How to Stay Organized When You're Sick

Last winter, my kids had a magical three days when my husband’s and my flu-like symptoms overlapped.  It’s not that they wished us poor health, but they did enjoy our lack of enforcement of the no TV during the school week rule.  We were too tired to care, so we all got too much screen time for those few days.
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When are bodies are worn down, our regular routine usually goes out the window.  It’s so easy to get behind while we are sick – dishes pile up all over the house, hampers overflow, tissues cover end tables and the floor next to trashcans, and stacks of mail begin to topple.

The best way to keep it together when we don’t feel good is to create systems to follow while we are healthy so that we can afford to take a few days off when we're sick without things falling apart.  If you do these seven simple things on a regular basis, your house will be manageable, and when you get sick, you’ll have a little latitude to slack off.  

1. Hang up jackets and put bags in a designated area when you come inside.
2. Have an inbox for all of your paper, and process it regularly.
3. Immediately put away your clothes, shoes, and jewelry when you take them off.
4. Create a laundry system that your family sticks to.
5. Put dishes straight in the dishwasher. Run and empty the dishwasher regularly.
6. Clear surfaces when you leave an area.
7. Throw away or give away things you don’t use or need.

"The best way to keep it together when we don't feel good is to create systems to follow while we are healthy so that we can afford to take a few days off when we're sick without things falling apart."

When you are under the weather, give yourself permission to take a few shortcuts to keep your house from becoming a disaster zone. 

• Keep a few cans of soup in your cabinet so that when you get sick, you can cook an easy meal.  It’s also a good idea to keep a couple of bottles of Gatorade or lemon-lime soda on hand in case of upset stomach.  As soon as you use any of these items add them to your shopping list.  You don’t want to be home sick with nothing easy to fix.
• Use paper plates, flatware, bowls, and napkins so you don’t have to worry about doing dishes.  If you do use regular dishes or cookware, put them straight in the dishwasher.  If you use a reusable cup, consider using a plastic straw that you replace periodically or use disposable water bottles.
• Put all incoming paper into a designated inbox (ideally the same system you normally use) and give yourself the ok to skip a week of processing it. (Check out this previous post about wrangling your paper!)

• Create a “sick bin” to corral all of your supplies in like tissues, chap stick, medicine, cough drops, a bottle of water, and your phone.  It’s easy to misplace things when you’re not feeling well, so keeping them all in the same bin that you can carry with you from the couch to the bedside table will help.  A bin with a handle is a nice touch! You can also use a small gift bag as a portable tissue trashcan.
• If you still have to go to work when you’re sick, bathe and wash your hair at night so you can sleep in as long as possible the next morning.  Tame the crazy hair the next morning with a spritz bottle and quick blast with the hair dryer.

​The best thing you can do when you’re sick is rest so that you can get back to yourself as soon as possible.  Don’t feel bad asking for help while you are sick or even when it’s time to play catch up.  You’ll feel like a rock star when you are healthy again and you realize that your house didn’t fall down around you!