Remember my reviews of time management organizing systems? One of those was Cozi, a free online program. Cozi has just rolled out its 2.0 version. Here is what they say are the upgrades:
- "Quicker and easier than ever to use. Sign in from any computer with Internet access. No downloads required. (To see all the new features and for the best experience, we recommend the following web browsers: Internet Explorer 7 or Firefox.)
- Full of features you've been asking for.
Try the new month calendar view and month printing.
We think you'll also enjoy the new family journal which is designed for busy families to jot down moments and memories they don't want to forget.
Plus, there's a recipe search in Cozi lists that helps make your grocery trips more efficient.
- Getting better, faster than ever. Enjoy immediate access to new features without having to download new software."
If you're looking for a new way to manage your time, I recommend Cozi as a great option! Click on the title above to be taken to their site.
What time management system do you and why?
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Managing Invasive Herbs
Better Homes and Gardens (http://www.bhg.com) offers some tips for preventing your mint or other invasive herbs (tansy, catnip, comfrey, horseradish, lemon balm, hops, artemisia) from taking over your garden. A couple of ideas:
- Plant them in 12-inch pots and place the pots in the ground so that they are not seen. The pots keep the roots from running, which is how they normally spread.
- Plant them in large planters or half-barrels.
You may want to plant a different variety in each pot or planter.
The only invasive herb I have experience with is mint - my mint patch started out with just two or three plants three years ago, and now it has grown to a three foot by 2 foot rectangle. It is bordered by our house and a sidewalk on two sides, so its growth potential is limited. But the area where it is growing is rather unused, so we really don't mind it spreading. I love being able to walk out my side door and pick mint leaves for our herbal mint iced tea each day.
I know I shared this recipe before, but it's worth repeating. I collect a generous handful of both spearmint and peppermint. After rinsing off the leaves, I pour boiling water over them in a mug. I let it steep - the longer the better - and add about 3/8 to 1/2 cup of sugar for 1/2 gallon. It's so refreshing in hot weather! We take it to drink when we play tennis - far more refreshing than water.
Mint's abundance allows you to share your leaves or your plants with your friends and family. One of my next door neighbors now has a planter full of mint that she grew from some sprigs from our garden.
Did you know that mint is soothing and calming? And in olden days, a girl would chew a mint leaf before her beau came to call, to freshen her breath. And, of course, mint can be used in a variety of recipes.
- Plant them in 12-inch pots and place the pots in the ground so that they are not seen. The pots keep the roots from running, which is how they normally spread.
- Plant them in large planters or half-barrels.
You may want to plant a different variety in each pot or planter.
The only invasive herb I have experience with is mint - my mint patch started out with just two or three plants three years ago, and now it has grown to a three foot by 2 foot rectangle. It is bordered by our house and a sidewalk on two sides, so its growth potential is limited. But the area where it is growing is rather unused, so we really don't mind it spreading. I love being able to walk out my side door and pick mint leaves for our herbal mint iced tea each day.
I know I shared this recipe before, but it's worth repeating. I collect a generous handful of both spearmint and peppermint. After rinsing off the leaves, I pour boiling water over them in a mug. I let it steep - the longer the better - and add about 3/8 to 1/2 cup of sugar for 1/2 gallon. It's so refreshing in hot weather! We take it to drink when we play tennis - far more refreshing than water.
Mint's abundance allows you to share your leaves or your plants with your friends and family. One of my next door neighbors now has a planter full of mint that she grew from some sprigs from our garden.
Did you know that mint is soothing and calming? And in olden days, a girl would chew a mint leaf before her beau came to call, to freshen her breath. And, of course, mint can be used in a variety of recipes.
Need Some Additional Counter or Cabinet Space without Having to Redo Your Kitchen?
Short on counter or cabinet space? If so, consider getting a rolling kitchen cart rather than going through the headache and expense of redoing your kichen. Or use as a stop-gap until you redo your kitchen, if that's in your plans. Kitchen carts come in a variety of colors, sizes, materials, and prices. All you need is a little extra space in your kitchen.
My favorite is this red one (my favorite color!) from StacksandStacks. It is not your mother's kitchen cart! It's so pretty, it would make a beautiful addition to any kitchen.
This particular rolling cart comes in black, red, natural, and oak. You also have a choice of counter tops: wood, granite in a variety of colors, or stainless steel. What a nice way to expand your kitchen without the headaches! For more options and info, click: Kitchen Cart with Granite Top - White
My favorite is this red one (my favorite color!) from StacksandStacks. It is not your mother's kitchen cart! It's so pretty, it would make a beautiful addition to any kitchen.
This particular rolling cart comes in black, red, natural, and oak. You also have a choice of counter tops: wood, granite in a variety of colors, or stainless steel. What a nice way to expand your kitchen without the headaches! For more options and info, click: Kitchen Cart with Granite Top - WhiteMonday, June 9, 2008
Saving Time by Cutting Out Craft Clean Up
As you can imagine with teenage foster girls, we do a lot of crafts in the summertime. My organizing business is necessarily minimized so I can spend time with the girls while they are out of school.
This week we are painting terra cotta flower pots. We had to spray a sealer on them before painting. I grabbed my Glad Press 'n Seal and covered my patio table with it before spraying - no clean up!
It's been in the 90s this week, so we brought the flower pots inside to paint. Even though we have a white plastic craft table, I decided to cover that as well so we wouldn't have to be continually wiping up paint. Since we must do several coats, we have just left the Press 'n Seal on the table until our project is finished.
I'm so glad this idea popped into my head - what a time saver!
Do you have similar "light bulb moments" you'd like to share with us? We'd love to hear them!
This week we are painting terra cotta flower pots. We had to spray a sealer on them before painting. I grabbed my Glad Press 'n Seal and covered my patio table with it before spraying - no clean up!
It's been in the 90s this week, so we brought the flower pots inside to paint. Even though we have a white plastic craft table, I decided to cover that as well so we wouldn't have to be continually wiping up paint. Since we must do several coats, we have just left the Press 'n Seal on the table until our project is finished.
I'm so glad this idea popped into my head - what a time saver!
Do you have similar "light bulb moments" you'd like to share with us? We'd love to hear them!
Friday, June 6, 2008
Save Time, Energy, and Money - How to Spot Scams
Whether you're searching for a work-from-home job or a new marketing tool or a new kitchen gadget, beware of internet scams, according to the Better Business Bureau. The internet is fertile soil for the growing number of scams.
How to be a savvy researcher:
- If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Promises of huge income or amazing benefits to you are probably not typical. The fine print on diet program ads showing before and after results, says "results are not typical." This could easily be the theme song for most of these promotions.
- If a business opportunity requires you to send money before explaining exactly what the opportunity is about, watch out! Many of the popular ones are stuffing envelopes, putting together craft items, and doing medical data entry.
- Avoid multi-level marketing that concentrates on recruitment rather than selling products. Multi-level marketing of actual products, usually at home parties can be legitimate and income-producing. But when a commission is paid for recruiting new members for your downline and quality products are not the central focus of the business, walk the other way!
- Check with the Better Business Bureau (http://www.bbb.org) before shelling out any money.
- Www.scambusters.org also checks out both online and offline businesses to test validity.
- Never sign on the dotted line during a high-pressured meeting or promotion. Take time to consider and research.
- Pay attention to your gut feelings - if you feel uneasy about an opportunity, don't move forward.
- If you're a woman looking for work-from-home opportunities, go to Homebased Working Moms (http://www.hbwm.com) or Women for Hire (http://www.womenforhire.com).
Source: Shine from Yahoo! June 1, 2008
How to be a savvy researcher:
- If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Promises of huge income or amazing benefits to you are probably not typical. The fine print on diet program ads showing before and after results, says "results are not typical." This could easily be the theme song for most of these promotions.
- If a business opportunity requires you to send money before explaining exactly what the opportunity is about, watch out! Many of the popular ones are stuffing envelopes, putting together craft items, and doing medical data entry.
- Avoid multi-level marketing that concentrates on recruitment rather than selling products. Multi-level marketing of actual products, usually at home parties can be legitimate and income-producing. But when a commission is paid for recruiting new members for your downline and quality products are not the central focus of the business, walk the other way!
- Check with the Better Business Bureau (http://www.bbb.org) before shelling out any money.
- Www.scambusters.org also checks out both online and offline businesses to test validity.
- Never sign on the dotted line during a high-pressured meeting or promotion. Take time to consider and research.
- Pay attention to your gut feelings - if you feel uneasy about an opportunity, don't move forward.
- If you're a woman looking for work-from-home opportunities, go to Homebased Working Moms (http://www.hbwm.com) or Women for Hire (http://www.womenforhire.com).
Source: Shine from Yahoo! June 1, 2008
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Schedule Daily Clean Up Times
Overwhelmed by the vision of your house exploding with clutter over the summer? Especially if you are a stay-at-home mom or dad with small children!
It always made me a little less crazy just knowing that we had three times scheduled to clean up: before lunch, before dinner, and before bed. When our children were small, we had naptime right after lunch, so there was a lengthy time that everything stayed neat and tidy! And it really helped my state of mind to get up in the morning and see everything in place.
If you work outside the home, clean up time may be just once or twice - a time to clean up the common areas and a time to clean up individual bedrooms. During clean up of common rooms, have everyone pick up what they've messed up and return their possessions which belong in other places. By making bedroom clean up part of your bedtime routine, it may be possible to keep the mess under control! Set a time limit so it won't seem to be endless for your children or so it won't encourage stalling.
You may want to have a toy limit - only three toys out at the same time, for example. Or you may want to designate certain areas where certain toys can be used - specific toys for the family room, outside, the bedroom - and they are not to be carried to other parts of the house. Whatever system you want to live with.
You can make clean up time fun by setting a timer or having a race to see how many items each person can put away. Count as you go to teach your child her numbers. Or have one child pick up anything that has red on it, another anything that has blue on it - of course that will probably turn into a battle!! Can we never win?
Or turn on some fun music and dance or do crazy moves while cleaning up. Or make everyone walk backwards to put the toys away. Or use commercials during your favorite TV show to do clean up. Be creative!
The key is taking 10-15 minutes two or three times a day to keep clutter under control. When it piles up, it gets overwhelming. If it's already overwhelming, start with your two or three clean up times and add another one if possible. Start small and keep working at it!
It always made me a little less crazy just knowing that we had three times scheduled to clean up: before lunch, before dinner, and before bed. When our children were small, we had naptime right after lunch, so there was a lengthy time that everything stayed neat and tidy! And it really helped my state of mind to get up in the morning and see everything in place.
If you work outside the home, clean up time may be just once or twice - a time to clean up the common areas and a time to clean up individual bedrooms. During clean up of common rooms, have everyone pick up what they've messed up and return their possessions which belong in other places. By making bedroom clean up part of your bedtime routine, it may be possible to keep the mess under control! Set a time limit so it won't seem to be endless for your children or so it won't encourage stalling.
You may want to have a toy limit - only three toys out at the same time, for example. Or you may want to designate certain areas where certain toys can be used - specific toys for the family room, outside, the bedroom - and they are not to be carried to other parts of the house. Whatever system you want to live with.
You can make clean up time fun by setting a timer or having a race to see how many items each person can put away. Count as you go to teach your child her numbers. Or have one child pick up anything that has red on it, another anything that has blue on it - of course that will probably turn into a battle!! Can we never win?
Or turn on some fun music and dance or do crazy moves while cleaning up. Or make everyone walk backwards to put the toys away. Or use commercials during your favorite TV show to do clean up. Be creative!
The key is taking 10-15 minutes two or three times a day to keep clutter under control. When it piles up, it gets overwhelming. If it's already overwhelming, start with your two or three clean up times and add another one if possible. Start small and keep working at it!
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Planning Dinner
Today I planned the schedule for the nine days we will host one group of our foster girls. We have three houses of teenage girls who come to our home one week each month respectively. This particular house has two girls. They are out of school now and we hope to have lots of fun together! I gave them a list of options to choose from - places to go, things to do at home, crafts, exercise, and goals they have for themselves this summer.
After scheduling in the activities we plan to do, I determined which meals we would have on which days. I looked at the weather to determine which would be good grilling days, which day we'll take a picnic to hear music in the park, etc.
I had already planned a menu for them last week, taking into consideration their likes and dislikes and foods which are in season. I looked through my Hassle Free Dinners CD, a year's worth of dinner menus, instructions and grocery lists which is organized according to date, and chose several summertime salads to serve.
When we grill lemon chicken, we'll grill some extra chicken for some of the salads. Summertime is a great time for a spiral ham - we'll have some ham for dinner tonight and use some for sandwiches, a calzone, and picnics during the week. I'll cook green beans one night for dinner and the leftovers will appear in a salad another night.
The key is planning ahead - using my strawberries early in the week while they are still fresh, cooking extra for meals later in the week, and shopping only once a week because I planned! I tried to vary meals - alternating the salads with grilling and alternating chicken, ham and hamburgers. It provides a little interest and change.
If you need some help planning dinner, my Three Steps to Planning Dinner workbook includes hints for making the most out of your time in the kitchen so you don't have to spend any more time cooking than is necessary. It also has some of my favorite recipes - most of them quick and easy. And there's a section for starting a recipe book of your own favorites.
I love providing tasty, quick and nutritious meals for our "family". And once my planning and shopping are done, I don't have to experience that nightly dilemna of figuring out what to have for dinner!! I have my meals scheduled on my calendar and all the ingredients I need in order to prepare them.
A couple of huge extras: the money (and nutrition!) saved by not eating out/getting take-out and the time saved by not stopping at the grocery store seveal times a week.
What are your secrets for putting dinner on the table every night?
P. S. Both Hassle Free Dinners and Three Steps to Planning Dinner are available at http://www.1-2-3getorganized.com/.
After scheduling in the activities we plan to do, I determined which meals we would have on which days. I looked at the weather to determine which would be good grilling days, which day we'll take a picnic to hear music in the park, etc.
I had already planned a menu for them last week, taking into consideration their likes and dislikes and foods which are in season. I looked through my Hassle Free Dinners CD, a year's worth of dinner menus, instructions and grocery lists which is organized according to date, and chose several summertime salads to serve.
When we grill lemon chicken, we'll grill some extra chicken for some of the salads. Summertime is a great time for a spiral ham - we'll have some ham for dinner tonight and use some for sandwiches, a calzone, and picnics during the week. I'll cook green beans one night for dinner and the leftovers will appear in a salad another night.
The key is planning ahead - using my strawberries early in the week while they are still fresh, cooking extra for meals later in the week, and shopping only once a week because I planned! I tried to vary meals - alternating the salads with grilling and alternating chicken, ham and hamburgers. It provides a little interest and change.
If you need some help planning dinner, my Three Steps to Planning Dinner workbook includes hints for making the most out of your time in the kitchen so you don't have to spend any more time cooking than is necessary. It also has some of my favorite recipes - most of them quick and easy. And there's a section for starting a recipe book of your own favorites.
I love providing tasty, quick and nutritious meals for our "family". And once my planning and shopping are done, I don't have to experience that nightly dilemna of figuring out what to have for dinner!! I have my meals scheduled on my calendar and all the ingredients I need in order to prepare them.
A couple of huge extras: the money (and nutrition!) saved by not eating out/getting take-out and the time saved by not stopping at the grocery store seveal times a week.
What are your secrets for putting dinner on the table every night?
P. S. Both Hassle Free Dinners and Three Steps to Planning Dinner are available at http://www.1-2-3getorganized.com/.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
I've Been Interviewed by 5 Minutes for Mom!
I've been interviewed by 5 Minutes for Mom! Please check it out at:
http://www.5minutesformom.com/our-readers-blogs/820/123getorganized/
While you're there, check out their fabulous and loaded website!
http://www.5minutesformom.com/our-readers-blogs/820/123getorganized/
While you're there, check out their fabulous and loaded website!
Using Your Snow Shovel Year Round - Another Gardening Tip
My husband wanted me to pass this gardening tip along to you - to save time and your back! He uses his snow shovel as you would a dustpan when sweeping or raking. Since the snow shovel has a long handle, you don't have to bend over. Just sweep or rake your yard waste into the snow shovel and dump your debris into the recycling bag!
We have had an incredible number of maple tree "helicopters" this year and have had to sweep them off the sidewalks and driveway and remove them from the garden before they become a forrest of maple trees. As we get older, the ground seems a lot farther away, and this snow shovel trick is perfect! Works in the fall when raking leaves, too. For those of you who don't get snow and don't own a snow shovel, it might be worth the investment - if you can buy them!
I wonder why these helicopters are so profuse this year?
Have your discovered ways to garden while being kind to your body at the same time? Please pass on your wisdom!
We have had an incredible number of maple tree "helicopters" this year and have had to sweep them off the sidewalks and driveway and remove them from the garden before they become a forrest of maple trees. As we get older, the ground seems a lot farther away, and this snow shovel trick is perfect! Works in the fall when raking leaves, too. For those of you who don't get snow and don't own a snow shovel, it might be worth the investment - if you can buy them!
I wonder why these helicopters are so profuse this year?
Have your discovered ways to garden while being kind to your body at the same time? Please pass on your wisdom!
Monday, June 2, 2008
Tips from a Master Gardener - Watering, Mulch
My master gardener friend had a tip this morning for watering the lawn. She said that lawns need about an inch of rain each week. If you haven't gotten that much rain, water gently in the morning.
She also said that you can use newspapers as mulch. Just place two or three sheets of newspaper where you would normally use mulch. You may need to weight it down. Recycling in your own garden!
What are your gardening tips and tricks? We'd love to hear them!
She also said that you can use newspapers as mulch. Just place two or three sheets of newspaper where you would normally use mulch. You may need to weight it down. Recycling in your own garden!
What are your gardening tips and tricks? We'd love to hear them!
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Organize an Emergency Kit for Your Car
Summertime means doing more outdoors and being on the go. To prevent spoiling a good time, consider putting together an emergency kit for your car.
For safety, include a first aid kit, flares, and a flashlight.
For unexpected accidents, include a change of clothes for your small children, extra diapers if applicable, wipes, paper towels, a bottle of water, and a couple of extra t-shirts for you, your spouse, or your older children.
For unexpected fun, include sunscreen, a blanket, frisbees or similar toys, bottled water, and some granola bars or similar snack.
What do you include in your emergency kit?
For safety, include a first aid kit, flares, and a flashlight.
For unexpected accidents, include a change of clothes for your small children, extra diapers if applicable, wipes, paper towels, a bottle of water, and a couple of extra t-shirts for you, your spouse, or your older children.
For unexpected fun, include sunscreen, a blanket, frisbees or similar toys, bottled water, and some granola bars or similar snack.
What do you include in your emergency kit?
Thursday, May 29, 2008
College Survival Kits
For high school graduation gifts this year I've been giving "College Survival Kits." I start with a large shower caddy I got at Target's dollar spot (although it was $2.50) www.target.com.
I stand my Three Steps to Time Management for the College Student (www.1-2-3GetOrganized.com/collegemgt.html) in the back section of the caddy and surround it with scissors, a can opener, one setting of silverware, a mug, a screwdriver set, index cards, a glue stick, super glue, a glass with measuring cup markings on it, some candy, a granola bar, some instant oatmeal, a chip clip, a squirt gun :-), a first aid kit, a sewing kit, a pop-up mesh laundry basket, and a stain stick. I'm sure I'm forgetting something!
My graduation gifts this year have been for girls, but you could use a small trashcan or other storage container for guys. For either gender you could add coffee or restaurant gift cards if you wish.
Then I place the container in a gift basket bag and tie it up with colorful ribbons. I print up a personalized card on my computer, "Becca's College Survival Kit," for example, sign the back, punch a hole in a corner and slide a ribbon through it and tie it onto the package.
If you know the graduate well, you can personalize the goodies. One of our foster daughters is graduating this year. I know she doesn't like oatmeal, so I substituted a canned latte drink instead the granola bar and oatmeal. And she loves gummy candy, so that's what I chose for her.
Another idea is to give a gift certificate of a cookie care package each month. It's fun to think outside the box when giving gifts!
I stand my Three Steps to Time Management for the College Student (www.1-2-3GetOrganized.com/collegemgt.html) in the back section of the caddy and surround it with scissors, a can opener, one setting of silverware, a mug, a screwdriver set, index cards, a glue stick, super glue, a glass with measuring cup markings on it, some candy, a granola bar, some instant oatmeal, a chip clip, a squirt gun :-), a first aid kit, a sewing kit, a pop-up mesh laundry basket, and a stain stick. I'm sure I'm forgetting something!
My graduation gifts this year have been for girls, but you could use a small trashcan or other storage container for guys. For either gender you could add coffee or restaurant gift cards if you wish.
Then I place the container in a gift basket bag and tie it up with colorful ribbons. I print up a personalized card on my computer, "Becca's College Survival Kit," for example, sign the back, punch a hole in a corner and slide a ribbon through it and tie it onto the package.
If you know the graduate well, you can personalize the goodies. One of our foster daughters is graduating this year. I know she doesn't like oatmeal, so I substituted a canned latte drink instead the granola bar and oatmeal. And she loves gummy candy, so that's what I chose for her.
Another idea is to give a gift certificate of a cookie care package each month. It's fun to think outside the box when giving gifts!
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
A Couple of Radio Interviews
There are a couple of radio interviews I've done recently that are available to you. One is at Web Talk Radio hosted by Nan Russell. The title of the show is Need a Life Preserver? It aired on Monday May 26. My interview is in the middle of the program and deals with organizing at the office.
The second interview is tomorrow morning, Thursday, May 29 with David Lush with WNIX News Talk Radio in Greenville, Mississippi, bringing "good news" to the Mississippi Delta. To hear a live stream, go to NewsTalk1330WNIX.com at 7 am eastern, 8 am central, 9 am mountain, 10 am pacific.
The second interview is tomorrow morning, Thursday, May 29 with David Lush with WNIX News Talk Radio in Greenville, Mississippi, bringing "good news" to the Mississippi Delta. To hear a live stream, go to NewsTalk1330WNIX.com at 7 am eastern, 8 am central, 9 am mountain, 10 am pacific.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Thinking Through Your Closets
Hope you had a wonderful and restful holiday weekend! We had some friends visit - the parents of our son-in-law. The weather was wonderful and we visited a nearby mansion and grounds, our local riverfront, a fabulous Italian restaurant, and our town's Memorial Day Parade.
Today I helped a client rethink her office and several closets. The thought of attacking these areas were overwhelming her and were robbing her of peace of mind.
My client determined her vision for her office: photography, scrapbooking, and the computer/desk area. We removed everything from her office closet that didn't contribute to her vision for her office - clothing, linens, ironing gear among other things.
We grouped cameras and related cords and recordings together. We grouped office supplies together. Several shelves were designated for scrapbooking supplies. And a shelf for computer programs and instructions.
My client is going to buy some clear plastic shoe boxes at the dollar store to store scrapbooking supplies, camera cords, earphones, memory sticks, and other groups of small items. And she is going to bring a five-foot table from her basement into the room for scrapbooking.
We determined a purpose for each of the other closets we decluttered. That made it easy to determine what belonged and didn't belong in each closet. We organized like items together and removed unwanted items to be donated, tossed or put in another location. My client planned to make a trip to Good Will and the consignment shop this afternoon to get those unwanted items out of her house.
In four hours we decluttered four closets - what peace of mind!
Today I helped a client rethink her office and several closets. The thought of attacking these areas were overwhelming her and were robbing her of peace of mind.
My client determined her vision for her office: photography, scrapbooking, and the computer/desk area. We removed everything from her office closet that didn't contribute to her vision for her office - clothing, linens, ironing gear among other things.
We grouped cameras and related cords and recordings together. We grouped office supplies together. Several shelves were designated for scrapbooking supplies. And a shelf for computer programs and instructions.
My client is going to buy some clear plastic shoe boxes at the dollar store to store scrapbooking supplies, camera cords, earphones, memory sticks, and other groups of small items. And she is going to bring a five-foot table from her basement into the room for scrapbooking.
We determined a purpose for each of the other closets we decluttered. That made it easy to determine what belonged and didn't belong in each closet. We organized like items together and removed unwanted items to be donated, tossed or put in another location. My client planned to make a trip to Good Will and the consignment shop this afternoon to get those unwanted items out of her house.
In four hours we decluttered four closets - what peace of mind!
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Helping Your Kids Prepare for a Move
Yesterday I helped a couple of our teenage foster daughters prepare for a move into a new home. In our organization, Shelter Care, our girls live with a permanent set of house parents for most of the month. Each house of girls (three houses) comes to stay with us for about a week every month for "relief." This gives their houseparents some time off during the month.
Shelter Care recently purchased a house to replace a current one which could only house two girls. This one will allow us to provide a home for three girls.
So I helped our girls go through their bedrooms. We got rid of stuff they no longer needed or wanted. We organized items into categories: winter clothes, memories, sewing/crafts, school supplies, books, hygiene/cosmetic products, etc.
This allowed them to see what they have, how much they have in each category, and what kind of storage they will need when they move. We put things in clear storage containers or labeled boxes so they know exactly what is in each when they unpack.
Then we hauled a couple of loads over to the new house and put their boxes in their new rooms.
I think it's going to be nice for them to start over, organize their stuff, and create a system to maintain their organization. I have a feeling I might be involved in that aspect, too!
If you are moving, taking some time with your child to go through the same process is really rather freeing. It's a time to enjoy memories and special possessions, realize growth as certain items are no longer meaningful, and anticipate a new beginning and adventure!
Shelter Care recently purchased a house to replace a current one which could only house two girls. This one will allow us to provide a home for three girls.
So I helped our girls go through their bedrooms. We got rid of stuff they no longer needed or wanted. We organized items into categories: winter clothes, memories, sewing/crafts, school supplies, books, hygiene/cosmetic products, etc.
This allowed them to see what they have, how much they have in each category, and what kind of storage they will need when they move. We put things in clear storage containers or labeled boxes so they know exactly what is in each when they unpack.
Then we hauled a couple of loads over to the new house and put their boxes in their new rooms.
I think it's going to be nice for them to start over, organize their stuff, and create a system to maintain their organization. I have a feeling I might be involved in that aspect, too!
If you are moving, taking some time with your child to go through the same process is really rather freeing. It's a time to enjoy memories and special possessions, realize growth as certain items are no longer meaningful, and anticipate a new beginning and adventure!
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