Organizing Spring Break Days

Spring Break is right around the corner - ours is next week. If you are able to spend the time with your kids, don't let the expanse of time overwhelm you. Do a little planning to make the time fun for you and for your kids.

Plan some road trips or all-day events. I've researched some maple-sugaring events, an Amish road trip, a tour of a carousel factory/museum, an underground railroad driving tour, and some others. To find similar things to do in your area, check out websites, books, newspaper/magazine articles, and county visitor's guides.

Hobby stores and other groups offer craft classes. Doing an act of kindness or volunteer opportunity is another possibility to pursue. A family spring cleaning project can be thrown into the mix.

Some at-home activities to engage your imagination: a decathlon (10 fun/silly events - bubble blowing contest, table games, drop the clothespin in the bottle, etc.), an uno marathon where the winner of each hand adds a new rule, Easter egg coloring, and a crazy dinner.

I make up a list of possible activities, and we usually let the kids vote on various activities (1st, 2nd, 3rd choice), so we get an idea of what is most popular. I divide the categories into events outside the home, at-home activities, and exercise options. Then I tally up the votes and plan out the week, trying to include as many favorites as possible - as time and money allow.

To make an ordinary day fun, break it up into 15 to 30 minute segments, depending on the age of your kids. Some segment fillers could include group games, reading time, time with individual kids, cooking time, alone time, TV/movie time, individual game time, athletic activity, etc. during those segments. I usually try to alternate energetic and quiet activities, indoor and outdoor activities, group and individual activities and so on. Don't tell your kids what's coming next, so there's an element of surprise. When your kids have time to themselves, you do too!

Whenever your Spring Break occurs, I hope it's filled with fun and happy memories.

Spring Cleaning - Mattress Covers

The next time you change sheets, take off the mattress covers, too. Give those a wash to freshen up for Spring! Takes a little extra time, but it's nice to have everything clean.

While everything's off the bed, flip your mattresses to even out the wear.

Spring Cleaning the Attic - Part 1

Spring is a wonderful time to attack the attic - it's still cool enough to be able to tackle this decluttering job! And the timing is perfect - you may find you have enough for a yard sale. Now that's motivating, isn't it?

Start by walking around your attic to take a mental inventory of what you have there. Designate corners for each category - Christmas, other seasonal decorations, keepsakes, off-season clothing, suitcases and travelling accessories, home repair supplies - whatever categories represent your life.

Next week we'll move on to another step in spring cleaning the attic.

March 13 - Organize Your Home Office Day

Did you know that March 13 is Organize Your Home Office Day? I thought I'd give you a couple days' notice.

Before you run out and buy a bunch of containers, first sort and toss so you know what you have left to organize. Your storage needs will become obvious as you go through this process.

If you are overwhelmed at the idea of organizing your office, let us help you! Three Steps to Organizing Your Office will walk you through each step in no time! Here's a link to this cute little book http://1-2-3getorganized.com/office.html.

Products we Recommend - KangaRoom Stackable File Box

KangaRooM Stackable File Box was named the best organizing product by the Third Annual Los Angeles Organizing Awards. Not only does the box have a handle so you can carry it with one hand, but the handle fits snugly into the box above it, saving space as they stock on top of each other. To see a picture, go to http://1-2-3getorganized.com/funstuff.html.

Lists for Repeated Activities

Ok - I've gone to my morning acquatic arthritis class too many times without something I need! I have forgotten lotion, body wash, my washcloth, my towel, and my under garments (I wear my swimsuit to the class) - not a pretty sight!

After forgetting both my wahscloth and towel one day this week, I decided to make a list of things I need to take. No wonder, I'm forgetting things - there are about 13 things on my list and several of them don't stay in my bag all the time because they need to dry or be washed, etc.

Do you end up not having everything you need at times? When we used to travel frequently, we kept a packing list we would refer to for each trip. Do you need one for your briefcase, your diaper bag, your gym bag, your purse, your child's back pack?

Take a few minutes to make a list to alleviate the feeling you're forgetting something, as well as the stress and the impact on your life when you find it to be true!

I'm in Family Circle Magazine - Organizing Your Scrapbook Materials

Check out the April 1, 2008 edition of Family Circle Magazine, where I'm featured in an article by Lindsey St. Clair on p. 26 about organizing your scrapbook supplies! How fun is that?!

Dreams really do come true!

Access Women's Shelter

I had such a delightful time with the women at the Access Women's Shelter in Akron, Ohio last week. During our time management seminar, we looked at the legacy they wanted to leave, their passions, their priorities, and their gifts. If we're going to talk time management, we need a context to determine what matters to us.

Since most of these women are in transition, we created Jazzmine, our fictitious woman. We determined her passions, priorities, and gifts and then made a weekly master plan she could follow each week when she sat down to plan the next week.

The women participated enthusiastically and related some of their own dreams and hopes. I sensed they left with some excitement about their future. You can read more about the seminar at http://client.mmpulse.com//CmpOnlineViewer.aspx?CmpId=2576&ContId=1377233. I'm so impressed with this organization, I'd encourage you to donate some time (if you live in the Akron area) or some money.

Products for Mom and Baby Made by Moms

If you're a mom and want to help other moms, check out Mom 4 Life. This informative website features products for mom and baby made by moms as well as other resources for moms.

If you've invented or created a product you'd like to market, this might be a wonderful place to start. You'll find a clear, step-by-step procedure to follow on the Contact Us page.

Just click the link to the right to check out their products and their other resources. Wonderful site!

Hope for Disorganized Students!

I've discovered a wonderful organizing system for students who have trouble keeping track of assignments, homework, etc. The DocOA organizing system is comprised of several folders - one for each class - with slots for assignments, finished homework, graded homework, etc.

It creates a home for all the paper associated with each class. No more zeroes because homework cannot be found. No more panic over a lost assignment sheet. There's so much more - check it out on our website www.1-2-3GetOrganized.com under "Products we Recommend."

Start with the family kit or go for the platinum package. I predict this system will reduce stress for both students and parents!

Laundry tip - color-coded laundry bags

I heard a tip to make laundry a little easier: buy each member of your family three laundry bags - one for whites, one for lights and one for darks. If possible, purchase a different color for each person. You could even get a light blue bag for lights, and dark blue bag for darks, and a white one for whites and tie a blue (color-safe) ribbon to it. Ok - I know I may be getting obsessive here!!

Train your children how to differentiate between light and dark colors - a great learning tool even for toddlers!

When it's time for a load of light-colored laundry, ask your child to bring you his light bag. Since it will probably not be full, tie up the bag and wash the entire bag. If the bag is not too full, you could toss it in the drier and save all the sorting! And since the bag is color-coded, you know who it belongs to!

Decluttering in 10 - Entry Way

Take 10 minutes and see how much you can declutter in your entry way or mud room. Get a trash bag and toss anything that is no longer useful. If others in your family have dropped their things in the entry, ask them to put them away.

Is there a place for each person's book bag, purse, briefcase, keys, coat, etc.? If not, add that to your to-do list for another day. If so, train them to put them away. Without a place for everyone's things when they come in the door, your entry can look like the aftermath of an explosion.

Do you keep your mail in the entry? Try sorting your mail near a trash can, recycling container, and a shredder. If you do this daily, your mail will not become a huge decluttering project.

Shake the rug and/or clean the floor if you have time.

What a nice welcome to your home!!

Our February contest winner!

Our February contest winner is Kristi from Maryland! She has a great way to store little things - file stickers, clear tabs for hanging files and the paper inserts, shipping labels, Roladex blank cards, price stickers for garage sales, name stickers for your children's school items, video/cassette labels, craft items, scrapbook embellishsments, etc.

"I get small ziplock bags that are the size of the item I have --- then I get a hole puncher and punch a hole ABOVE the zip area --- then you go to Staples (www.Staples.com) and get those metal ring fasteners --- and put all the baggies on the metal ring-- and then THROW THE WHOLE thing in your drawer.

NOTHING FALLS OUT OR AROUND and when you need those "LITTLE items" you just pull out the metal fastener --- and flip through each bag since they are see-thru, and then open the clip in the right area and take out the bag you want to use ---BINGO!

If you have lots of similar items -- I got a peg board and just slid each baggie grouping on a LONG peg."

Kristi suggests buying baggies online - much less expensive!

Decluttering - on the Radio

Don Shepherd and I will be discussing decluttering this morning at 11:35 Eastern on his radio show in Florida, WPBR 1340 am. You can listen in by going to www.talk1340wpbram.com and clicking the center of the page.

Decluttering and Taxes - Radio Interview

On Friday, February 29 8:10-8:20 Eastern I'll be doing another radio interview. This time it's with WMAC 940 am in Macon, Georgia. We'll be talking about decluttering and taxes. If you'd like to listen in, you can go to their website at www.wmac-am.com and click the live stream icon on the right side of the page.

While we're on the subject, if your receipts are in more than one place, now is a good time to go through your house and collect receipts or paperwork you need in order to do your taxes. Look over my other blogs on taxes about organizing receipts, etc.

Even if it is overwhelming, spend 15-20 minutes at a time, and you'll make surprising progress!!