A few simple parenting hacks for BIG families!

I'll be the first to admit that I'm not the most organized person, and this poses a problem when it comes to the fact that I have six children. Here are a few things that I have successfully instituted in my house that really helps my family of six kiddos function.

In the bathroom

Required:
4 (or so) of the same color/design towel per child
 
Each of my kids has their own designated towel color. We bought them each four of the same towel so that they'll always have their own towels available, no matter how far behind I am on the laundry (shhhh)

 

Ohhhh the messed up walls and banged up door... a peek into my picturesque house. I know that it's quite impressive, but no, I do this all without a personal decorator. I'm proud of myself ;-)

For the beach or the pool


Required:
2 large swim bags that zip
Designated towels for each child

This is probably my favorite organizational tool. It's always a nightmare when I don't follow through with this system and get lazy, because when I'm not prepared for the beach or pool, we run around like crazy trying to find our suits and towels and sunblock and it's a MESS!!!! We have a few swim bags that we keep stocked at all times (ok, except for the times mentioned above lol). One bag is filled with all of our bathing suits and sunblock and any goggles we regularly use, and the other is filled with the kids' beach/pool towels. It takes all the guess work out of whose is whose and eliminates fighting (can I get a hallelujah????).

*extra tip: upon arrival back home from swimming, immediately throw bathing suits and towels into the washer and get them put away asap.   -chlorine ruins bathing suits, so washing it asap helps keep them in good shape.

SHOES!

Required:

Organizers (pictured below) that have open spaces with the option to add drawers

You. GUYS! I found a semi-inexpensive way to FINALLY keep shoes under control! We had shoe racks prior to this shoe system, and they'd always end up on the floor or bunched in piles and I COULD NOT STAND IT ANYMORE! With six kids, the amount of shoes is crazy! We bought this awesome organizer that has 9 cubbies  (I know they have some that are four cubbies and possibly also 6) and then bought the drawers in the colors we wanted. They have a lot of fun colors out there, as well as those cool sequin looking ones that flip from one color to another.

My husband, kids, and I all get our own drawer and we have the middle part open for any of my husband's larger boots or for guests to place their shoes when they visit. They surprisingly fit a lot. Our rule is that their shoes must all go into the cubbies and nothing else can be kept. It has been SO nice to have this piece of furniture welcome people into the house instead of a mountain of shoes haha!

Backpacks, purses, diaper bags, helmets!

Required:

Either a store bought firm coat rack that goes along the wall

OR

Homemade!

I am so impressed with my husband. He took a quality piece of wood, rounded the corners, stained it, and added enough hooks for all my kids and myself and put it on our kitchen wall. All the kids have their own place for their backpacks and helmets, and I have a place for my purse. My youngest is 4 so her spot is now kinda for whatever. Before, we used hers as a spot for the diaper bag but HOORAAAAY for no more diapers! 

Can you tell I didn't tidy up for this picture? Lol just being real. My house is rarely worthy of pictures... But c'est la vie!

Hope these hacks have helped you! Let me know if anyone tries it out an let me know if these ideas have helped you! Also, feel free to share tip down below <3