Mother-of-seven, 32, shares what a typical day looks like

An Australian mother-of-seven has shared the clever tricks and tips she’s mastered to stay sane and organised throughout the week.

Alina Griffiths, 32, lives with her husband and young brood in south east Queensland and has come up with a number of clever organisation tricks – including a $200 ‘command centre’ to ensure the home runs smoothly. 

‘I use colour whenever I can and especially around the house to help brighten our lives – as you can imagine, our house is chaos most of the time,’ Ms Griffiths told FEMAIL.

‘I have kids, clothes and lunchboxes here, there and everywhere but if my house/life is going to be chaos, then I want it to be colourful.’

Alina Griffiths (pictured with her kids aged 14, 12, 10, eight, five, three and one) , 32, lives with her husband and young brood in south east Queensland

She built this $200 'command centre' with items from Bunnings and Aldi where school bags are on the rack, homework folders/reading books are away in lockers, sporting goods are separated into coloured drawers and there is a cupboard for each child 

She built this $200 ‘command centre’ with items from Bunnings and Aldi where school bags are on the rack, homework folders/reading books are away in lockers, sporting goods are separated into coloured drawers and there is a cupboard for each child 

Ms Griffiths created her first ‘command centre’ years ago which contained a calendar and school bags to ‘make life easier’ – but it wasn’t until this year that she took it to a new level. 

‘I needed not to be spending six hours a day finding stuff and chasing things up. I needed something that worked with our chaos and not against it,’ she said.

‘I really just wanted to be able to grab my glasses and keys easily as I walked out the door and needed something up high on a wall where little hands couldn’t destroy my organisation.

‘I needed a one stop shop for everything.’

What are Alina Griffiths’ top organisational tips? 

1. Embrace the chaos: Accept that nothing will ever go to plan. If that means pulling a uniform out of the dryer with seconds to spare, do it. Filling in permission notes whilst walking into school, you got it!

2. Have a home for everything you need all the time: I have my school notes hanging on my command centre ready to grab on our way out. School bags on the rack. Homework folders/reading books away in lockers. Sporting goods separated into coloured drawers by the door. Each child has a square in our entryway cupboard for their school and sports shoes.

3. Have a good calendar: We have a Kikki K large calendar. It has a space for me and most of the kiddies (we will be upgrading to two calendars next year as our lives continue to get more busy). I have seven sports-mad kids, a few academically and technologically gifted, one musically inclined and a teenager with a social life. I’ve also recently made big changes to incorporate time for myself and exercise into my life. Trying to juggle all of these things in my head without dropping the ball is impossible. Calendars work a treat. It hangs in the middle of my command centre so everyone can see what is going on, when and where.

4. Make lists for everything: To do lists, chore lists, menu lists, shopping lists. Hang them on your command centre. All the information is there then waiting for you to ignore it. 

Pictured is one of the homework corners Ms Griffiths has created in the home 

Pictured is one of the homework corners Ms Griffiths has created in the home 

'I started hanging all our necessary organisational items such as my calendar, clipboards (with the intention of adding chore lists, menu plans, shopping lists, to do lists etc), pens and stationery, motivational posters and art,' she said 

‘I started hanging all our necessary organisational items such as my calendar, clipboards (with the intention of adding chore lists, menu plans, shopping lists, to do lists etc), pens and stationery, motivational posters and art,’ she said 

To put it together, Ms Griffiths spent $200 on items from Bunnings and Aldi. 

‘We visited my second most favourite shop in the world, Bunnings, and picked up two sheets of perforated hardwood, some pegboard hooks and a few tins of spray paint in colours I use all the time,’ she said, adding that this cost $110.

‘Once I had spray painted the colours I wanted hubby attached it to the wall and I started hanging all our necessary organisational items such as my calendar, clipboards (with the intention of adding chore lists, menu plans, shopping lists, to do lists etc), pens and stationery, motivational posters and art.

‘I spray painted a few extra items that would help me with hanging or containing our stuff on the board. I already had our six cube cupboard from Aldi which is where the majority of our school stuff is.’

'Downtime often includes pretend play, art, cooking, decorating and preparing afternoon snacks and dinner,' the doting mother said 

‘Downtime often includes pretend play, art, cooking, decorating and preparing afternoon snacks and dinner,’ the doting mother said 

Pictured is a relaxation cubby Ms Griffiths built for her kids to enjoy in the backyard 

Pictured is a relaxation cubby Ms Griffiths built for her kids to enjoy in the backyard 

To finish it off, Ms Griffiths husband hung the bag rack which was made with just a row of pine and some heavy duty hooks from Bunnings.  

Ms Griffiths’ days are non-stop so she has had to come up with a number of other organisational tactics in addition to the command centre to keep the household running smoothly. 

‘A typical day involves coffee and then mama getting seven kids ready – lots of noise, lots of ‘Mum, can you help me with this’ or ‘there’s nothing in the cupboard I like’,’ she said. 

‘After the kids have gotten themselves into class, the littles and I attend my PT session before making it home for well deserved downtime. Downtime often includes pretend play, art, cooking, decorating and preparing afternoon snacks and dinner.

Ms Griffiths also has an impeccably organised play room where the children each have a 'square' for their toys 

Ms Griffiths also has an impeccably organised play room where the children each have a ‘square’ for their toys 

The reading corner is just as bright and includes a small reading shelf and Kmart decor 

The reading corner is just as bright and includes a small reading shelf and Kmart decor 

‘Afternoons are even more chaotic than mornings. I have kids at swimming, soccer, netball, robotics, leadership activities, homework club, youth group. It often means I’m loading seven kids in and out of the car three times in an afternoon over the course of a four hour period. 

They also fit in chats, homework, Instagram (and fights) in between.

‘One of my favourite sayings is ‘The days are long, but the years are short’,’ she said. 

Ms Griffiths said that having seven kids on a small income means she needs to think about making economical decisions where possible. 

Ms Griffiths said that having seven kids on a small income means she needs to think about making economical decisions where possible

Ms Griffiths said that having seven kids on a small income means she needs to think about making economical decisions where possible

'I also change colours of items regularly to match with the aesthetic of our home. There is huge power in the use of colour on your mood and life,' she said 

‘I also change colours of items regularly to match with the aesthetic of our home. There is huge power in the use of colour on your mood and life,’ she said 

‘I had grand plans for a colourful entry way into our house so I found a functional yet affordable way to do it wonderfully,’ Ms Griffiths said, who has also created unique play rooms and cubbies for her kids.      

‘I also change colours of items regularly to match with the aesthetic of our home. There is huge power in the use of colour on your mood and life. It uplifts you and makes the space yours. 

‘I’m currently working on making our computer area more organised and pleasing to the eye. As a budget measure I have used Kmart Plant stands, a piece of melamine we had out the back and a roll of wood grain contact. It means that homework by the computer should run more smoothly.’

It's not always perfect, with Ms Griffiths previously sharing this snap of their daily laundry load

It’s not always perfect, with Ms Griffiths previously sharing this snap of their daily laundry load

'I'm often told by people that they wish they could have nice spaces in their homes or that they wish they were brave enough to use colour so boldly,' Ms Griffiths said 

‘I’m often told by people that they wish they could have nice spaces in their homes or that they wish they were brave enough to use colour so boldly,’ Ms Griffiths said 

'I hope by sharing what I am, I can inspire them to take a leap and put a little love into their homes and themselves because that's all it takes,' she said 

‘I hope by sharing what I am, I can inspire them to take a leap and put a little love into their homes and themselves because that’s all it takes,’ she said 

All in all Ms Griffiths said she shares all of her handy tips and decor tricks on her Instagram page in a bid to inspire others. 

‘I’m often told by people that they wish they could have nice spaces in their homes or that they wish they were brave enough to use colour so boldly (especially after I’ve just had my hair done),’ she said.

‘I hope by sharing what I am, I can inspire them to take a leap and put a little love into their homes and themselves because that’s all it takes.’



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