and getting some new furntiure soon
I so need this for Eliza, she can not keep her room organised for love nor money
Wow, that is a great closet, I might need to take a trip to Ikea and organize my son’s closet too
I love Ikea and I haven’t been there in a while.It is time I go there. You seem to have everything so well organized. You kids are so adorable! I too love getting everything ready for the week on Sunday. That makes my week so much easier.
What a neat room for the kids! I wish I can declutter some more so that we can have a clearer room. We need more space. And my mind gets jumbled with all the mess. But I am getting there. A few more weekends. hehe
Gotta love IKEA! And those boxes are so pretty! I know my kids would love the peg board!
I can see you are organised and set for the crazy school runs. I try to stay on top of mine by getting the uniforms and all the bits sorted on Saturday/Sunday too!
I miss IKEA. Love the bins and the board and the Beanie Boos look happy on the shelf!
I have to say I am a real fan of Ikea and I love how practical and stylish and also useful their products are – certainly makes organising spaces easier
Laura x
We are in need for an Ikea trip!! Love them organised bits .
Omg, I’m in awe of all that you do! Wow, it’s kind of exhausting just thinking about it but your tips are brilliant. I particularly love the idea of each child having a peg board, this is such a cool idea because, as you say, they can start to take responsibility themselves. Their uniforms are super cute also 🙂
You’ve got to love IKEA and its amazing storage options, keeping it all in one place is such a great idea
We love IKEA, my twin girls room is completely IKEA as it works so well for them to have everything organised. Organisation is the key with kids!