Virtually Organized

Organize? I'm just a Mom trying to stay sane!

Some days there just isn't enough time to think about getting, or even just staying, organized.

Take this weekend, for example.  Between holiday parties, tickets to the symphony's Christmas show, a truckload of laundry, gymnastics lessons, a trip to the coffee house to see "Cousin Steve" perform, catching up on housework because the cleaning gals were sick, taking Moody Judy Christmas shopping, and at least a few hours of sleep, I had no time to think about organization. Throw in a few usually-cooperative-but-suddenly-distracted kids, and Monday morning never looked so relaxing!

And isn't that just the way it goes sometimes.  A mom's job is never slow.  Even when they're sleeping, you're busy catching up with something, whether it's for them or for you.

But take comfort in knowing you are not alone.  And rest assured, that we all get behind; we all put things off because something more urgent pops up that demands our attention. Even for me, some days organization is just not on my radar.

This weekend was particularly frustrating.  Despite the incentive to be on their best Santa-is-watching behavior, my little angels suddenly forgot everything their Dad and I ever taught them to do in terms of their household chores and responsibilities.  I found myself repeating, "Please pick up after yourself, I'm your Mom, not your Maid," "I don't care that she snook into your room, you can't shove your sister," "Go back in there and this time actually brush your teeth and your hair," and of course the classic, "If your friends jumped of a cliff, would you think you should do that, too?!?!"

Then my good friend Amy sent me this video.  Yes, there is definitely comfort in knowing that other Moms go through these trying times, too.

Thanks for the reminder and the laugh, Amy! I feel a little bit better! Now, if I can just figure out how to get this to play on a constant loop on Moody Judy's and Blue-Eyed Jane's iPods, I may just be golden.  And I may just be able to find time to organize my next weekend's hectic schedule!

Simply yours,

 

Farewell, Halloween!

Ahh, the week after Halloween. All the pressure of coming up with the perfect costume is behind us.  The scary music has ended. And, hopefully, the practical jokes are all cleaned up. But before you rush off to prepare for Thanksgiving, take a moment to put Halloween away right.

The CANDY!
It’s a safe bet that if your kids went trick-or-treating last week, they came home with enough cavity-inducing treats to send your dentist off on a month-long vacation to the Bahamas.  Did they bring home any treats they don't actually care for? It may not be much, but even kids with an enormous sweet tooth can come up with a few goodiesthey do not consider treats. (I always balked at Mary Janes and Sugar Daddys-Ugh!  My Moody Judy avoids Sweet Tarts and Tootsie Rolls.) Pick out any of the less desirable treats and set them aside.

Now pick out all the candy you do not want them to eat, and no, it's not fair to keep it for yourself!  Maybe your kids have braces or medical conditions that prohibit certain varieties. Or, maybe you are concerned that they will need to seek medical attention if they end up cracking their teeth on some of that rock-hard candy. If you have very little ones, this may include weeding out all the choking hazards that you may have collected during your hunt. 

Now, before you start to feel guilty for throwing out all that perfectly sugary candy, here are some simple recycling ideas for how to re-purpose the unwanted stash, as well as the enormous stockpile of treats they do like:

1. Stash away candy to decorate your holiday gingerbread house. Whether you make one from scratch or decorate a pre-made version, your kids may feel better about losing some of their treats if they know theywill re-surface for this seasonal project.  Last year, we decorated not only a gingerbread house but also a gingerbread train with leftover Halloween treats and baking decorations.  Sure, it makes a one-of-a-kind, rather "interestingg" masterpiece, especially when the kids are in charge of the details.  But, we eliminated the chore of shopping for candy decorations during an already hectic time of the year, and we avoided bringing even more junk into the house.

2. Turn an average cookie recipe into “Monster Cookies!”  This doesn't work with the candy you and your children don't want anyway, but you can re-purpose your leftover stash by adding chopped up bits and pieces to a batch of cookie dough.  Freeze the cookies for a later date (maybe even as a start to your holiday goodies), since they obviously have enough treats right now.  You could even simplify things further by just rolling the batter into logs, sealing them with freezer wrap, and now you have slice and bake candy cookies whenever you’d like!

3. Get crafty!  Re-furbish a worn picture frame, or splurge on a new one at the dollar store, and adhere either wrapped or unwrapped candy around the outside of the frame. You can even use the discarded wrappers to create a mosaic effect (a much better option if you plan to use the frame from year to year, or if you have curious pets or toddlers who may try to nibble on your creation.)    As soon as you develop your Halloween pictures, you will be ready with a unique space to display them. 

The Perfect Time to Purge! 
As you put away your ghostly decorations for next October, take advantage of this opportunity to inspect the quality of your decorations and your true fondness for them.  If some of the decorations are dated, worn, or in disrepair, it's a good time to toss them.  If you don't really love a certain item, it's not worth your storage space to hold on to it for another season.  If some of the decorations did not even make it out of your boxes when you set up your Halloween décor this year, there is no point in hanging on to them any longer, either.   Once you cull your collection, be sure to pack everything away with care, especially if you have breakable items.  If you have been using cardboard boxes, I strongly recommend investing in plastic, lidded totes.  They are much better for the life of your decorations. If you keep your eyes open, or search the Internet for stores near you, you can even find them in orange and black.  A good clue for your hubby when you ask him to pull out the decorations next year.

I hope your Halloween was safe and enjoyable and I wish you luck with a productive clean up and a creative solution to candy-overload! And to all my international readers, be glad you have one less holiday to have to clean up after!

Simply yours, 

We're Crafty!

My fellow organizing blogger Laura, aka the Organizing Junkie, is rounding-up craft organization ideas this month.  When she asked me to jump on board with some of my own ideas, I decided it was a great chance to share with you my own kids’ craft storage area. (After all, my Procrastination Challenge participants have been so generous when it comes to sharing their home projects, it’s the least I can do to show you some of mine.)

My two daughters and I enjoy crafting. My passion is mostly scrapbooking, but  Moody Judy (11) and Blue-Eyed-Jane (8) have varied interests, including painting, scrapbooking, clay, yarn, etc., etc., etc.  So as a result, I have craft supplies and my kids have craft supplies.  To keep the family crafting peace, the rule is:  Never the twain shall meet!

Okay, maybe it’s more about me protecting my “stuff,” but another way to look at it is, it gives them some accountability in both keeping track of and taking care of their own supplies.

We’re blessed to have enough kitchen cabinet space that I can devote one entire bottom cabinet for the girls.  However, even when we lived in a small town house and Moody Judy was only two, I was sure to keep a lower cabinet in the kitchen just for her.  I think kids take better care of cleaning up and keeping organized when they have a space, no matter how big or small, that they can call their own.

      

In our case, we split the cabinet down the middle in terms of what goes where.  The bottom shelf on the left side holds an organizer for Moody’s school supplies (writing paper, craft paper, school tools). She keeps her "How to Draw _____" books and her stamping supplies on her side, too.   Blue-Eyed Jane has a similar system on the right which includes crayons and "How To Be a Princess" craft books.  On the top shelf, each girl has a labeled bin with their own specific crafting projects and supplies. The two labeled bins in the middle hold “community” supplies.

This system has worked great since we moved into our home three years ago.  Some of the craft supplies have changed over the years, but with everything restricted to containers, they know they can’t get any new supplies until they use up their current supplies and have enough room in their bins (the old “one in, one out” rule).

So how do you organize YOUR crafting gear? Check out I’m an Organizing Junkie for some more great crafting ideas and inspiration.

Simply yours,

Tokens for Computer Time

One challenge I hear from clients in regards to their kids and computers is how to manage the amount of time they spend gazing at the screen.  Well, it’s never too early to work on time management, and one way to help kids learn to budget time is to use a token system. 

First, decide how much computer time is acceptable.  Most experts suggest no more than one hour per day.  Every Sunday, hand out 28 tokens (pennies, marbles, poker chips or whatever you have on hand).  Each token represents 15 minutes. Whenever your child wants computer time, they have to pay up. Once the tokens are exhausted, there’s no more computer time until the following Sunday, when the next week’s tokens are handed out.  The only exception is for school age children, who may require the computer for homework help.  (But in that case, you should monitor them so they stay on task.)

More frugal kids may save up their tokens, and even have some left at the end of the week.  Others may use them all within the first 3 days.  Either way, they will gradually learn how to budget their computer time. And hopefully the tug and war between you, your child, and the computer will become less of a battle and more of a compromise.

Simply yours,

A Cheesy Experiment With Priorities

Organization is NOT a skill we are born with, and as parents, it is our responsibility to teach our kids both the importance of being organized and how to control the clutter before it controls us.  Unfortunately, explaining to kids how to eliminate clutter is not something parents can successfully accomplish in one, or even two sessions.  Like most things in life, it is a learning process.  With continuous instruction, guidance, and practice, however, it is definitely a skill that kids can achieve; even at a young age.   One of the first steps toward helping kids understand clutter-control is to help them understand what it means to PRIORITIZE.

In its most simplistic form, when it comes to cutting the clutter, it really boils down to prioritizing the IMPORTANCE of your stuff. Regardless of the size of your home, bedroom, closet, or garage, we all have a limited amount of space in which to store our possessions.  And there is no reason to take up this precious space with items that are not important to you; your space should only include things you LOVE, NEED, or USE.

Now, that's all well and good in theory, but how do we get this message across to our kids so that they understand this principal AND apply it when it is time to de-clutter those messy and disorganized spaces they call their own?

One way to teach kids who are at least 6-years-old about the art of prioritizing is to let them have total creative control with your digital camera.

         

Most kids will jump at the chance to become your family photographer for a day.  If your child is old enough to accept responsibility for your camera, let her be in charge of taking pictures on your next family outing.  Let her know from the start, though, that she can only save as many pictures as ONE memory card will hold (just make sure it's a relatively small card!)

Most likely, she will start out by taking pictures of anything and everything (the clouds in the sky, the dead dandelion on the sidewalk, her brother's left ear).  RESIST THE URGE TO DIRECT HER TOWARD MORE APPROPRIATE PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES!  In no time, the camera's screen will read "CARD FULL" and that'swhen the lesson starts.

Begin by showing your child how to view the pictures on the camera screen and how to delete unwanted ones.  Be sure she understands that once she hits delete, the picture is gone for good.  As you view the stored pictures with her, point out the ones you think are worth keeping, explaining why they are good, and guide your child toward making her own choices about what makes a good picture and what is better off moving to the "trash."   Just be sure to let YOUR CHILD determine the criteria, or in other words, to PRIORITIZE, what pictures are worthy of taking up space on the memory card.  As you go about your outing and your child takes more pictures, she will have to become more discriminate, both with the pictures she takes and which ones she keeps.

If she gets discouraged about erasing pictures, remind her of what makes a good picture, what she would like to remember about the outing, and what is not relevant.

When you return home, the day may have ended, but the decision-making has one more step:  tell your budding photographer that she must now reduce the number of pictures on the card by 50%.  After the groans and moans have subsided, sit down with your child and reiterate what makes a good picture and which pictures tell a story about your day.  Once you choose the pictures that make the final cut, reward her effort, both as an A+ photographer AND a prioritizing guru, by developing the pictures for her to add to her own scrapbook.

I wish I could say that I guarantee this isolated activity will make your child rush up to her bedroom and prioritize/declutter her stuffed animal collection.  Or, that your son will now reevaluate the importance of his massive stash of action figures and refrain from asking for more. But you wouldn't believe me anyway!  Nevertheless, it is DEFINITELY a start toward learning life-long organizational skills.  And with more practice and implementation in other areas of their life, it is sure to become a natural way for your child to think about clutter and excess.

So now it's YOUR turn:  How do YOU teach your kids to control their clutter? 

Simply yours,

Virtually Organized Product Reviews-Kelty

I love the outdoors.  And while I wish I could say I enjoy camping, the truth is my idea of roughing it is a hotel without a heated pool.

I do, however, appreciate rugged camping gear that can pull double duty and help organize the outings I do participate in (regardless of how un-mountain-girly they may be).

Recently the kind folks from Kelty sent me some great organizing products to try out and review.  Kelty is known for making a wide variety of outdoor and camping gear, but they recently launched a line of Basecamp gear that includes several organizers perfect for camping OR road trips and around the home.

So, since I didn’t have to break out the bug spray and hiking boots to justify their use, I decided to put them to the ultimate test . . . surviving the minivan trunk!

The first product is the Kelty Binto Hauler 3.

More than just a run-of-the mill duffle bag, this baby comes with three freestanding different-colored “binto” bags that fit perfectly inside the duffle. Each binto bag comes with a plastic labeling pocket on top (Oh, how I LOVE to use my labelmaker!!).

I assigned a different one to each of my girls, my husband and I share the third, and the whole thing fits nicely in the minivan trunk, with plenty of room to spare.

During softball season, Blue-eyed Jane used her red binto to store her cleats, glove, team visor, and extra softballs.  Now that we’ve moved into soccer, she replaced the glove, visor, and balls with her shin guards and sparkly pink soccer ball.  No more worrying about having the required gear when we arrive for practice or a game, and if we find ourselves at Grandma’s for the day, she’s ready for an impromptu game with her cousins!

Moody Judy uses her green binto to store things to keep occupied while at her sister’s many sporting events, such as a Frisbee, tennis balls and a softball mitt to play on the sidelines and entertain the players’ younger siblings. She also keeps a puzzle book in it . . . Gymnastics meets can last the better part of a day and she’s often desperate for something to do while she waits for her sister to compete.

I use the third silver bag to hold emergency items for long road trips and a fleece blanket for when we go watch my husband’s recreational ice hockey games.

What I really like about this bag are the containers inside the container for easy sorting and quick retrieval.  And if we are heading to the grocery store or need to have more space in the trunk, EVERYTHING is confined to the one bag-just pop it out.  Or, if I just need the emergency kit, everything else can stay in the garage and I just throw the silver binto back in.

The Picnic Hauler is another great Kelty product.

 

I used this thing all summer to haul lunches and munchies to the pool.  Just like the Binto Hauler 3, this Picnic Hauler comes with a removable cooler binto that only takes up half of the interior space of the Picnic Hauler.

Some days, we just carried the cooler.  On days when we had more to bring we used the entire system, with the cooler inside the Picnic Hauler. On days when we were bringing everything but the kitchen itself, we could pack up BOTH bags to their capacity and just carry them separately.  The versatility of this picnic system is fabulous! I’ll never go back to traveling with a hard case cooler again.  And based on the quality of the construction of these bags, I may never have to!

To check out the full line of Kelty bags, visit them online at www.kelty.com.

Click here check out more Virtually Organized Product Reviews.

Happy Hauling!

Simply yours,

5 Things To Do NOW To Jumpstart the New School Year

Is YOUR family ready for back-to-school?  As the kids gear up to head back to the classroom, there are several things you can do at home to make sure the early morning rush goes smoothly for everyone:

Create a Lunch-making Station.
If your child brings a lunch to school, make it easier on yourself by keeping all the usual ingredients together in the pantry. Items that should go in this area include: lunchbox/lunch bags, sandwich baggies, thermos, individually packed snacks, peanut butter, bread, a pad of paper and a pen for writing “love notes,” and whatever else you send your kids off with everyday.  The time you’ll save not hoping from one end of the kitchen to the other will be more time for you to linger over that morning cup of java.

                                        

Spruce up your Family Launch Pad.
If you don’t have a family launch pad to help send your family out every day, check out my related page on the benefits of a launch pade here set one up now.  If you already have one, now’s the time to make sure it’s functioning up to speed.  Clear out all the out-of-season clutter, make sure everyone has a designated spot to hang their jacket, store their backpack/purse, and dump their shoes.  And, as per the sage advice of the Organizing Junkie, be sure to include an “I’m Outta Here” shelf.  Mine is an “outta here basket.”  This is where I throw all the things I need to take with me the next time I leave to run errands. I just grab the basket and GO!  (Right now it has the CD I need to take to the photo shop, an outfit to drop off at the consignment store, a magazine I promised to share with my friend, and plastic bags to recycle at the grocery store.)

                                                      

Break out the Labelmaker.
Make sure the kids’ gear is well labeled, either with initials or full names.  If there is a possibility that a jacket or backpack will eventually be handed down to younger siblings, just use your last name to identify the item.  DYMO has a great fabric iron-on tape that will make labeling clothing, backpacks and fabric lunchboxes neat and simple.  For school supplies, choose a brightly colored label tape to make it more fun and more easily recognizable to your child.

                                                      

Synchronize Everyone’s Calendars.
EVERY family member needs a personal calendar to keep track of their activities.  Just make sure the method and the events posted are age-appropriate.  For example, preschoolers can place stars on the days they go to school and stickers on the days they need to take snack.  Elementary-age kids can track their extra-curricular activities and begin learning how to juggle homework and fun.  And middle and high-school students can start taking more responsibility for being where they need to be when they need to be there.  Of course, Mom and Dad need their own calendar systems, too.  With all of these calendars floating around the house, be sure to synchronize everyone’s schedules on a weekly basis so there will be no conflicts or oversights.  Sunday after dinner is a great time for such a family meeting.

                                                      

Designate a Homework Zone.
Make sure each school-age child has a special spot at home for working on their assignments.  This area should be free of distractions, well-lit, and stocked with adequate school supplies.  A bedroom desk is ideal, but the kitchen table  or home office work just as well, too.  Provide each child with their own homework bin, stocked with all the supplies they need.  The bin can be stored when not in use, but easily accessible and portable when homework calls. Check out the homework box at Housewife Hiccups:

                                  

If your kids have already started their new school year, it’s not too late to implement some of these ideas in your own house.  If you’re kids are still counting down those last precious days of summer vacation, take some time to establish these systems.  Like I’ve mentioned in the past, be sure to include your kids in the processes you establish, you never know what clever input they might be able to provide.

Good luck and HAPPY BACK-TO-SCHOOL to everyone!

Simply yours,

EZ Back-to-School Supplies

EZSchoolSupplies.com

They had me at "we make life easy."

And they really sold me when they told me they make life easier for MOMS!

For the past 5 years, EZSchoolSupplies.com has been delivering paper, pens and everything in between to households all across the United States.

Bill Kemper, of EZ School Supplies, tells me that, "Mothers love us because they can order online the exact school supplies requested by the school or the teachers for each specific grade level and have them delivered right to their home.   Mothers no longer have to go on the dreaded scavenger-hunt to four different stores to search for their school supplies. "

That's right, your child's teacher can actually post her supply list online.  You visit, click, pay, and then sit back, save on gasoline, and wait for the supplies to arrive. And schools that sign up with them earn a 10% donation on every order their students place.  What an easy fundraising project!

If your school doesn't post their lists on EZSchoolSupplies.com, you can still find what your child needs to start the year off right (or replenish their supplies anytime throughout the year) by selecting from the over 26,000 brand name items.

Check them out with the coupon link below and get 10% off your order. Just enter the code EZMB049.      

And as an added bonus, EZ School Supplies is providing me with a sample pack to Giveaway to one lucky Virtually Organized reader.  Just enter a comment below by Monday August 11th at 12 midnight EST and you could get some free school supplies just in time for the new school year! Good luck, and happy shopping!

Simply yours,

Crazed or Motivated? You Make the Call

This weekend, what started out as helping my girls put away their clean clothes, ended up in a total wardrobe re-organizing frenzy (much to the frustration, and exhaustion, of ALL of us!)

Blue Eyed Jane, who has been known to quickly and haphazardly stuff clothes into her dresser drawers when she has more interesting things to do, was up to her tricks again. And I was fed up. AGAIN!

After dumping all her drawers to better arrange the clothing, I took a deep breath and decided to make this a teaching moment. I showed her that folded clothes take up less room than balled up ones, but HANGING clothes takes even less time and effort than folding.  Since she is all for saving time on chores, we decided to designate more folded clothes to the closet. Of course, that lead to a reexamination of ALL her clothes for stains, wear, and fit.

We went through shoes, undies, socks and even hair accessories. I was on an re-organizing roll!! (Or fit, depending on your point of view!)

We ended up with a huge pile of outgrown clothes to donate, another pile to trash, and another pile to hand down to an even younger and smaller friend.

Once I was done with Blue Eyed Jane, I moved onto her older sister, Moody Judy. After attacking her wardrobe with the same relentless purging, I had even more for my discard piles, as well as a hand-me-down stack to save for Blue Eyed Jane.

Do you ever get SO motivated to de-clutter that you just go on an spur-of-the-moment organizational rampage? Or have you ever been so fed up with an area in your house that you get obsessed with doing something about it RIGHT NOW! (Please say yes! I don't want to be the ONLY one here who gets a little crazed by disorganization!)

Simply yours,

Are We There Yet?

Summertime and road trips go hand in hand. And keeping things organized in the car is a MUST when you're on the road.  My own family is planning a few road trips this summer, so in preparation, I gave the ol' minivan an organizational overhaul!

First off, I put to use some great products from the The Organized Parent. (Stephanie, the OFFICIAL Organized Parent, generously provided a coupon code just for Virtually Organized and D & R Custom Organizers friends and famiy.  See the end of the post for the code.)

My girls don't travel far without some sort of snack, so this "Trash Stash" keeps all the wrappers and remains under control. It's completely leak proof and snaps shut, too.

                                                

To keep all MY stuff organized, I installed the Swing Away Driver Organizer.

                                                

This installs around the neck of the headrest on the passenger seat. When you actually HAVE a passenger up front with you, just swing it out of the way to the back of the seat. I keep an extra water bottle in the cup holder. You can't see it in the picture, but there's a drink holder on the other side of the organizer, too. If I plan to be on the road for most of the day, I store a frozen water bottle there. By the time I've finished the first one, the second is thawed, but still cold.

I also store a small notepad and a few pens (useful for SO many reasons), tissues, my card cubby (which holds all my discount cards and store coupons), a Tide To Go pen (just in case!), a fingernail file, and mints.  I also keep files in the back pocket for the clients I am visiting that day.

Basically, it's my car purse, but it's so much easier to access while I'm on the road. And having it all contained, gives the car a less cluttered look than using all the dashboard and console cubbies.

The final element is a pink lap desk for Blue Eyed Jane, who is a much easier traveler when she has something to keep her busy during long car drives.

She uses this special lap desk for coloring, working on her suduku for kids books, or, at times, drumming to the beat of her favorite song.  The desk has a cup holder, but since the back of the van has a built in cup holder already, she uses the space on the desk for storing pencils and crayons as she's working, or a baggie of snacks (she a notorious muncher). Don't you just LOVE the great designs?

To mark the beginning of the vacation travel season, The Organized Parent wants to help make it easier to fill your gas tank this summer by giving away a $100 gas card! And they'll help entertain your kids, too, with a prize package of assorted travel games. But there's a catch--you need to have a DVD-free car for the entire travel season.

Up for the challenge? Just share your most creative (yet simple!) tips and ideas on reconnecting with your family while traveling on vacation. To enter, send an email with your idea to dvdfree@theorganizedparent.com. But hurry! Submissions will be accepted through June 30, 2008.

My ideas for keeping the kids entertained sans movies? Since space is always at a premium no matter what vehicle you are traveling in, I like to keep the entertainment light on supplies. Here are just a few of the games I'm sure we'll be playing on our upcoming road trip to Philly:

• the tried-and-true license plate treasure hunt game,
• the alphabet game (starting with "A" and moving through the alphabet, take turns completing the phrase "I'm going to (Alaska) to (annoy) (Andrew)," filling in the blanks with words that start with your letter,
• play a car version of The Singing Bee by playing songs on the radio or mp3 player, and then turning them off mid song to see who can keep singing the correct lyrics,
• for older kids, give them a map and let them chart the course as you drive,
• or give them tourist information for your final destination and let them write a list of the attractions they most want to visit,
• to keep bickering at bay, give the kids $10 each (or 10 quarters, if they are younger). Every time someone complains, argues, or any other behavior you would rather not have to deal with, take a dollar (or quarter) away from the offending party.  Whatever they are left with at the end of the car ride is there's to spending at your vacation spot.
• when all else fails, play the "First one who talks is a rotten egg game" (won't get you peace and quiet for all that long, but it should last long enough to think up the next game to occupy the troops!)

Have any other great travel games, or car organizing tips? Let me know! My car can never be TOO organized, and my kids can never be TOO distracted, while road tripping!!

By the way, the special discount code for The Organized Parent is DANDR15. Use this code and get 15% off your ENTIRE order!

Next week I discuss ways to organize the trunk of your car. You know, that dark scary place that gobbles up soccer cleats, water bottles, extra flashlights and whatever else is unlucky enough to end up there! Until then, happy trails!

Simply yours,

The Great Working Mom Balancing Act: Part 2- The $5 Solution!

This is part 2 of my series on achieving balance while working from home.  In part 1, I discussed managing phone and email distractions and procrastination. In this section I suggest a $5 solution to keeping you on track . . . 

Another way to help manage distraction, whether you work from home or if you just need to get something done, is to make a kitchen timer your right-hand-man.  This simple, $5 product will do AMAZING things for your productivity. We often don’t think of getting engrossed in a project as being a form of distraction, but think of it this way, if you spend more time than necessary on a task, you’re distracting yourself from other tasks that need your attention also.

It is easy to allow time spent on individual projects to get away from you.  For example, responding to e-mail is one such time-monster that, if left unchecked, can eat away more hours from our day than we would care to admit. So give yourself a time limit for the task.  Set a kitchen timer for 20 minutes and tackle your e-mail messages, dealing with those items that are of the highest priority first.  When the timer dings, commit to moving on to another task.

This can also work well when it comes to dealing with those tasks you often put off.  Set the timer for a set amount and then work on nothing else.  If you only need to work on a dreaded task for a limited amount of time, it can make diving into it more manageable. 

It is also easier to avoid distraction and jumping from task to task if you know you only have 20 minutes to accomplish the current project.

Use this method for tasks you ENJOY, too, so you do not end up spending too much time on them and falling behind on other jobs. If, for example, you find yourself becoming absorbed in designing advertisements for your next campaign, setting a timer can ensure that these activities do not monopolize your entire day.

And do not forget that we all need to take time for a “coffee break,” whether we work at home or in a traditional office.  None of us can work straight through the day without resting our minds and our thoughts.  When you work from home, it is easy to move from business work to home chores, without any downtime in between.  Be sure to include breaks into your schedule, but set a timer so they do not get in the way of accomplishing your daily goals.

Next time we'll deal with the scheduling, and why flexibility is a must!

Simply yours,

Debbie

Benny’s Book of Sorting: A Different Way of Teaching Kids to Organize

Recently, my Blue Eyed Jane and I purged her massive book collection. (Yes, sometimes my kids are not too thrilled with the fact that their mother is also their own private organizer-especially when it means extra chores.)  Nevertheless, her bookshelf was packed, and many of those books she had long since outgrown.

As we weeded through volumes of Arthur, Junie B. Jones, and The Magic Tree House, I came across a book that had first belonged to me as a child:  Benny’s Animals and How He Put Them in Order (A Science I Can Read Book by Millicent E. Selsam, Harper & Row, 1966).  I had forgotten all about this tale, but right there in the middle of our project, I plopped down on the carpet to read.

I was so excited!  A book about organizing for kids!  What a wonderful way to introduce sorting to my clients’ youngsters. The kids may even start to grasp the idea of this first step of organizing without even realizing it!

The wheels were spinning about the workshops I could hold based on this book; the copies I could re-sell for clients to use at home with their kids.  I decided to finish the book to refresh my memory and develop a workshop idea (and Blue Eyed Jane took a much-needed break from her own sorting and plopped down with a book of her own).

The story starts out with the young, precocious, and out of the ordinary Benny, who has to be the most organized child ever invented.  Benny sorts EVERYTHING!  Big books are stored separately from medium books, which are stored separately from small books.  Pennies are in a pile with pennies, nickels with only nickels, and so on down the line.  Benny is SO overly organized, his mother even asks her husband, “Do you think Benny is all right?”  (It actually reminded me of comments my husband makes about ME when I go into hyper-organized mode!  So of course, I feel for Benny up to this point!)

After Father convinces Mother that Benny is just “neat,” Benny comes home from the beach and wants to sort the treasures he has found.  After learning that shells come from animals, he sorts his collection (of course), putting like with like (all the scallops in a pile, clams together, etc.).  He calls this collection “Animals from the Sea.”

Soon Benny’s know-it-all buddy John comes to visit and questions whether these shells are actually animals.  After much discussion about what makes an animal and what makes animals different from each other, Benny’s Mother gives the boys old magazines so they can cut out pictures of animals.  Before you know it, the boys are sorting all of these pictures into different categories.

At this point, I am convinced this book is an excellent resource for explaining sorting like with like.  What a great way to impress this idea upon young kids learning to organize for themselves.  The boys put butterflies, bats and birds in the same pile because they all have wings.

Yes!  They developed a customized system that works for THEM.  That’s what organization is all about.  It may not be the way someone else would categorize them, but if it is a good system for them, and they are able to keep things organized based on that system, that's all that matters.

But then Father has to botch it all up.

”These are sort of mixed up,” he tells the boys.  Birds have feathers, bats have fur, and butterflies have scales-they CAN’T be in the same group, he claims.

Okay, I KNOW this is a science book and I KNOW that according to science these 3 creatures are NOT related, but come on!   These kids are learning to sort!  They figured out a common denominator that makes sense to them!  Don’t bring them down, Dad!

To teach the boys a real lesson, Father takes them to the museum to learn how animals are scientifically sorted.  They learn about relatives and ancestors, and they leave the museum as mini-scientists-in-training.

In terms of teaching about animal classification, this book is very informative, and aside from the fact that they look up information in a book rather than on the internet, the 41-year-old book is still relevant today.

Moreover, it does introduce the IDEA of how to sort.  But my goal as a Professional Organizer is to let kids, and adults, know that there is no perfect, absolute way to organize.  If it makes sense to you, if you can easily keep track of your things and retrieve them whenever you need them, it doesn’t matter if your bats and butterflies are in the same category or not.

So I am still searching for that perfect book to teach kids how to organize without them being aware of it.  It has to be out there, but now that Blue Eyed Jane’s bookshelf is streamlined, I am sure it is not on HER shelf.  If anybody can recommend one, let me know.

Or who knows, maybe next week I’ll let you know the publication date of MY children’s book on organizing!
 
Simply yours,

Multi-age Toy Storage

A Post from the Past . . .

Toy storage is a chronic problem ─ just ask any Mom who’s ever screamed in pain from tripping over Legos in their bare feet or stumbled down a flight of stairs after getting tangled up in a big toy frog (This last one actually happened to me years ago!  I even broke my pinky toe as a result!).  However, what adds insult to injury (literally, in my case!) is how to handle toy storage so that the smaller pieces of more “grown-up” toys are accessible to older kids, but not a danger to younger siblings.  Recently, Donna wrote me asking for tips on this issue,

“My dilemma is finding containers for Legos, Tinker Toys and Lincoln logs that aren't easily opened by my 1 year old son. The tinker toys are a challenge to find a container that fits on shelving because of the long pieces. I know I cannot find containers that are completely child proof but at least something that he cannot just pull the lid off with one try. I don't leave him in a room with free access to the toys ─ I am in the room ─ but I would like to find some containers that the lids don't pop right off of when they are pulled from the shelf by him.  I am putting shelves along the back wall of the basement and want to put all of the toys in containers on the shelves.  I haven't bought any containers yet so any suggestions would be great.”

Well, Donna, here goes:

• One way to meet the needs of the different age groups is to cordon off an area for the OLDER child.  There are all sorts of child gates available to section off a room and create a play area within your playroom where the small toys can be stored and played with.  Some gates can even be set up in the round without a wall nearby (like below, but with the older ones on the INSIDE).  Since kids don’t always put ALL their toys away, this separate section just for the smaller toys will protect the youngest ones from discovering small pieces that were left behind.  As an added benefit, if older children want to build a tall structure, or assemble an intricate racetrack, they do not have to worry about a younger sibling on purpose accidentally batting it down or walking across it, destroying their hard work and creativity.  In Donna’s case, maybe the gate could incorporate a section of the bookshelves designate specifically to these smaller toys, while the adjoining shelves can store toys that are safe for ALL of the brothers.

• Another idea, especially appealing to boys, is to use inexpensive plastic tackle boxes or toolboxes.  Not the “kiddie” kind, but the REAL THING.  The latches are too tricky for a one-year-old to manipulate, and they can even be locked, if need be.  Plus, the cool container becomes a toy in itself.  If this idea does not appeal to those of you who have girls, divided craft organizers used for beading or sewing could have the same result, storing, of course beads and jewelry kits, as well as Barbie clothes and shoes (Oh, those dreaded, tiny, perfect-for-choking Barbie shoes!)
• Yet another option is to simply banish all toys with choking-hazard pieces from the shared playroom  and instead keep them in the older boys’ rooms, with the understanding that these toys can only be played with in their bedrooms.  The toys can be stored in either recycled, labeled shoeboxes, or new, see-through, lidded plastic boxes.   Of course, this method takes some discipline, both on the part of the older children keeping their toys confined to their rooms, and for the parents, not allowing the youngest ones to have free access to their siblings’ rooms.

                                       

• Another creative idea for toy collections with bulky pieces too large for toolboxes or shoeboxes is to use large zippered tote bags.  Canvas bags from Land’s End or LL Bean, for example, are sturdy enough to withstand the abuse, can be monogrammed (either with the child’s name or the contents of the bag). I really like the Lazy Organizer's see-through, zippered organizing bags.  They come in various sizes and are PERFECT for this type of containerizing.  And they require more advanced fine motor skills than the very young ones are capable of.  These would be ideal for storing toys with multiple sizes, such as the Lincoln Logs and Tinker Toys.  And, when it’s time to head to Grandma’s or a play date, the bag is perfect to take along on the trip.

                              

I hope that some of these ideas will prove useful.  If you have any other ideas, please let me know.  And keep those questions coming-I would love the opportunity to discuss ideas for YOUR organizing dilemmas.

P.S. Don't forget to enter the Virtually Organize Me! Giveaway.  EVERY entry will win an entry prize worth $99 and the Grand Prize winner will receive a prize worth nearly $600!

Simply yours,
Debbie

Rules to Grow By: Helping Kids Learn the Basics of Organizing

A Post from the Past . . .

So, you want to organize your child’s room.   You’ve had enough of the cluttered, disorganized mess and you are FINALLY going to go in there, wade your way through the chaos, and get this room in tip-top shape.  My professional advice to you is this:

RESIST THE URGE TO ORGANIZE YOUR CHILD’S ROOM WITHOUT YOUR CHILD’S INPUT!!!!!

Yes, I know.  It’s sooo much easier to just go in there and DO IT YOURSELF!  However, I’m telling you, that is just a short-term fix.  If your child does not have a say in how his or her things are organized, you will be fighting an uphill battle that you are destined to lose.  This goes for children as young as toddlers up to until they cut the apron strings.  Children need to feel a sense of control and ownership over their things. (Let’s face it, they have so little control in their young lives.  This is the LEAST we can offer them.) Plus, if they don’t understand the system behind the way YOU’VE organized their stuff, it’s unrealistic to expect THEM to follow it.

            There is hope, though.  With some patience, understanding, and lots of teamwork, if you work side-by-side with your youngster to put their bedroom or playroom back in order, you’ll have much greater success and a better chance that they will maintain the organization.

            Now, this single blog entry is certainly not big enough to go into all the details of specifically how you should set up a system. However, I have put together a list of three general rules that, if consistently enforced, should not only help your child maintain a less cluttered environment for themselves, but also teach them some basic organizing skills that they can take with them throughout life.

RULE #1:  Everything Needs a Place to Call Home

Don’t tell your kids, but this rule is actually code for “Put things back where they belong!”  It’s an odd phenomenon, but just by changing your approach and using this new phrase, you can actually get your kids to start returning items to where they belong.  Basically, teach kids to decide on a “home” for all of their items.  When they play with a toy, read a book, or take out the cereal box for breakfast, for example, they are removing that item from its home and taking it on “vacation.”  And just as WE like to come back to the comfort of our own home after a vacation, these items always need to find their way back home when THEIR vacation has come to an end.

RULE #2:  If Something Comes In, Than Something Goes Out

This rule is imperative if you want to keep collections and clutter under control.  Stuffed animals can quickly take over a room.  Toys from fast food kid’s meals can seemingly multiply overnight.  Even worthwhile possessions, such as books, magazines, and craft supplies, can get to the point of disorganized excess.  At some point, a parent has to lay down the law and say “NO MORE!”  Rather than arbitrarily setting limits (or secretly tossing things out when your unsuspecting children are either sleeping or at school), enforce the rule that if your child wants to add a new item to his inventory of  “stuff,” it must be in exchange for an existing item that now either needs to be donated or, depending on its condition, trashed.

By its very nature, this rule gets kids into the practice of making priorities.  For example, if, while out shopping, your son begs to spend his birthday money on yet ANOTHER toy truck, you simply explain that he can only make this purchase if he purges one of his existing trucks.  He is now forced to re-evaluate his collection and decide if this new truck is worthy of replacing one he already owns.  If he knows he has one at home that either is broken or he does not play with anymore, it may be a worthwhile purchase.  If not, though, he will need to consider seriously if the purchase is necessary.  Setting priorities is a vital component of organization and this rule not only controls the clutter, but teaches a skill, too.

Of course, this rule does not have to apply to EVERY new item that comes into a child’s possession.  But, when they clearly have an excess in certain categories, it can be a huge help.

RULE #3:  Leave Things Ready for the Next Time You Need Them

For the most part, kids despise cleaning up after themselves.  (And, for that matter, most adults aren’t particularly fond of it either!)  Nevertheless, it’s a fact of life that we all have to deal with if we aspire to be productive, successful and independent.

To help kids stay organized without making them feel like it is just a useless chore, try explaining to them that the goal is to leave their things ready for the next time they need them.  For example, after coming back from her soccer game, your daughter leaves her cleats in the mini-van, one shin guard in the garage and the other on her bedroom floor.  Instead of making the vague request for her to clean up her “stuff,” explain that she needs to get her soccer equipment READY for the next practice.  You may need to walk her through exactly what you mean the first time, but hopefully as you continue to insist that things are left READY for the next time they are needed, your kids will start to catch on to how easy it is to get out the door quickly for soccer when things are READY.

            Now, at first these rules may seem lofty and impossible, but GIVE THEM A CHANCE!  Most kids are eager to learn new things, and these new approaches to the same old problems may just be novel enough for them to want to try, and ultimately master.

            Just remember:  always include the kids in all organizing projects that directly involve their things.  Look at it as yet another teaching moment and life-lesson that you pass on in the hope of raising productive, independent offspring.  It may seem like more of a chore than just doing it yourself and getting it over with, but if the kids don’t have a hand in the process, you’ll be back where you are today, wading through too many toys, dealing with too little organization, and not having nearly enough hair to pull out in frustration!  Good luck!!

Don't forget, midnight on May 23rd is your last chance to enter the Mrs. A's Coupon Organizer Giveaway!! Make sure to get your comments and subscriptions in TODAY!

Simply yours,

Debbie

Conquer Kids’ Clutter, One iPod at a Time

A Post from the Past:  The following is a favorite post from my previous blog,

Kid’s clutter can drive even the most docile of Moms crazy!  And these days, kids have SO MUCH MORE STUFF than I EVER remember having as a child (now MY mom may not agree, but I know those of you with young kids will back me up on this one!!).

Since it is not very likely that the amount of stuff will drastically diminish anytime soon (at least not with plenty of screaming and kicking.  And the kids will surely complain, too!!) the only alternative is to find a way to deal with it.  One great way I have found to keep the kid’s random stuff from taking over every square inch of living space is to establish a “Lost-and-Found” basket.

In the evening, as the kids head up stairs for the night, I ask them to “sweep” the first level of the house for stuff they have left behind (the library book on the kitchen counter, an iPod left on the couch, school supplies strewn across the kitchen table. I could go on and on, but if you have kids, you know the drill!).

This “sweep” gives them one last chance to be responsible for both their belongings and the neatness of our common areas.  However, if the sweep is not complete, and things are left behind, Mom does a sweep of her own!

All of the miscellaneous and misplaced items I find go directly to the “Lost and Found” basket, discreetly housed on the center shelf of a Family Room end table.  The basket is not TOO large, resulting in a bottomless pit of “stuff,” but big enough to prove useful.  Every Sunday night I remind the girls that I will be going through the Lost-and-Found basket that evening, and all of the unclaimed items will meet with their demise:   either tossed, donated, or (for more expensive items like the iPod) kept in MY POSSESSION for one additional week.  (How do you think I learned the words to all the songs on the latest Ashley Tisdale album AND the High School Musical 2 Soundtrack?!)

This system has been SO helpful.  First, I no longer nag the kids about the clutter; I simply place it in the basket.  Second, the kids know to look in the basket if they cannot find a particular item.  Or, if they do ask me where their things are, all that is needed is a simple, “Check the lost-and-found!"

Kid clutter is reduced, which in turn reduces my stress, which ultimately INCREASES the household peace.
Try it! There’s no better way to clear the kid’s stuff AND get the chance to check out your kids’ gameboy or mp3 player for a while!  Good luck!

Simply yours,

Debbie