To stay organized, I rely on old-fashioned paper lists and a paper planner that I carry with me at all times. It works as long as I use it.
For toys, I use a lot of see-through Rubbermaid/Sterilite containers. DD2 is on the cusp of reading independently, but not quite there yet. The bigger challenge for me is how/where to store the containers. Right now they're stacked in the corner of the family room. I hate it. But the containers have helped because they're not just pulling out random stuff and leaving it all over. They can find what they want.
I have everything written down on my paper desk work calendar, the house calendar, the dry erase board at work, and long term planned stuff goes on my phone. I text DH if it involves him the day of as he can't plan ahead. Most of our activities are set days and times so weekly stuff is pretty routine.
mommyatty, Label with the word and below put a picture of the item. Legos + Lego piece picture, Blocks + block picture. DD's daycare did this when she was little and it helped.
How do you guys deal with all the school papers? DD brings home Tuesday folders full of papers, then random papers during the week, week word to know sheets, and paper books for reading practice, plus art papers from after care. I have papers everywhere. She hates when I recycle stuff but the papers are everywhere.
Post by oldbaylover1024 on May 1, 2018 12:04:16 GMT -5
mommyatty - We have two toy boxes - one for plush toys and one for plastic/wooden toys. It was easy for DD to sort them before she could read. DS is 15 months and knows to go to one bin for stuffed animals and another for 'hard' toys. The plush toy box is brown/woven and the other is blue with owls.
Evenings are rough at our house, so meal planning is my jam. I build my meal plan on Saturdays, then grocery shop around that and whatever else the kids need for school snacks. We also leave a magnetic notepad on the fridge to add items we'll need to buy.
Post by oldbaylover1024 on May 1, 2018 12:08:16 GMT -5
186momx - I am not a paper keeper. Anything that can be recycled immediately goes directly in recycling. I bought one of those wall organizers with three compartments. I have them sorted by permanent, this month, this week. Then, I put the papers in the appropriate compartment. On Fridays, the bottom 'This Week' compartment is theoretically empty, so I go through the 'This Month' items and shift them around accordingly.
We also have a homework station that DD uses to hold all her supplies and stuff. That thing has really helped us stay organized. She keeps her practice reading materials there and art supplies. It's in the kitchen, but it's contained.
We connected our iPhone calendars so all appointments pop up on both iPhones.
How do you guys organize toys for kids who can’t yet read? I want to put labels on toy bins, but our DS can’t read yet.
Organizing by type of toy seems to help. DS has one drawer dedicated to mega blocks and another for trains. Both are consistently put away (by him!) in the right place. He's 2. Those are our only two organized drawers and the only two that are consistently put away.
186momx- we have a stacking in and out box for school papers. Everything goes in the in box, then things that need to be returned are signed and go in the out box until the time is right to return it (book orders, tee shirt order forms, permission slips, etc). There’s a third box that’s supposed to be for action items to be separated from general papers but I can’t get DH to use it.
I meal plan on Friday/ Saturday for the week, so that I can get my shopping sorted out. For school papers, there is a shelf for each kid, and once the shelf gets full, I recycle most of it while they are asleep. Yes, its devious, but its better than when DH was recycling everything the minute they came home, and the kids were crying.
I live and die by my Google calendar for home stuff. For work stuff, I use the Getting Things Done methodology. It sometimes leaks over into home life too.
We bought a big metal shelf set - like the industrial ones they use in kitchens - and filled it with clear plastic bins. That's then in the closet in the playroom. Much better than the built in closet systems, since it's a lot sturdier. The bins have labels from the label maker, but the bins being clear is generally good enough for the kids. The labels are for my own sanity.
Oh, and for kid papers, I toss immediately. As soon as the kids are in bed, I sort through the daily folder and recycle it. I have 1 bin for special items to keep. Forms that need to be sent back I try to do immediately so I don't forget.
The biggest thing here is to improve a room if you pass through it. So if you walk through the living room and notice a scarf on the floor pick up the scarf and drop it closer to where it belongs or where it belongs. It’s like magic.
Post by oldbaylover1024 on May 1, 2018 13:02:11 GMT -5
I wish MH would subscribe to the shared calendar. He just doesn't use it. We've tried. Frankly, it's fine at this point. He just says, "What am I doing this weekend?" and I tell him.
Shrug.
At least he never complains about whatever it is LOL
I keep everything on my work calendar, otherwise people would schedule work meetings that I couldn't attend due to a personal commitment. My problem is that I can't sync it to DH or a personal calendar due to work security. We keep a big dry erase marker calendar on the wall in our entryway so we can see what is going on every day/night. The biggest help has been reviewing our schedule for the week on Sunday but it's still not perfect because things come up.
My biggest organization win recently was creating an art cart because DD1 and DD2 both love art and I was sick of hauling the supplies in and out. It's a big rolling cart that we put all of their markers, crayons, paper, scissors etc in and they're responsible for picking up and putting the supplies back. We keep it right next to the dining room table.
All the school paper drives me insane. I like the idea of folders or in baskets but where do you keep them? I hate having all the paper on my kitchen counter but if I don't have it out, I forget about it.
Post by ilovelucyvv on May 1, 2018 14:50:57 GMT -5
Paper lists and Outlook calendars with recurring reminders until I get something important completed. I add important events to H's work calendar, including any personal events and reminders (with the lock/private function).
Meal prep (for me not my family) is broken down over the weekend, I prep veggies on Saturday and then meats and carbs on Sunday. I’ve been buying prepeeled hard boiled eggs, broccoli slaw, and bagged salads to save time. The cut veggies go into mason jars to keep them fresh. For meat I’ll get a preseasoned Cut, and put it in the crockpot with a liner for easy cleanup. Or something easy like precooked shrimp and steam it.
Post by honeydew1894 on May 1, 2018 19:47:52 GMT -5
1. Linked Google calendars for DH and I 2. I deal with all papers, mail, etc. ASAP when we walk in the door. My mom still has huge piles of mail, and I just can't.
We put a command center in our kitchen when we built our house. We use the bins on the left to hold papers. Every month we go through our shared calendar to put all the events on. Long term goals go on the vertical board and reminders for house things (changing the water filter, air filter etc). Anything that has to be returned to Daycare is filled out and returned the next day, if we don’t then it will be forgotten about.
We meal plan and put the meals on the calendar so we know what we are having each night and there is no question.
We have a shared calendar and that has been the key to know what is going on when something comes up to see if we can do it.
Paper used to kills us so now we we sort at the trash can and then file in the proper bin.
I’m still trying figure out how to deal with the corner of the counter that collects all the random odds and ends that never find their way back home.
Like mommyatty my best organizational thing is the shared google calendar. We have an entry for every morning and every afternoon about who is dropping off and picking up which kids - since I travel and everyday is different. If it doesn’t go on the calendar, it doesn’t happen. I also look each Sunday and schedule my workouts and my hair blowout for the week. Things come up and I’ll need to reschedule often, but those things are more likely to happen if I block them off.
I don’t do well with toy organization. The only thing that works for me if regularly culling and throwing things out.
Shared Google calendar for the win! I also go through the mail and DD's school folder everyday. I file bills and important papers to keep immediately. If there is no use for it, it goes to the trash immediately. School papers that need signatures are signed and placed back in DD's folder. Every Sunday, I pay bills, look at the budget, and look at the calendar for the week. DH makes a meal plan and figures out the grocery list for the week.
Every evening, I do a quick 15 - 20 minute pickup and put things in their place (i.e. toys, shoes, clothes, etc).
Honestly though something has to give in my life soon. I always feel like I am on the brink of things crashing and burning. I can't even use weekends to plan anything because we are gone so often. Hoping that will change soon.
DH is really good with the calendar invites letting me know the schedules. Our problem usually hinges on the middle school child getting last minute changes to his schedule. Like finding out on a Thursday that he has a track meet on Saturday. Or needing to step into the high school band because they don't have enough people participating. All last minute and because we live 3ish hours away very annoying. The high school seems to be better organized.
What do you do to stay organized? Give us one tip that’s worked for you. Meal planning and prep is a lifesaver for me. I try to plan 30 days out so I’m not cooking more than three days a week. Now that it’s grilling season dinners will become even easier. I also prep two dishes for lunch during the work week over the weekend.
ETA Bonus: what’s an area where you could use some organization advice? Double bonus for anyone who can help a WP out. I have a hard time with the kid’s clothing. I spent a long time getting both of their dressers and closets organized last weekend and the dressers already look terrible again.
186momx,, all the paper drives me crazy!! I have a file box for each kid with folders through second grade so far. The stuff I want to hold onto goes in the box. The kids like their projects displayed so I have a wall where I hung up clip boards. It is easy to switch their pictures in and out. I have also started cleaning out bags and folders in the garage so I’m limiting what goes in the house. This has helped a lot!
kimberlybb, do you put away the clothes or do the kids? I've found limiting the number of items in the draws helps a lot. We pick out the weeks worth of clothes on Sunday so getting in the dresser is limited to underwear after bath each night. She wears the same pjs most of the week.
I need to do the box with important papers. I just have stacks of it and need to make it not all over the place. DD doesn't care to display her art but doesn't want it recycled either. I take the cool stuff to work and display it on my cork board.
kimberlybb , do you put away the clothes or do the kids? I've found limiting the number of items in the draws helps a lot. We pick out the weeks worth of clothes on Sunday so getting in the dresser is limited to underwear after bath each night. She wears the same pjs most of the week.
I need to do the box with important papers. I just have stacks of it and need to make it not all over the place. DD doesn't care to display her art but doesn't want it recycled either. I take the cool stuff to work and display it on my cork board.
I organize the drawers initially but they put their own laundry away so it quickly becomes a mess. I like the idea of only having a week of clothing in the dresser. There is definitely way too many clothes in there now!