It was at that moment that I knew she was really taking in the theory behind organization, or at the very least, she had listened and processed what I was trying to explain.  Yes, her closet and room will probably not stay perfectly organized forever, but maybe the next time her Mom tries to get her to straighten up her room, she will have a plan and a method already in place and it will not seem like such a chore.

So what are some tricks and tips for getting your kids involved with the organizing process? While personal motivation can vary among individuals, here are just some of the methods I have found to be successful . . .

1. Get kids involved right from the start.  My young client knew when she woke up that morning that I was coming over to help tackle her room.  We did not spring it on her at the last minute, and mentally, she was prepared.  She knew it would take the better part of her day-off from school, and although it was most likely not her preferred way to spend the day, she had known for at least a week that this project was going to occur.
2. Let them enlist the help of their friends, for both moral, AND physical, support. My young client relied on her best friend and younger brother to help her with this project.  First, I debriefed the crew on the sorting process and the ultimate mission at hand.  Once they understood their task, all three started digging into the closet and sorting things into several basic categories of “stuff.”  The categories were general enough that they all understood the process, and if there were any items they were uncertain of, I was there to guide and gently lead them.  While the help did not last for the entire day (after all, the friend and brother did not have any REAL investment in the project, other than helping someone they care about) their presence was enough to keep my client moving, motivated and engaged.
3. Periodically remind kids of the benefits of organization.  As we worked, I repeatedly reminded her of why we were organizing and why it is such an important objective.  Now of course, the reasons you proclaim have to be both age-appropriate and relevant to the child’s point of view.  If I simply told her that this is what her Mom wants and that it will keep her parents happy, as much as she loves her parents, that motivation would probably not be enough.  So instead I reminded her of how easily she will soon be able to find her toys whenever she needs them, how quickly she will soon be able to clean up her room when asked, and how nice it will be to bring her friends into a cleaner room.  Moreover, every time she rejoiced at finding a long-lost toy or book or earring, I reaffirmed the benefits by asking her, “Now where does that belong so that the next time you need or want it you can find it really fast?”
4. Get someone else to lead the project.  This may just seem like a sales pitch, and I guess to a point, it is.  However, hiring a professional organizer to work with your kids really IS an effective way to accomplish their organization projects.  If disarray and frustration have been a growing problem, chances are that tensions will increase further and sparks may fly when you try to tackle the problem yourself.  A professional organizer can be a good mediator, and sometimes, as aggravating as it can be, kids listen a lot better to the advice and suggestions of other adults, even if it is what they have been hearing over and over from their own parents.

As I said, motivation can differ greatly from individual to individual, so try these ideas and see what works best with your youngsters.  As for my special 2^nd grade client, I am planning to drop by soon to check out how successful she has managed to be at maintaining her newly organized space.  I am sure there will be some necessary tweaking and reminding, she is only 8 years old.  But, I promised to issue her a report card and I’m hoping I can give her lots of passing grades and, of course, some sort of treat for her hard work (Yes, that’s tip number 5. When all else fails, bribe them like crazy to keep things organized and functional!)

Simply yours,

Annie’s presentation was full of advice for preparing your home and family for the new school year and I wanted to share with you some of her tips and suggestions:

1. Roll back your child’s bedtime in 10-15 minute increments leading up to the first day of school, so they’re in the habit of going to bed and waking up earlier!

2. Schedule a nightly “Family Quiet Hour” to avoid the evening “witching hour” when homework time can be particularly challenging. During quiet hour, the entire family should turn off the TV and literally do something quiet. For kids, they can do homework or read. For parents, this is a great time to pay bills, read, do a puzzle with the kids, etc. This hour builds good work habits and also helps you connect as a family in ways that TV just can’t.

3. Kick first day anxieties your child may experience by trying to meet the teacher or a few kids in your child’s class before school starts. There’s nothing like having a few familiar faces to ease first-day jitters. And if it’s the first day of first grade or a new school, definitely do a dry run by walking or driving them to see the building.

4. Engage your child in the back-to-school process! Sit down with your child, read the school materials and fill them out together. Talk about his/her teacher, the room number, school supply list, and any after school activities. Most importantly, remember if you model calm, collected behavior, your kids will be far more relaxed as school approaches.

5. Setup a family calendar in a central location that EVERYONE can view. Color-code activities for each child and mark important dates for school on the calendar. Find out ahead of time what your child will be participating in and keep an eye out for conflicts. For the first week of school, don’t make any plans, so you can adjust as a family. And don’t forget to schedule down time as a family and a regular date night for mom and dad! (For specific ieas on setting up your family center, see my 3-part series on Setting Up the Ultimate Family Command Center.)

6. Create a Parent/Kid station. A clever, easy solution to morning madness is to designate an area near the door or place you walk by every day where you can set up a central station for everyone’s necessities. The idea is to have space and easy access to all the things you don’t want to leave behind. The parent’s station could include a space for house keys, spare change, cell phone charger, and inbox/outbox for your child’s school forms. The kids’ station should include a place for their sports equipment, lunch box, snacks, backpack, etc. (For more specific ideas on how to set up these stations see my post Every Morning is Organized with a Family Launch Pad.)

7. Buy school supplies early and let your child select items that reflect his/her personality. New school supplies can make the back-to-school process fun and exciting. Let your child choose items that reflect their taste and personality. When it comes to the almightily backpack, look for wide padded straps and padded back. Teach your child to pack the heavy items at the back of their bag to prevent shoulder strain. And remember, you’re child’s backpack should not way more than 10-20% of their body weight. (Check out my post about EZ Back-to-School Supplies for more ideas.)

8. Create savvy shoppers by engaging your child in the school supply shopping experience. If you’re child is old enough, arm them with a calculator, list and budget and do the shopping together, considering the available funds. Explain that they can spend a lot on one special item – like a new backpack – but that they will then need to buy plain pencils or use last year’s binders. You can also teach kids that private brands like OfficeMax’s Schoolio product line are a great way to save on supplies while still getting fun designs and patterns.

9. Involved parents equals good, happy students. Several studies show that children whose parents are involved in their education do better academically and socially. Open the lines of communication as soon as you receive your child’s classroom assignment. Most teachers are accessible by email, so a quick note expressing your hope for a great year, eagerness to meet the teacher and willingness to volunteer in the classroom is a nice gesture.

10. Stay engaged in your child’s class throughout the year. Create a weekly report card that addressed your child’s specific challenges. For example, list 3-4 questions on an index card: Is my child keeping up with the reading? Getting homework in on time? Participating in class? Yes/No questions are best. Needless to say, having to hand the teacher a card is a good incentive for your child to connect with his/her teacher and a nice way for you to stay updated on your child’s progress.

To view a recording of Annie’s webcast, please click here. 

Learn more about Annie Pleshette Murphy at annpleshettemurphy.com. Find your local school supply deals at OfficeMax or view school supply lists by grade on OfficeMax’s Back-to-School site. You can also find OfficeMax on Facebook or @OfficeMax on Twitter

Simply yours,

Debbie

Do not let your kids take a break from the organizational processes and strategies you have so carefully put in place.  Otherwise, come September, you will be starting from scratch retraining your kids on where and how to organize their “stuff.”

To keep everyone in the organizing habit, here are a few ideas for summertime organizing:

1. If garage space is at a premium, place the kids’ winter outside toys in long-term storage elsewhere in your house. Provide kids with SAFE and EASY access to all their warm weather toys and equipment.

Remember, it is easier to get kids to “dump” their things in categorized bins, than to have them line up or hang up items.  Avoid the aggravation, go with what works and invest in a few large but inexpensive tubs.

2. Let kids store away their backpacks for the season. In their place, each family member should keep their own pool/beach/outdoor bag.  Make sure to stock each bag with a clean towel, goggles, sunscreen, glasses, and whatever else each one needs for a day in the sun. You will always be ready for an impromptu day of summer fun.

3. If you are an avid gardener, establish a “center” for all your tools and supplies.  Check the dates on your fertilizers and pesticides, discarding appropriately if they are out of date, and keep them in sealed bins safely out of reach from curious little ones.

Simply yours,

Debbie

It’s summer time and the living should be easy. Before the summer flies by, we encourage you to stop, breathe, and take the time to nurture yourself. It can be all too easy to forget. Work doesn’t stop just because it’s summer. And if you’ve got children, irregular schedules and the need for constant carpooling can be extra stressful. If you’re taking a vacation this summer, that’s fantastic, but it’s not necessarily the same thing as finding me time.

Alicia on “The importance of Me Time”

“If you find taking “me time” to be a difficult, or even impossible, task, it’s important to ask yourself why. Do you feel guilty or believe it’s selfish? Many women we have spoken with fear that they’re self-absorbed or letting others down if they switch off and take me time. Many men we have spoken with fear that they’ll be perceived as ‘slackers’ at work and that taking ‘me’ time will affect their job performance negatively. In fact, taking care of yourself is neither selfish nor will it negatively impact your work. When you take care of yourself, you become calmer, more patient, and happier. You also become more productive.”

Sarah on “Breaking It Down”

“If you can’t imagine how you’d ever fit in ‘you time’ to your busy schedule, you need to break out your calendar and schedule it. If you don’t make the time for yourself, someone else, or some other ‘fire drill’ will swoop in and take up the time. Think about what would recharge your batteries the most: a full day off, or little windows of ‘me time’ sprinkled throughout the month. If the former, schedule three personal days before Labor Day. If the latter, schedule at least 60 minutes a week of uninterrupted ‘you’ time between now and Labor Day. Be sure to cordon off the time you select. Book your personal days immediately with your supervisor, if you have children, hire a babysitter to cover for you in those windows, and let friends and family know of your ‘off’ times so they’ll know not to try to contact you during those times.”

Here are some ideas for incorporating a little more me time into your summer routine.

1. Make an Evening Stroll Part of Your Summer Routine

A walk outdoors is a wonderful way to unplug and refresh. Since days are longer in the summer, consider instituting an evening stroll either before or after dinner each night. It’s something you can do alone or with others. Just be sure to leave your iPod, cell phone, and Blackberry at home. Let the sights and sounds of nature soothe your spirit and recharge your batteries. You’ll be amazed at the benefits of even a short twenty or thirty minute stroll around your neighborhood or in a nearby park.

2. Go On A Silent Retreat

There’s nothing quite like a silent retreat to force you to turn inwards and really reflect on your life and your priorities. Cut off from the daily bombardment of news, emails, phone calls, and constant demands from others your mind will gradually settle down and truly rest. Many religious orders and new age centers offer silent retreats that last anywhere from a week to a day – look online to find one near you.

3. Reconnect with Friends

Research has shown that good friends can keep us healthier longer. In a 10-year longevity study of people aged 70 and older, researchers at the Centre for Ageing Studies at Flinders University in Adelaide, Australia concluded that a network of good friends is more likely than close family relationships to increase longevity in older people. If you’ve been too busy to get together with friends, reach out to one or two and schedule a coffee, a dinner, or simply an afternoon of catching up.

Sarah Welch and Alicia Rockmore are the co-founders of Buttoned Up, inc., a company dedicated to helping stretched and stressed women get themselves organized and co-authors of “Everything (almost) In Its Place.” We welcome your thoughts! Please send ideas and questions to us at: yourlife@getbuttonedup.com or visit us at www.getbuttonedup.com

It’s Thursday morning and everyone’s almost out the door. Your youngest asks if you can pick her up at 3 and take her to the mall. Your oldest wants the car to go to his friend’s house after school. The middle one remembers that her school play rehearsal ends at 5 and so she needs a ride home. Your husband chimes in that he has a client meeting and won’t be home until 8. To think that five minutes ago you were looking forward to a relaxing day.

Getting everyone’s schedules in order seems like an impossible task, especially if your family’s routine is anything but.  How do you make sure everyone in the family is where they need to be when they need to be there? Communication is critical, a task easier said than done, especially if you’re dealing with teenagers. With some easy and effective steps, it is actually possible to get everyone on the same schedule.

Alicia on “Managing Scheduling Conflicts”

“No matter how organized you may get in regards to schedules and calendars, there is always bound to be a conflict some time. It is just the nature of being a family.  If two people need to be picked up at the same time, for example, each person has to take turns either waiting to be picked up, or finding their own way home. The next time a conflict occurs, however, the person who waited/found a ride, gets top priority. Or if mom can’t make it to a particular swim meet, then dad goes, but mom needs to go the next time.”

Sarah on “Responsibility”

“One of the better side effects of putting together a family calendar is the sense of responsibility that comes with being in charge of your schedule. If a child forgets to let people know they need a ride until the last minute, while their brother has said he needed one for the past week, that child will soon learn that being more responsible for their schedule will help them get what they need in the long run.”

When you’re putting together the perfect family schedule, you have to do more than just tack up a Puppy Of The Month calendar on the wall.

#1. The Regular Schedule

Book clubs. Soccer practices. Or, if you’re like us, physical therapy appointments. Some appointments are regularly scheduled, and the times don’t change week-to-week, but rather month-to-month or quarter-to-quarter. Rather than write down the same information every week, have one whiteboard or poster board with everybody’s regular schedule Mon – Sun.

#2. The Events Schedule

Doctor’s appointments, vacations, concerts. Some events are one-offs or special events. All these dates should be kept on a big, regular calendar that goes next to the schedules. Encourage everyone to write these events down as soon as they know about them, so that when you turn the calendar to a new page, you’ll immediately be able to see what the upcoming month has in store.

#3. Get Specific

Some things just can’t fit into a regular calendar square. Things like reminders on what to bring to a potluck, or specific directions to a ball field, need a little more explaining and a little more room for explanation and specific information. For such extra notation, it’s smart to keep a notepad or board for notes nearby so that you can communicate with others around important dates and events.

We are the co-founders of Buttoned Up, inc (@getbuttonedup)., a company dedicated to helping stretched and stressed women get themselves organized and co-authors of Everything (almost) In Its Place.  We welcome your thoughts!  Please send ideas and questions to us at:  yourlife@getbuttonedup.com or visit us at www.getbuttonedup.com

Being a Mother is the world’s real “oldest profession.” No profession is more special and none is more rewarding. Some days are much harder than others (as the mother of a teenager, I’m speaking from experience here!). Some days are etched in a mother’s memory forever (and I feel blessed to know I have many of these, too!).

Motherhood is a huge responsibility. But sometimes we mom’s are guilty of putting enormous amounts of pressure on ourselves. Because we love our kids so darn much, we try to be their “supermom.”

I’m often guilty of thinking I should be doing more for my kids. Sometimes I find myself second-guessing the things I have done in the name of motherhood. Sometimes I fret over all the things I think I should have done.

But today is our day; it’s day to take pride in our “profession,” mistakes and all. No mother is perfect. And no child expects us to be perfect. So give yourself a break today, ladies! Let go of the mistakes (we’ve all made some!), take pride in your abilities as a mom (you’ve earned it!), put aside the pressure to “do it all” (it’s way too draining!), and remember the goal is not to be your kids’ supermom, but to strive everyday to be a “Real Mom” . . .
Real Mothers don’t eat quiche; they don’t have time to make it.

Real Mothers know that their kitchen utensils are probably in the sandbox.

Real Mothers often have sticky floors, filthy ovens and happy kids.

Real Mothers know that dried play dough doesn’t come out of carpets.

Real Mothers don’t want to know what the vacuum just sucked up.

Real Mothers sometimes ask ‘Why me?’ and get their answer when a little voice says, ‘Because I love you best.’

Real Mothers are imperfect, and accept imperfection from their kids.

Real Mothers know that a child’s growth is not measured by height or years or grade (or even in how organized they are!); it is marked by the progression of Mommy to Mom to Mother…..

Happy Mother’s Day!!

Simply yours,

Debbie

One common question I get from both my organizing clients and my blog readers is, “How can I get my kids on board with becoming better organized at home?”

This can be such a loaded question.

Sometimes kids seem to be genetically predisposed to disorganization (although every child can be taught basic organizing strategies!). Sometimes they’re just modeling the behavior of their less-than-organized parents. But often times they’ve never been taught the skills to be responsible for themselves, their things and their time.

Recently, I found a great parenting blog, The Confident Mom, written by Susan Heid. I love her slogan, “Empowering Moms, Strengthening Families.” While her blog touches on all aspects of parenting, her post “Are You Teaching Your Children to Live Without You?” has some powerful lessons for how to teach your children to be self-reliant now, and well into the future. This self-reliance directly applies to teaching your kids to be better organized. But it can also go a long way to reducing parental nagging and the frustration of feeling that you’re the one always doing everything for everyone in your house. Check it out, and let me know your reactions and feedback in the comment section below.

Are You Teaching Your Children to Live Without You?

“The most beautiful sight in the world is a child going confidently down the road of life after you have shown him the way” – Confucius

Confucius had it right – isn’t that what our job as a mom is, getting our kids ready to leave the nest?  I don’t know about you, but I certainly am not interested in accompanying my child at age 19 to his first job, carrying his briefcase for him or dropping off his lunch that he forgot at home.  Okay, that is an exaggeration (I hope….but I bet there are some moms who fall into that trap) but at what point do you start truly putting forth that effort to develop independence and self-reliance in your kids?  It can start a lot sooner than you think.

Learning to let go of rescuing your child every time they encounter difficulty will allow them to develop skills so that they can thrive without you.  That is the ultimate goal we have as parents, we often say we are raising our children…..honestly we are “raising adults”.  Every day you have opportunities where you can allow growth for your child. Are you allowing it to happen?  You cannot expect your children to become self-reliant and resourceful unless you are nurturing those traits in them and allowing growth.

Here are a few ideas to help your child become self-reliant.

1)  Examine what your child can do alone and then take a step back!

I think you would be surprised by how many tasks your child can actually accomplish on his own if you just get out of the way!  Often times as mom’s we jump in trying to get it done faster or better or because we don’t give them the chance to try it.  We assume it is beyond them.  Maybe it’s time to examine what your child can do on his own, instead of relying on you?  Can your 3 year old make his bed?  I bet he can, it may not look like you would want, but ultimately you are allowing him to grow and take pride in a job.  How about making his own lunch, doing laundry or cleaning up after himself in the kitchen?  Everything will depend on your child’s age, maturity and current abilities, but when I work with moms who allow this opportunity to become reality in their homes they are AMAZED by what their child can accomplish!  Remember the goal is not to overwhelm your child by one day giving him 10 new tasks, but gradually increasing his role in his own care.

2)  Allow your child to problem solve.

Do you jump in when your child finds himself in a pickle?  The next time try stepping back and walking through the process of problem solving with him.  If he has forgotten his math book at school and needs it for homework, instead of running him back to school, ask him how else he can solve his problem.  Help him come up with ideas if he comes up blank.  Calling another classmate to get the problems could be a possibility or doing his assignment the next day in study period.  Allow him to brainstorm to come up with other ideas instead of you just running him back.  You will want your child to learn to deal with situations they get themselves into without having to always call mom.

3)  Help build organization skills in your child.

Do you find yourself always repeating your daily schedule to your child? Do chores often get forgotten because there is no way for him to realistically remember those tasks?  Do they often misplace items?  Instead of jumping in to help locate these things, ask him what he can do to solve the problem?   If he forgets his chores, ask him what he can come up in order to remember.  If he is constantly asking about the daily schedule, ask him how he could keep track of activities on his own.  Do you have a battle in the morning routine trying to get your child through those daily self-care tasks?  Help your child make a list with those duties that he can refer to.  If they are not old enough to read, then draw pictures that they can identify.  You will find your child is a lot more capable to remember when they are given some tools or the opportunity to find out what works best for them.

If you take the time to deliberately “step-back” in some areas, you will see your child blossom to become self-directed, responsible and able to problem solve even when you are not around.  How can you allow that to happen today?  I would love to hear your thoughts or ideas on how you will do this in your home.  You won’t be sorry!

Susan Heid helps moms get the BIG picture on how their home is functioning and then helps them gain relief with a personalized plan of action to give life changing results.  Susan’s training as a PCI Certified Parent Coach, a Certified Family Manager Coach and a ScreamFree Certified Leader gives her a unique combination to encourage and support busy moms in the Art of Home and Family Management.  Empowering Moms and Strengthening Families is her passion.  Are you ready to make positive changes that will impact your family for generations?  You can start by visiting The Confident Mom and requesting her FREE ebook, “Getting Kids to Cooperate and Become Team Players – 10 Essential Strategies and Solutions”.

Strategies for Stuffed Animal Overload: Confessions of an Organized Mom

I have a confession to make. I really hate to admit it, being a Professional Organizer and all. But plenty of you have admitted your dirty little organizational and productivity secrets to me, so here goes . . . (click here to read the rest of the post)

• Create storage wherever you can. Your baby will have a lot of necessities that will require a lot of storage. But the closet isn’t the only area that you can use. In terms of furniture, be sure you have plenty of drawers. And get creative. Dresser drawers aren’t just for clothes. You can use the drawers to store blankets, burp cloths, or even surplus toys and books.  If you have a changing table, use the space below. Is there room beneath the crib? This is also usable storage space. This rolling under-the-bed unit from Dormbuys.com seems like a great option, and I love that it has wheels. If you want to store smaller items here, I would suggest adding additional containers inside of it, to keep things from becoming a huge miscellaneous mess. For example, inexpensive plastic shoeboxes could be placed inside and labeled with their intended contents. And when baby moves to a bed, the under-the-bed-storage unit goes right along with him.



• Look up for storage. Adding shelves or a bookcase can help you keep baby’s books, toys, and stuffed animals organized and in one place. If you have limited floor space, opt for one tall bookcase rather than a few shorter ones. If you have ample space, a couple shorter ones will make it easier for your child as she gets older to reach for things independently. I love the look and versatility of this shelving design from one of my favorite organizing stores, The Container Store. I’m not necessarily a fan of having a television in the kid’s room, but we’ll save that discussion for another blog post!

• Let your baby’s closet be just for him or her. If you have your own clothes or items in your baby’s closet, find a new place to store them. Since baby clothes are much smaller than adult clothes, you can lower the closet rod to allow more space above to install shelving, which will give you even more storage. This is the perfect place to store larger-sized clothes that the baby will eventually need. Use one bin for each size, and label them well. As your baby grows and you need to use these larger clothes, reuse and re-label the bin for the now outgrown clothes. Store these bins of used clothes in your long-term storage for any other little ones in your future (but if your baby days are over, be sure to donate, hand-down, or consign the items instead). This dreamy baby’s closet, which is also from The Container Store, is amazing, and definitely something that would need only minor tweaking as your little one goes from infancy through the teen years.

• Place like items together. All the supplies you need to change diapers should be in one area, as well as clothes, bath supplies, books, toys. Think stations, and create these areas where you will use them. This will make it easier for you to clean up now, and help your child clean up easily when he is older. How cute are these chalkboard bins from Kangaroom? These are great for teaching little ones that all the shoes belong in one place, arts and crafts go in another space, and so on. 

• Containerize. Baskets and canvas bins are great for storing toys, books and just about anything else you can think of. They also fit great on shelves and can add a nice decorative touch. These Neat Nursery Open Shelf Bins from Kangaroom come in sweet nursery colors with ample space to label (Don’t forget this very important step in containerizing. Without a label on every bin, your organizing system doesn’t stand a chance of lasting long term).

• Designate a place to store toys. A toy box is key to maintaining organization. A toy collection can grow quickly, and having a place to store it all will keep the room clutter-free. Consider a toy bench instead of a standard box, as this will give your baby a place to sit when they get bigger. Avoid storage that is too big, though, or you will create a “bottomless pit.” This segmented storage bench from Organize.com is ideal for a kid’s room for so many reasons! First, the 3 separate compartments can help with the above idea of “keeping like with like” (one section for stuffed animals, one for cars, etc.). Second, this toy box does not scream “baby,” and could just as easily work in an older child’s room. Or, if the need for toy storage becomes obsolete, it would be a great addition to any mudroom or entry way. (Gotta’ love pieces with multiple uses!)



• Leave room to grow. As your child gets older, his clothes will take up more room. In fact, everything he has will start to multiply right before your eyes. Leave some drawers and shelves empty so it will not be stressful when you need to find additional kid space down the road.

• Ask for help. Getting ready for baby can be a busy, overwhelming time. If you find you simply can’t do it all on your own, hire an organizer! (Yes, that is a shameless plug for my chosen profession!). Or better yet, convince your family and friends to purchase a gift certificate for you for organizing services. Having a beautifully organized nursery will reduce your stress. It is a present that will last much longer than the lifespan of a bouncy seat or baby swing. And it will allow you to spend more time enjoying your precious bundle of joy!

Simply yours,

Debbie

Today I’d like to introduce you to our newest Virtually Organized sponsor, Beyond Bedding:

Hi Fans of Virtually Organized by Debbie!

Thank you so much for reading this page, where Debbie has so graciously allowed us to talk about the services that Beyond Bedding can provide your family!  We are HUGE fans of Debbie and Virtually Organized, and we have found many of her articles useful to us, both professionally and personally.  We have come into contact with those who are fortunate enough to survive cancer (and unfortunately some who lost their battle), and we would like Debbie to know that we are fans of her gusto for life! 

Beyond Bedding strives to provide quality crib bedding sets and toddler bedding sets at reasonable prices. And we also feel like we’ve organized our site so that you can easily and quickly find all the matching accessories to our quality bedding options.

One particular Virtually Organized article that we found very interesting and relevant to nursery bedding and toddler bedding was Debbie’s post on cleaning up clutter at night (Night, Night, Sleep Tight, Don’t Forget to Clutter Sweep). As parents ourselves, we know how difficult it is to wake up in the morning to a cluttered and messy bedroom… that’s why we offer products like this adorable cowboy baby bedding set that has accessories like a laundry hamper, a diaper stacker, and even a toy bag all with the exact same cowboy crib print!

Another article we just loved was the post about Strategies for Stuffed Animal Overload!  Working at a bedding company we’re really into animal print crib sets such as our Animal Safari Pattern Jungle Baby Bedding set and our ever popular zebra baby bedding sets. Debbie’s article about stuffed animals made us realize just much fun we can all have with animal prints and nursery decor! 

Once again thank you Debbie for allowing us to say “Hi” to your wonderful readers, and we hope that if you need anything that you’ll swing by and visit us at Beyond Bedding!