In need of domestic efficiency and order? Begin with this checklist

Family calendar
Introduce a family calendar to keep track of everyone’s activities. It makes it so much easier to organise time with family, and manage things better. You may, for example, organise your children’s homework, domestic chores and meals around your family's routine. Make use of Google Calendar to keep everyone in the family up to date on one another’s plans.

Family business
Make your children responsible for a chore and compensate them for it. Even if they don’t do it right the first time, they are learning and engaging as a family. Paying your children for household duties such as keeping their rooms neat and clean or assisting in the kitchen can teach them the value of money and how earning money relates to work.

Family meeting
Get the family together once a week to talk about what’s been going on, see how everyone is doing, and discuss plans for the upcoming week. Make this check-in short (preferably up to 20 minutes or less), but make sure any potential sources of tension in the home are discussed and resolved.

Landing zone
Set up a landing zone in your house so that you can swiftly unload everyone’s stuff and get them ready for the next day. It’s a good idea to switch out things like lunchboxes and soiled clothes every night. Refresh bags every weekend with new uniforms, reusable water bottles and any other necessities for the coming week.

Game play
Take advantage of the fact that your children are naturally competitive and turn getting ready for the day into a game. A timer should be set to see who can get dressed the quickest for school. When your children first get out of bed, you should rush them to the bathroom. Whatever it takes to get them out the door and away from the TV or phone screen.

Contingency plan
Create a folder to store your list of people to call in case of an emergency. Add instructions for domestic activities such as looking after pets and watering the plants. You won’t have to take the time to write everything down every time you engage a babysitter if you do it this way. Maintain a duplicate on your computer so that you may make edits quickly and simply.