http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogList.asp?sort=organizer&schedule=17 All parents can relate to the difficulty of keeping a busy family organized! With parents working in or out of the home, extra-curricular and school related activities, friends, family, church, etc., life can spin out of control before we even realize it. But there is hope! Simple, practical solutions exist to make our lives easier and my goal is to share some of the solutions I have discovered as a mother of three boys, student and professional organizer with you in the hopes that you can incorporate them into your family's routine. Tue, 1 Sep 2009 10:45:22 EST en-us http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2556 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2556 Tue, 1 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EST I will never forget the day that I took a mysterious box out of our freezer and discovered a dog turd (no, I am not making this up) inside. When asked what would possess my youngest (I immediately knew it was him) to put this item IN.MY.FREEZER he replied "I wanted to know what would happen if it froze". After correcting him firmly and telling him he could find out such things outside in the winter I proceeded to empty and scrub my freezer. The refrigerator/freezer in any busy home ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2534 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2534 Tue, 25 Aug 2009 09:00:00 EST My youngest son loves legos. Even at eleven, he can still spend hours building a skyscraper or airplane with the tiny little blocks. What does that mean for the condition of our family/game room? You better wear shoes, because chances are your feet will find one of those surprisingly sharp little buggers if you don't. A while back we looked for a way to organize the legos so that the chance of foot injury would be decreased. Of course, the boys concern was that they didn't want ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2418 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2418 Tue, 7 Jul 2009 09:00:00 EST I am currently working on a garage organizing project with the Consumer Queen and Rubbermaid . So, I thought I would share some garage organizing tips with you. A garage can be an abyss of disorganization working against any busy family. Maximize wall space . I advised the Consumer Queen that you should always be able to park your car in the garage. The best way to make sure this can happen is to keep the majority of floor space free. Shelving and cabinets are ideal ways to use the ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2393 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2393 Tue, 30 Jun 2009 09:00:00 EST Organized Meal Time- is it possible? If your home is anything like mine, the dinner hour can get quite hectic. We are usually preparing to rush out the door to some extracurricular or church activity, hubby is just getting home from work, kids are finishing up their homework, and tensions can run high. Yet, studies show that eating as a family is really important for family stability and cohesion. How can you create a calmer environment for dinner? Here are some tips: Have a ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2385 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2385 Tue, 23 Jun 2009 09:00:00 EST Summer is a busy time for most families and vacations can be anything but relaxing. When packing, arranging for pet care and house sitting, making lodging and other reservations, etc. a busy parent can easily become overwhelmed and stressed out! When you are stressed and hurried you are much more likely to forget something important. Here is a quick checklist of things to consider when preparing for an organized vacation: ü Have you made all lodging reservations, necessary deposits ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2347 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2347 Tue, 2 Jun 2009 09:00:00 EST Chores- the very word makes my kids huff, puff and cringe. Yet at thirteen and eleven, my boys know how to do laundry, wash dishes (using a dishwasher or by hand), yard work, vacuuming, cleaning bathrooms, making beds, changing sheets, taking care of pets and more. Are they over-worked? Absolutely not. They are learning life skills and an allowance J So, how do I organize who does what and when? At what age can kids start pitching in? Here are some of the ways we do things in our home to ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2340 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2340 Tue, 26 May 2009 09:00:00 EST Are you like me and anything glossy with pictures and words is just too tempting to pass up? I am a marketer's dream- standing at the checkout line at the grocery store, see the pretty magazines with their recipes and guaranteed ways to lose the dreaded muffin top- and I'm throwing it in my cart as a last minute purchase. I don't subscribe to magazines (with the exception of my favorite, Southern Living) because as a professional organizer, I know better. Magazines are ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2330 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2330 Tue, 19 May 2009 09:00:00 EST I hear a lot from busy moms that they just need to develop a schedule that works for them so that everything gets done. Let me first clear up one of the toxic myths of motherhood- everything NEVER gets done. There is always something else that we wish we could have gotten to, whether it be housecleaning, time with our spouse and kids or energy devoted to a work or volunteer project. At the end of every day, if we are looking for it, there is going to be something we wish we could have ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2317 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2317 Tue, 12 May 2009 09:00:00 EST I love my children, don't get me wrong. But, they did not inherit the "organizing" gene. Specifically deficient in this area is my youngest son. I have mentioned him in previous blog posts about his "collections", etc. and how crazy it makes me to even go into his bedroom. We are rearranging things in our house so my boys are moving to different rooms. The move for my older one was fairly simple but is still not complete with my youngest. I refuse to let him take all the ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2309 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2309 Tue, 5 May 2009 09:00:00 EST Yesterday on Twitter , my tip for the day was to keep a time log for a few days so that people can identify where they are spending time passively (AKA wasting time). A major complaint I hear from clients is there just aren't enough hours in a day to get everything done. Well, we aren't going to get the day any longer than it is, but there are simple strategies you can employ to make the hours in your day more productive. Here are a few: Delegate. There is no rule that we, ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2301 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2301 Tue, 28 Apr 2009 09:00:00 EST I find myself writing about laundry A LOT! Perhaps it is because laundry is one of the household tasks that takes up most of my time, never seems to end and can become a discouraging chore. Over the years, with three active boys and a career as a professional organizer I've learned what tips work and what tips aren't as helpful. So, let me share the tips that have been helpful to me in my quest to find the bottom of the dirty laundry basket: Rather than sorting clothes by ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2291 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2291 Tue, 21 Apr 2009 09:00:00 EST That time again! It is supposed to be spring- the East Coast hasn't gotten the memo quite yet, but soon enough it will be time to break out the short sleeves and sandals. Putting away sweaters and sweatpants can be a chore but organizing closets and dressers is a process that can relieve anxiety and stress. Having to look through clothes that can't be worn just takes up unnecessary time (and time is a precious commodity as all busy families know). Here are some tips to make the ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2279 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2279 Tue, 14 Apr 2009 09:00:00 EST Do you have trouble saying no? If the answer to that question is yes, then you need look no further than that for the reason you may feel overwhelmed, like there aren't enough hours in a day. When you are juggling family, work, church, life in general, opportunities for volunteering become available A LOT! The problem is that we tend to allow guilt and a misplaced sense of obligation answer for us, rather than taking a more analytical approach to whether or not we have the time or ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2266 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2266 Tue, 7 Apr 2009 09:00:00 EST Since I talk about organizing busy families in this blog I thought I would take the chance to discuss scheduling again. With my kids home from spring break, I am reminded how truly busy we are. When they are in school and I can solely focus on work while they are gone, my day runs much smoother (go figure!). But, with them home it really highlights how weighted down our calendar can get. One thing that is really important to remember is that busyness in and of itself is not bad. Every ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2241 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2241 Tue, 24 Mar 2009 09:00:00 EST Overcoming Paper Clutter Even with all the technological advances in the world I don't think our society will ever truly be paperless. In fact, the recent technological advances seem to have created more paper to deal with in many cases. We have receipts, bills, insurance policies, certificates, investment statements, health records, and more. Then added to that is the daily influx of junk mail- magazines, catalogs, sweepstakes entry forms, etc. Today we will learn how to overcome ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2227 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2227 Tue, 17 Mar 2009 09:00:00 EST Sometimes, as a professional organizer,I encounter clients that are reluctant to address the root of the problem in their home- uncontrolled clutter and chaos. They want to become more organized yet something is holding them back. They have developed a comfort zone- even if it is a chaotic one- and are afraid to create permanent change. As a way of getting them to look at the situation differently I ask a simple question- what is the current way of life costing you and are you comfortable with ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=1925 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=1925 Tue, 14 Oct 2008 09:00:00 EST When we talk about organizing, we often think physical clutter-stuff. But emotional clutter deserves just as much attention, if not more. Emotional clutter can often be the root cause for chronic disorganization. Since I have started dealing with a chronic illness, I have realized how truly important it is to take inventory of our relationships with the same lens that we do clutter- things to sort through, make decisions about and decide where they belong in our life. When discussing ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=1913 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=1913 Tue, 7 Oct 2008 09:00:00 EST Controlling Holiday Clutter · Start a holiday binder (a 3-ring binder from an office supply store will suffice). Create dividers for different categories, such as recipes, gift lists, store sale flyers, Christmas card list, etc. Then get a flat plastic pencil pouch to put in the binder to hold all the holiday receipts, including gift receipts. · Incoming holiday cards- find creative ways to display incoming holiday cards. Some ideas include finding an attractive holder ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=1900 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=1900 Tue, 30 Sep 2008 09:00:00 EST Sometimes, as a profesional organizer, I encounter clients that are reluctant to address the root of the problem in their home- uncontrolled clutter and chaos. They want to become more organized yet something is holding them back. They have developed a comfort zone- even if it is a chaotic one- and are afraid to create permanent change. As a way of getting them to look at the situation differently I ask a simple question- what is the current way of life costing you and are you comfortable with ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=1605 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=1605 Tue, 27 May 2008 09:00:00 EST Keeping your car organized can be a challenge. We all know the scene- open the mini-van door and hold your breath to see if anything falls out. Animal cracker crumbs on the floor, toys strewn about, DVD's not in their cases and random shoes under the seat. Then as your kids get older you will find dirty sport uniforms and socks, candy bar wrappers, and DVD's not put back in their cases. So what to do to keep the family car from looking like the family dump? Well for starters there ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=1540 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=1540 Tue, 6 May 2008 09:00:00 EST Any Moms of pack-rats out there? My youngest son is the exact opposite of myself and my husband. He "collects" everything from rocks to McDonald's toys to stickers. When we were going through clothes for a yard sale he even exclaimed he didn't want to part with the clothes he had outgrown because of "the memories" they contained. LOL So what is a mom to do when a child's room looks like a bomb went off. Well, instead of taping it off with Caution- Enter at your own risk tape, ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=1371 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=1371 Tue, 22 Apr 2008 09:00:00 EST Spring cleaning- two words that strike instant exhaustion in all of us busy moms. We barely have time to make sure everyone has clean underwear, let alone move furniture to vacuum under it and wash windows. However, there are some shortcuts I have discovered that may help you in your quest to refresh and renew your home. Instead of wiping off each knickknack that has gathered dust all year, put them in the dishwasher (unless they are very dainty). I have found this a very easy way to ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=1204 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=1204 Tue, 11 Mar 2008 09:00:00 EST When you have a family you accumulate keepsakes. It's natural to want to hold onto a moment in time that you can't get back. That first haircut, first pair of shoes, first report card- all these things hold special memories for us as parents. But, as a professional organizer who also works with seniors, I can tell you that adult children do not usually hold the same sentimental attachment to such items that their parents did. And then they end up holding on to the item, despite the ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=1175 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=1175 Tue, 4 Mar 2008 09:00:00 EST I was reading a book about organizing that had a great tip- ask yourself this question: What are you doing that contributes to the clutter and chaos in your life? Pick your single worst disorganizing habit and work on changing that behavior over the next month. (The One Minute Organizer by Donna Smallin). Now, even though I organize for a living, there are areas at home in which I struggle to maintain order. One such area is the hall closet. So in February I took Ms Smallin's ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=1062 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=1062 Tue, 12 Feb 2008 09:00:00 EST There are times when the unexpected can throw a wrench in your day. Those are the times that having an organized life really comes in handy. Take today for example- I had a class to teach at the local senior center at 9am. When the kids and I woke up we discovered there is a wind advisory in our area that has caused the county to impose a two hour delay for school. That means that my older ones won't get on the bus until 8:40am and my elementary aged son doesn't need to be at ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=672 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=672 Tue, 11 Dec 2007 09:00:00 EST Holiday shopping can be stressful and disorganized. When you don't have a shopping plan you can end up spending a lot more money than you otherwise would. Let's look at a few ways to make gift buying an organized experience. 1. Start early. When you are in the store throughout the year and see a great sale, go ahead and buy. Most of the gifts I give during the year and at Christmas were bought without anyone in particular in mind. I keep a few shelves in the laundry room where I stash ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=551 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=551 Tue, 27 Nov 2007 09:00:00 EST Why is it so easy to feel guilt as a parent? There is no one on earth I expect more from than myself. When I am unable to create the picture perfect existence I feel my children deserve I wallow in self loathing and guilt. The "shoulda, woulda, coulda's" can zap all the joy out of your soul, especially at the holidays. So let's focus on what is important and realistic. Children need to feel loved. All the other stuff, such as decorating the Christmas tree a certain way, homemade ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=492 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=492 Tue, 20 Nov 2007 09:00:00 EST With the holiday season fast approaching let's talk about the value of "down time". As busy families we spend our days in a flurry of activity. In our waking hours we manage to accomplish a lot more than seems humanly possible. Believe it or not this frantic pace is not good for our bodies or our relationships. Stress, physical and mental, takes a toll on us far beyond what we like to admit. We forget that our time is a gift from God. The holidays afford us the luxury of spending time ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=436 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=436 Tue, 13 Nov 2007 09:00:00 EST Oh to have more hours in a day….sometimes we think that adding more hours to the day would enable us to reach the end of our to do list. While that is probably just a pipe dream there are simple steps you can take to add productive chunks of time to you and your family's day. 1. TiVo or tape your favorite shows. I know this is delayed gratification but I get a lot more done after the kids are in bed so 9pm and 10pm shows can eat away at otherwise precious time. Then when I have a day that ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=238 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=238 Tue, 30 Oct 2007 09:00:00 EST Even the most seasoned professional organizer, such as myself , can get overwhelmed when unexpected things happen. I have been dealing with some unexpected, rather significant, health issues the last few weeks. The experience has taught me a lot (including the value of taking care of yourself) and has shown me what organizational systems work and do not work for my family. For instance, the rotating chore schedule I instituted for my kids a while ago, has been a god send. I do not have to ...