How to stay organized when you have a lot of pets

When you have a lot of animals at home, it's important to keep everything under control and especially be proactive so you don't run out of food or have any hygienic issues
How to stay organized when you have a lot of pets

Last update: 26 September, 2018

Your love for animals probably started out with a fish, then some guinea pigs, later on, you took your chances with adopting a cat, and then all of sudden you a zoo in your home. Dogs, cats, rabbits, fish… How can you keep track of them all? When you have a lot of pets, being well organized is a necessity, and here in this article, you can find some helpful tips.

What are your pets’ needs

To take good care of your pets, no matter how many you have, you have to take all their needs into consideration. When you have a lot of them, this may get complicated, but it’s not impossible. These are the basic needs you have to cover:

Food

Any pet, regardless of his species, will need you to feed him. Animals depend on their owners, so it’s your responsibility to address this need. Each species requires their own special food to provide it all the nutrients and energy it needs.

Clean drinking water is another requirement for all pets. Although fish and turtles won’t need a container of water for them to drink from, they will need you to keep the water they live in clean and at a proper temperature.

Hygiene

Hygiene is also important to take into consideration, especially when you have a lot of pets. Besides it being a basic responsibility, it will also help you keep your house smelling clean and you won’t upset your neighbors. 

Cat being bathed

Dogs, cats, guinea pigs, rabbits, and other animals need to be bathed, have their teeth brushed, their hair cut and nails clipped, at the least. When it comes to fish, snakes, turtles, iguanas, and similar animals, it’s important to keep their terrarium or fish tank clean to ensure they’re living in a clean environment. 

Keep their things in good condition

Feeders and drinkers, beds, toys, blankets and any other object your pets use need to be kept clean and in good condition. Otherwise, they may cause infections or hurt your pet, which takes place with broken feeders.

Taking them out for walks

Animals were not meant to be kept in cages. Although dogs are the animals that need to be taken out for walks the most in order to relieve themselves. However, these animals aren’t the only ones that need walks. Cats, rabbits and other animals need to be allowed to move around the house or yard to stretch their legs. This is also a great way to help them feel like they’re part of the family.

Two small dogs out for a walk

How to stay organized if you have a lot of pets

You’ve been collecting so many pets as a result of your love for animals that you feel lost. It feels like there’s never a day where you’re able to meet all of their needs. Then just by applying organization into life can be of great help. 

Get up earlier

Just by waking up ten minutes earlier, you can leave the house prepared to meet all of your pets’ needs. Set a routine and start your day by changing their food and water, then clean the litter box, walk the dogs, and feed the fish.

Make schedules

If you don’t set a schedule, it’s easy to forget about a pet’s cage or to feed the turtle. It’s helpful to make a chart, at least until you got everything under control. Mark the tasks you have to do every day and set a fixed time for them. Also, most importantly, make sure you do them.

Then, mark the tasks you should do every two or three days, like cleaning cages. After that mark your weekly pet chores, like purifying your fish’s water. And finally, mark all of your monthly tasks like bathing the dogs. Pick a specific day of the week or month to do them. Gradually, this routine will become a habitat and you’ll be able to do everything without having to look at the schedule.

Organize a shopping list

You must have enough food for all of the animals, and you can’t let run out of it. So, organize a shopping list to make sure that you’ll always have enough. For example, if you have guinea pigs, their diets consist of fruits and vegetables. Therefore, if you are low on energy, you can cut them up and store them in the fridge for later.

You know how to best organize your day. Just remember that making a chart with a set schedule, and filling it in as you go, is a great way to keep track of everything. You can do it!


This text is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace consultation with a professional. If in doubt, consult your specialist.