Special thanks to CLIF Kid & POPSUGAR for being a sponsor of Today’s The Best Day! Don’t you love it!? Although we were compensated for this article, all opinions are my own.
This time of year is CRAZY! I have literally been running from one place to another as we prepare for Summer to end and school to start again!
Whether you are the mom who needs seven boxes of tissues as you drop your kids off the first day because you can’t control the tears, or you are the mom who pushes your kid out the door so you can finally have a schedule again and get some “mommy time” in, this time of year is always an adjustment!
With school and sports and dance and all of the other activities our children are into these days, it’s SO important to think of ways to make our lives a little bit easier. And THAT is the very reason we are talking about one important word today: simplify.
Every Monday night, our family has what we call “Family Night.” It is the one night a week set aside to just be together. We normally have a little calendar time and talk about the upcoming week, a short lesson to teach the children and finish the night with an activity and yummy snack.
This week for Family Night we decided to play baseball at the park, and we had the TIME of our lives. We laughed our heads off and made the best memories escaping our busy schedules and phones.
When we got into the car, my husband and I talked about the importance of continuing our Family Night tradition forever — ESPECIALLY during this back-to-school season — and how important it is for us to start simplifying our life.
That was when our 4-year-old said loudly from the back seat, “Mom, what does simplifying mean? It sounds like a good idea!” {PS: 4-year-olds are SO much fun and ask THE BEST questions! They are so inquisitive!}
After laughing in my heart a little bit from her sweet question, I got to thinking, and I realized how important this really is for all of us! Let’s SIMPLIFY our lives this school year!
But “HOW” you are probably thinking, right?! How do we SIMPLIFY our lives during such a busy time?!
Well, I asked 10 REAL moms what they do to simplify their lives during this time of year, and these were their replies:
1. SLOW DOWN: Take time to smell the roses. Breathe in and out. Don’t schedule yourself minute by minute. Be flexible with your schedule, and allow more time for each activity than you think. Because as moms, let’s be real: you NEVER know when someone is going to lose a shoe, poop their pants, or need a hug.
2. GET ORGANIZED: This is a great time of year to really buckle down and get your life organized. Buy a calendar or planner. Grab some buckets at the dollar store, and organize the kid’s toy room that you have been pushing off all Summer long. Clean out your closet, your pantry, and your bathroom drawers. And don’t think you have to do it all in one day or even all in one week — just focus on one thing at a time.
3. WRITE THINGS DOWN: Whether you are a pen-and-paper gal or a digital guru, take a second and write things down when you have thoughts or things to do. As mamas, we can’t trust that we will always remember everything that comes up and things that we need to get done. Set reminders on your phone and create a calendaring system that will help you.
4. SET A TIMER: You know what they say about doing things in moderation. It isn’t realistic to say absolutely no more social media. Or absolutely no more television. Or absolutely no more naps. So to simplify, rather than taking all of our favorite things away, set a timer on your phone and allow yourself to cruise social media for 30 minutes. When your timer is up, it’s time to move on to your next thing. By setting a timer, we are able to do things we love without wasting the day away.
5. GRAB A TRASH BAG: You’re probably like, WHAT?! A trash bag?! But yes, you heard me! Actually grab two: one for throwing away and one for donations. Choose one room at a time, and try to fill up your bag of trash and donations for the less fortunate. You will love the feeling of giving AND cleaning up your home.
6. EASY SNACKS: When we were out playing baseball, we brought our new favorite CLIF Kid Zbar Filled snacks with us {clifkid.com/zbarfilled}, and they are SO yummy and SO easy! Just throw them into your bag, and you are good to go for the day! They are made with creamy, delicious nut butter filling and a blend of nutrients for energy to help keep your kids zipping and zooming along! And their products never include high fructose corn syrup or artificial flavors.
Our family’s favorite Zbar Filled {clifkid.com/zbarfilled} is Chocolate Peanut Butter {because you KNOW I can’t go a day without my chocolate!}. It has chocolate on the outside with creamy peanut-butter filling on the inside. This organic bar is an all-time favorite combo, ready for on-the-go snacking!
7. PRIORITIZE: Every night before bed, make a list of things you need to do the following day. This is helpful to do at this time, rather than the morning, so you know exactly what your day is going to look like. After you make your list, figure out what is most important, and be sure you do those things first.
8. DON’T DO IT ALL: Prioritizing is the perfect lead-in for this reminder . . . you DO NOT have to do it all! For some reason, society has put it in our minds that we as women need to do it ALL! But let’s be real: YOU DON’T! Learn how to say no. Don’t be afraid to tell someone you are too busy. Don’t take on more than you can handle. And only do what is best for YOU and your family.
9. TIDY UP: Every night before bed — do a quick 15-minute cleanup. Tidy up your living area, and I promise in the morning, your life will feel SO much better and WAY less stressful starting off with a picked-up home!
10. DO SOMETHING FOR YOU: Lastly, but maybe the most important way to simplify: don’t forget to take care of YOU. Because we all know in order to take care of our families, we must always take care of ourselves. Get lots of rest. Eat right. Be active. And do something that makes you happy every single day.
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Danielle is the owner of Today's the Best Day. She strives to provide creative and uplifting content in order to enrich the parenting experience for women everywhere. Danielle hopes to help you and your family to make every day the best day! 
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