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Easy Organizing For Active Kids And Busy Parents by Debbie Jordan Kravitz

Hi! I'm Debbie and this blog will focus on all things related to organizing your kids and busy families. As a mother of 2 active girls, I've implemented many of these ideas in my own home, as well as with residential clients I've had the privilege of working with. We will focus on topics related to "toy overload" and management; organizing your school-age children; teaching children to organize for themselves; maintaining a kid-friendly, yet clutter-free home; and many other related subjects. So check in every Friday for helpful tips, ideas and inspiration, and feel free to comment or ask questions! Happy Organizing!

Latest Posts:


De-Stress Dinnertime Dilemmas I've been meaning to get into Menu Planning for quite some time. I know in the long run menu planning will save me time and money. And with the busy school year off to a crazy start already, menu planning could really help with the second shift of our day when the extracurricular activities take over our evening schedule. But the planning part always scare me off! The idea is that every weekend you sit down and plan your dinners for the week. So, first you dig through your recipe books and pick out your selections. I like to plan my meals around what's on sale, so that means cross-referencing the store's circular add as you decide which recipes to use. Finally, you need to generate a grocery list based on the... Read more... posted on: 9/26/2008 9:00:00 AM by Debbie Jordan Kravitz category: Family

National Preparedness Month This September the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) is participating in the 5th Annual National Preparedness Month (NPM). Sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security's Ready Campaign, NPM is a nationwide effort designed to increase awareness as well as encourage individuals, families, businesses and communities to take action and prepare for emergencies. To help communities become better prepared, NAPO is helping to educate people about the importance of careful preparation and planning to effectively deal with emergencies and natural disasters. "Ever since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and other natural disasters, Americans have been... Read more... posted on: 9/5/2008 9:00:00 AM by Debbie Jordan Kravitz category: Family

Chore Buster With back-to-school just around the corner, many households will begin picking up in speed and activitiy. But those household chores still need to get done. How can you be sure to get it all done, without wasting too much time thinking about who will do what and when it will get done? Enter ChoreBuster.com. ... Read more... posted on: 8/8/2008 9:00:00 AM by Debbie Jordan Kravitz category: Family

School's Out . . . NOW What? Organizing for Summertime Ok, school is out and the kids are home, but the organization needs to go on! Do not let your kids take a vacation from the organizational systems you have so carefully put in place. Otherwise, come September, you will be starting from scratch retraining your kids 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... Read more... posted on: 6/13/2008 9:00:00 AM by Debbie Jordan Kravitz category: Family

Overcoming Procrastination The task of dealing with clutter is never fun. But procrastinating about it will definitely not solve the problem. In fact, putting it off is the best way to exacerbate the situation. If clutter and procrastination are standing in your way, try these tips: DO THINGS IN PIECES... Read more... posted on: 6/8/2008 8:46:08 PM by Debbie Jordan Kravitz category: Family

Time Monsters Time Monsters: We all have them. They are those annoying little things that seem to steal away minutes, even hours, from our days and weeks. For some, it may be the internet. "Surfing" online may start out as "research." Or we may have good intentions of trying to save time by shopping online, instead of at the malls. But before you know it, it sucks us in and we have lost half the day sitting in front of our glowing screens. For others, the drive for perfection may be costing precious time. Do you spend extra time on tasks trying to make them just "perfect," when "good enough" would actually suffice? Another evil time monster is the television. I know there can be a heated debate between those who love and those who detest the "idiot box." Personally, I enjoy a good show from time to time. But it is very easy to be sucked into TV, too. So what time monsters do YOU deal with? Much like a dieter keeps a food log to heighten awareness of how much and what type of food they REALLY eat throughout the day, I challenge you to keep a time log. Jot down how long some you spend on some of your daily routines. After a week, see if you can spot your time monsters. You may just be surprised at what you find! (For more on this topic, click here for my post at Virtually Organized on "Choosing Your Time Wisely." ... Read more... posted on: 5/17/2008 7:53:24 AM by Debbie Jordan Kravitz category: Family

Steals and Deals-An Organizing Product that Really CAN Save Time and Money Most frugal Mom's I know rely on coupons to stretch their budget. But sometimes the time and effort this task requires isn't worth the savings. And then there's the fumbling at the grocery store to find the right coupon. When time is at a premium, who wants to waste precious moments with such a tedious task? Enter Mrs. A's Coupon Organizer. This is just THE best coupon organizer! It not only categorizes your coupons, but you can see an entire category with a flip of the page. It even comes with a corresponding categorized grocery list. Mrs. A's is SO much easier and more efficient to use than a traditional accordion-style organizer (which, in my opinion, are more like coupon HOLDERS, as... Read more... posted on: 4/11/2008 9:00:00 AM by Debbie Jordan Kravitz category: Family

Small Changes CAN Lead to Big Results! They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself. *- Andy Warhol* These days, the speed of life seems to rev up every day. With so many priorities and responsibilities coming at us from every direction, it's no wonder disorganization and chaos creep up and take control. While a busy, hectic life may be the CAUSE of your disorganization, don't let it be the EXCUSE. As you welcome back the warmer days of spring, take some time to reflect on the things you can change in your life to make you more productive and less stressed. They don't have to be monumental changes to make a difference. Here are some simple changes you... Read more... posted on: 4/4/2008 9:00:00 AM by Debbie Jordan Kravitz category: Family

"Organizing With the Stars": Squeezing in Some "Lost" Time As a Professional Organizer, I hear excuses all the time as to why people are "disorganized." I hear them from potential, new, and current clients. I even hear them from people I meet casually when they find out what I do for a living. And it never fails. The number one excuse I hear is some variation of "I just can't find the time to get myself organized." The truth is, though, if it is important to you, you WILL find the time. We ALL have the same 24 hours in a day. Those people who ARE organized and efficient do not get any extra hours in their... Read more... posted on: 3/28/2008 9:00:00 AM by Debbie Jordan Kravitz category: Family

Teach Kids Clutter-Control & Prioritizing With Your Digital Camera Organization is NOT a skill we are born with, and as parents, it is our responsibility to TEACH our kids both the importance of being organized and how to control the clutter before it controls us. Unfortunately, explaining to kids how to eliminate clutter is NOT something parents can successfully accomplish in one, or even two sessions. Like most things in life, it too is a learning process. With continuous instruction, guidance, and practice, however, it is definitely a skill that kids can achieve; even at a young age. One of the first steps toward helping kids understand clutter-control is to help them understand what it means to PRIORITIZE. In its most simplistic form, when it comes to cutting the... Read more... posted on: 3/21/2008 9:00:00 AM by Debbie Jordan Kravitz category: Family

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About Debbie:

Debbie Jordan Kravitz is a Professional Organizer, Author, and Owner of Virtually Organized by Debbie LLC. She is also a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) and the National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization (NSGCD). Debbie's goal is to help her clients customize, organize and simplify their lives so they can spend less time searching for their things and more time doing the things they love.

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VirtuallyOrganized.com

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Everything I Know about Perfectionism I Learned From My Breasts: Secrets and Solutions for Overpower

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Virtually Organized
Visit my blog, "Virtually Organized," and be sure to leave me a comment to let me know you found me through www.OnlineOrganizing.com. "Virtually Organized" includes even MORE tips, ideas, and inspiration, as well as "Steals & Deals" (links to cool products at GREAT discounts, or even FREE!"