When it comes to the chaos of everyday family life, one of the major stressors I hear about from my clients is the perpetual question of what to make for dinner. As in all things organized, planning and preparation can go a long way. And meal time is no exception.

If you need some guidance and help with meal planning, check out the following resources:

Plummelo.com

If you’ve got a stockpile of recipe ideas, but need a little help organizing your menus and grocery lists, Plummelo.com is a free site that helps folks organize their recipes and get their food lives in order by letting users:

•  Have a central, online recipe box to upload all personal recipes and collect recipes from the web.
• Use a browser button to automate recipe collection from top recipe sites
• Create automatic shopping lists based on the recipes they want to cook, with ingredients categorized based on the aisles in which they’ll find them.
• Better plan meals and shopping lists, and prevent needless supermarket trips or time spent wondering “what’s for dinner.”

 These days, saving money is even more of a priority than ever, so I asked if Plummelo can help users find coupons based on the shopping list it generates. A representative from the company responded,

“As for coupons, you’ve certainly anticipated one of the directions we will be moving in.  We’ll be linking coupon software to both the recipes and the shopping lists so folks will have coupons based exactly on what they want to shop.  We just got access to the coupon technology, we just need to implement it and hope to have that piece up in the next few weeks.”

With Plummelo, there’s no more handwriting shopping lists, losing family recipes, or keeping miscellaneous recipe folders around the home.  Plummelo essentially simplifies a lot of the hassles that go along with recipe collection and food shopping.

E-Mealz

E-Mealzis an amazing (and cheap) source for done-for-you meal planning. For just $1.25 per week you can choose from one of 26 different meal plans. All of these plans are designed with your whole family in mind, even the specialty plans created for low-carb, low-fat, points diets and vegetarian options. They also have plans for just two people. And you can even choose your plan based on your specific grocery store and have a meal plan based around the items on sale that week!

And for just $1.25 you are getting many hours of recipe and menu planning, price shopping, and recipe testing. You get the daily menu PLUS an itemized grocery list organized by grocery sections in a 1-page chart. Some of the features of E-Mealz include:

• Dinner menu is concisely organized in a one-page chart (no long recipes or printing several pages – just one sheet to keep up with in your kitchen!)
• No wordy instructions – just to the point and easy to follow at-a-glance (for the harried Mom!)
• All the side dishes are included in the menu and grocery list
• Grocery List includes an extra column for you to add “Other Groceries I Need”
• The TOTAL COST of your grocery list is given at the bottom (except for the Any Store plans). They work to keep the grocery total at a $75 average.
• Necessary staples are listed and organized by meal #
• Want to eliminate a meal? Just cross out each grocery item on the grocery list with that corresponding meal # beside it. (Takes just a minute!)

(Disclosure: Although I do subscribe to E-Mealz, they are also a featured affiliate sponsor of VirtuallyOrganized.com. If you plan to subscribe to E-Mealz please click on the above link or on the sidebar link. It is because of income from sponsors like E-Mealz that VirtuallyOrganized.com is able to offer you free organizing resources, tips, and ideas!)

Menu Plan Mondays from OrgJunkie.com

My organizing friend and colleague Laura (“The Organizing Junkie”) has a great free resource for menu planning ideas. Each Monday over 300 ladies share what’s on their menus for the week. It’s a wonderful opportunity to keep your menu planning efforts on track week after week, not to mention the many great ideas and recipes that come from reading the menus of the many other participants.

Anyone who blogs is welcome to post their weekly menu and link it to her weekly posts. I’ve never participated in the link up, but I’ve definitely browsed the menus to add some new ideas to my arsenal of menu plans.

So how do YOU plan your family meals? Please share any additional resources in the comments section below!

Simply yours,
Debbie

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

To create this bag system, first you need to establish a tote bag for each activity or event you participate in that is out of your home. This includes a bag for each volunteer committee that you may serve on, a designated bag for library visits, even a separate bag for regular meetings that you attend.  The bag will keep everything contained and ready to go out the door whenever you leave. This system will help ensure that you have everything you need for your trip (and the chances of you forgetting your favorite book when you are hanging out by the pool with the kids is a thing of the past!).

To make your system even more foolproof, you can hang notes on the wall with a list of the contents of each bag so you have a quick checklist to make sure nothing is missing before you lock the door behind you.

No more forgetting what you need when you are on the run, and all that is left for you to do is to just relax and enjoy the season!

 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

But this weekend I received an email from a brand new reader, Laura, who was kind enough to take the time to let me know how she put my ideas into action. I was so impressed with Laura I just had to share her Command Center/Family Launch Pad project with you.

Laura also has inspired me to start a new blog series entitled “I Did It!” Every month I will put out a call for you to send me a guest post on a project you’ve completed based on what you’ve learned here at Virtually Organized. The only requirements are that you have completed this project on your own, and that you can reference which Virtually Organized post or posts inspired your creation. Oh, and before and after pictures are needed, too. Every entry that is featured will win a prize, and I promise to feature EVERYONE who submits a project that can help inspire and motivate others.

So, for the first entry in this new series, I present to you Laura’s amazing Family Command Center/Launch Pad . . . 

Hi Debbie,

I am a super huge neat freak and I love to organize. Usually when people come to my house, the first thing they say is “OMG you should be a professional organizer. Your house is perfect!”

The truth, though, is that I have been feeling very weighed down by odds and ends that I didn’t know what to do with, mainly a combination of office supplies, homework, homework supplies, and miscellaneous papers, magazines, and newsletters. All of those things have had a place, but it wasn’t the RIGHT place, and it wasn’t streamlined or cohesive. I have been trying for a couple years now to come up with the perfect “system” for dealing with it, but I’d hit a mental roadblock.

Yesterday, I was venting my frustrations to my sister Cali, and she referred me to your website, citing you as “a genius.” I am usually pretty snobby when it comes to seeing other people’s organizing ideas. I usually think my own ideas are the best . . . LOL. But as soon as I saw your website, I was blown away. A combination of things I borrowed from you literally solved EVERY SINGLE organizational frustration I’ve had and I feel on top of the world today! I agree with her. You are a genius!

The ideas I incorporated mainly came from your “Ultimate Family Command Center,” parts 1, 2, and 3. There was also another picture of a coat closet I saw in the post “Every Morning is Organized With a Family Launch Pad” that was the main source of inspiration for the design. Yesterday afternoon I was able to take all of these ideas and completely repurpose what was formerly a shoe/coat closet.

Literally, the only things we kept in there were shoes and coats. Coats filled the top (they’ve been relocated to our bedrooms), and my husband’s shoes filled the bottom (they’ve been relocated to the laundry room). Once the slate was blank, I went to town!

Here’s a wide shot of the new & improved coat closet.  

I don’t have a “before” picture, but I’ll try and describe it.  On the coat rod we had about 15 various jackets, and next to them we had 2 hanging shoe organizers overflowing with shoes.  The floor of the closet was also covered in shoes that wouldn’t fit in the shoe holders.  It was a mess!

My kids and I each have shoe organizers in our bedroom closets, so I moved all of the extraneous shoes to our bedrooms, leaving only the “everyday” shoes here in the closet. Then I moved one of the empty shoe organizers to a dowel rod in the laundry room and put my husband’s shoes there instead. I chose 1 spring jacket for each family member and moved them to the coat rack in the living room. I put the rest of the jackets up in our bedroom closets.  My husband’s motorcycle jackets (which are too expensive to leave out) are all that remain on the rod.

This is kind of a miscellaneous shelf.

The cupcake maker is there because I have yet to find another place for it in the house.  Beside it are 2 boxes where I store unneeded remote controls (we use fancy all-in-one remotes to reduce clutter) and our video camera equipment and tapes.  All of that stuff was already there before I started.  The only thing I added was the big blue basket on the right ($10/Target).  This is going to function as a catch-all basket for the various things I find laying around the house each day that belong to my husband.  We’ve used this “husband basket” system for years, and it works well for both of us.

For this part of the closet I took 2 plastic drawer sets ($10 each/Wal-Mart) and lined the insides with rubbery shelf paper so little items won’t slide around inside. I took all the various staplers, paper pads, glue bottles, tape dispensers, makers, and such that I had all over the house and organized them into labeled drawers. One of the drawers has a small divided tray for paper clips, thumb tacks, and so on.  The 2 plastic boxes on top of the drawers ($4 each/Target) are where I’m storing any of the kids’ school papers or projects that I can’t bear to throw away.

The hanging file basket and the binder contain all the papers I had laying around the house in baskets, on countertops, in drawers, and on the fridge.  

This idea was copied directly from “The Ultimate Family Command Center: Part 3″  It helped give a place to all the important (and not-so-important) papers I had laying everywhere.

I have a couple important school project reminders hung up front and center.  Behind them is an electrical box, so I took advantage of the magnetic surface!

This is my Family Resource Binder, described in “The Ultimate Family Command Center: Part 2.”  I now have all my school calendars, newsletters, community newsletters, theme park schedules, and so on organized in one place, instead of hanging all over my fridge.

At the bottom of the closet I made up some cubbies for myself, my son, and my daughter using Closetmaid shelving ($13 each/Home Depot).  My husband doesn’t need a cubby . . . he has a garage!  Under each cubby is where we keep our “everyday” shoes, for quick access.  The middle section of the cubbies is designated for hobbies.  My hobby is photography so mine contains my camera bag.  My son’s shelf contains his Cub Scout supplies, and my daughter’s shelf contains her ballet bag.  I also set their bibles for church on their shelves, so we don’t have to hunt them down on Sunday morning.

On the top shelf are heavy-duty fabric covered milk crates ($10 each/Target).  For the kids, this is where they’ll find everything they need for homework and school.  Inside each of the kids’ drawers, I made up a clear plastic box ($3/Target) of homework supplies.  Each box contains glue, a glue stick, a small box of crayons, safety scissors, and a handful of sharpened pencils.  Now when it’s time for homework they can just grab their boxes and head to the table.  I also gave each of them a ream of loose-leaf paper, and my son’s basket has a recipe box full of play money, which we use to help with math homework.  These baskets are also where we’ll store their glasses cases, library books, and homework folders.  No more frantic searches before school!

For me, this is where I’ll find my purse, sunglasses, coupons, and any mail I need to take care of the next time I run out the door.

I was out of wall space in the closet, so I hung a bulletin board and a magnetic dry erase board ($10 each/Target) on the back of the door using 3M command adhesive strips.  This way I’ll have a way to write notes to myself and the family, and hang odds and ends.  I also bought a magnetic basket with a pad of paper and a pen ($6/Target) and stuck it on the dry erase board, in case I need to write a note “to go”.

Between Target, Wal-Mart, and Home Depot, the makeover only cost me about $165.  For years I’ve been looking for the perfect piece of “furniture” to solve my problems, and this was a heck of a lot cheaper than buying furniture!

Anyway, thank you again for your brilliant ideas.  I’m sure you know how unsettling it is to be a perfectionist and have something be “off,” so this is a huge weight off my chest.  I look forward to seeing more great solutions from you in the future!

Laura

Thanks so much for sharing, Laura! You did an awesome job! And thanks for inspiring my newest “I Did IT!” blog series. I’ll be sending you an autographed copy of my book, “Everything I Know About Perfectionism I Learned from My Breasts: Secrets and Solutions for Overpowering Perfectionism.”

Okay, everyone, start sending in your entries for the next post in this series by emailing me at VirtuallyOrganized@comcast.net. You could be the next featured reader!

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”.