Looking for More Together Time With Organization

What image comes to mind when you think of spending time with family?  Is it interaction and conversation?  Is it fun activities or relaxing vacations?  What we think of and what actually takes place can be so very different.  We are so busy with technology, work, school and activities that we actually could be in the same house, yet we don’t spend any time together.  No wonder families feel so disconnected!

Oprah (yes again, an Oprah topic) recently had on families who were taking part in a “What Can You Live Without” Experiment, Part II.  She profiled two families and followed up one single mother from Part I.  All families were living with excess, both physical items and activities.  One family spent time together in the home by adjourning to their prospective space (bedroom, recliner, office) where they would thrive on technology.  The computer, video games, cell phones and TV were high priorities to the family.   They were so “busy”  with their gadgets they didn’t have time to spend together.  They would text each other in the house to talk, instead of walking to the other room to talk.   Technology can be a helpful tool and entertaining, but it can also suck up your valuable time like a Dyson vacuum. 

The other family showcased wasn’t spending quality time together either.  The biggest complaint was that mom was busy working and would come home late from work.  As the episode went on, you could see home much this hurt the children.  They lost themselves in iPods and video games, and ignored the underlining problems.  They also bought in excess and never really thought twice about it.  To show a portion of their excess, they pared down their pantry.  The excess food was purged and brought to a food bank.  The family had an eye opening experience of what it would be like to not have food in their home.  The family was changed for the good.   Possibly the problem was the parents were working so hard to give their children so much, but never realized what the children really needed – more together time!

What is getting in the way of your family spending time together?  Are you really achieving your goals or are you chasing your tail?  Is what you do in your daily life bringing you closer to your goals, in balance with your values?  Are you living in excess?  If reading these questions make you stop and think that there needs to be some change in your life, relax and know it can be done.

Through organizing you can clear the excess and clutter in your home.  The organizing process helps you to realize what you actually need in your home and what is truly excess.  This doesn’t mean you get rid of everything and live in a tent.  This means you live with what you need and use to function in your life.  Now, that isn’t permission to keep everything.  Really decide what you use and need.  All the “stuff” can occupy your time; having to maintain, clean and care for it all. 

In order to organize clearly, you need to prioritize.  What  are your goals?  What is important to you?  Where is your time wasted?  Are you busy checking email and not checking in on your children’s life?  We all think we are using our time wisely, but we tend to waste our time on matters that don’t line up with our priorities.  Really look at your schedule and see what is unnecessary.  Also, look to see what you can delegate and purge in order to realign your time with what is important to you.

Are you getting Together Time?  How do you spend quality time with your family?   Where can you improve?  Let us know and get the support from those who know what you are going through.  We would love to be on your journey with you.

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5 Lazy Ways to Organize

How many times do you think about organizing a drawer or even a room and give up because it is too overwhelming?  Well, I hate to break it to you - organizing is work, but organizing doesn’t have to be a nightmare!  Like weight-loss, most people are looking for a quick fix to organizing.  And as we have learned, quick weight-loss doesn’t work and you return to the habits which got you to where you were in the first place.  The same rings true with organizing.  Creating new habits will make organizing a breeze as time goes on.

Lazy is defined as slow moving or sluggish.  Organizing the “lazy way” will still take time (I didn’t call it 5 Fast Ways to Organize now, did I?).  Going in with a lazy mindset will help you slowly and steadily gain control over the disorganized clutter monster that looms over your head!  Patience is a virtue!  The old adage, “How do you eat and elephant? One bite at a time” should be playing in your head as you tackle your clutter and disorganization. 

1.  Get over perfection!  Most people feel organizing is about living Martha Stewart Perfect.  Not the case!  It is really as simple as finding what you need when you need it and keeping what you need, use and love.   Finding a good home for what you have is essential.  Keep those things you use often close to you, not as frequently a little further, and those you don’t use often furthest away. 

2.  Get over guilt!  If you are holding onto things because you’d feel guilty getting rid of it  DON”T!   (Like your friend who gave you a shirt that just doesn’t look good on you, but you feel she will get her feelings hurt if you give it away).  You will be able to shed yourself of so much clutter when you purge the guilt first!  Those who love you should understand your needs are, and guilt isn’t one of those needs!

3.  Stick to one area at a time!  If you want to organize the whole house, trying to organize it all at once will take longer.  You will become the Tasmanian Devil, spinning on a path of destruction.  Choose one area to organize at a time.  Slow and steady wins this race!  Seeing one project through to the end will give you the motivation to continue on to the rest of the house. 

4.  Stop making to-do lists!  If you skip this step and put your tasks directly into your to-do lists, then you will actually have the time to get things done!  If you need to purge your brain to get it out of your head, create different lists.  You need one for long term goals, short term goals and one for everyday tasks.  Work those lists into your calendar to see what you can accomplish daily, monthly and yearly.  Remember to leave room in your schedule for fun!

5.  Get help!  Any way you look at it, help is the best way to change your habits.  You will have someone to hold you accountable.  Don’t you have enough on your plate?  Adding self accountability (is that a phrase or did I just make it up?) is just one more thing to worry about.  Pass that responsibility on!

You can actually waste time by being “hyper” organized (as I like to call it).   You can procrastinate on projects by organizing as a distraction.  You can lead an unbalanced life if you are so focused on perfection.  Organizing should bring you more time to do what you love and want to do.  So get lazy and organize your home one space at a time!

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Decorative Swapping

The other day I was watching Oprah and she had the adorable Nate Berkus and the clutter cutter Peter Walsh on.  They were showing neighbors swapping furniture in order to recreate new looks in their homes.  The point behind the show was to open our eyes to how, in hard times with limited budgets, we can be creative in our design to get the best out of our space.  Now of course having a fabulous designer makes a huge difference when you are decoratively challenged (I think I just created a new word), but the point was easy to get.  The “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” was spoken loud and clear here. 

Anything unused or unloved is clutter!  Clear your clutter by having a swap party!  Have you thought about other ways to swap?  It doesn’t have to be just furniture!   How about:

• Kitchen Gadgets
• Video Games
• Women’s Clothing
• Children’s Clothing
• Accessories (belts, scarves, jewelry)
• Children’s Toys
• Books
• Magazines

The list is endless.  You can save so much money by trading what you don’t want, need, or have grown tired of with someone else!  The only thing you must remember in a swap is that this is not a garage sale!!!  These items are good quality and something someone would really WANT in their home  (or closet) to update their look.  Your tattered couch that the dog has called home for 15 years may not qualify! 

Let us know if you have had an opportunity to swap with friends, neighbors and/or family to get the best results for your homes!  What was your experience?  What worked?  What didn’t? 

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Why Hiring a Professional Organizer is a Necessity Rather Than a Luxury?

Last week I attended the annual conference of the National Association of Professional Organizers!  If you can imagine a conference that is run more smoothly and organized, let me know!!!  We had a blast in Orlando discovering new products, new services, new books, new ideas (yes, I am rambling) and rekindling friendships from all over the world.  Who knew there is a need for organizing in areas like Bermuda, Japan, New Zealand and France?  It just goes to show how everyone is looking for a little more order in their lives, no matter where they live.

You may think as we all meet that we are learning new ways to put items in a pretty container, but it was so much more.  As organizers, our goal is to help you discover why you are disorganized and ways to help you create new habits to overcome disorganization.  The classes we take go deep into the needs of our clients.   But the biggest part of the conference is to help our profession gain exposure.  Not many people know what we do and why they should spend their hard earned dollars on our services!  They all think they could do it themselves, why should they pay someone to help.

I thought I may help educate the rest of the world who aren’t sure what we can do for you and can’t figure out why they should spend the money on it!  Here are a few reasons why:

Why Hiring a Professional Organizer is a Necessity Rather Than a Luxury?

1. Professional Organizers help cut expenses by weeding out processes, activities, or tools that are no longer serving their purpose.
2. You will have more time to touch base with clients, networking contacts and other potential clients.
3. Professional Organizers help you find and use what you have, such as, pantry items, office supplies, gift items, etc., so you avoid re-buying things you already own.
4. Professional Organizers help you pay your bills on time and control your finances.
5. You will know where everything is!
6. Professional Organizers help you keep appointments, avoiding no-show fees.
7. Professional Organizers help prevent missed opportunities and events.
8. Professional Organizers help eliminate the costs of extra storage space.
9. Professional Organizers help you uncover what is important to you and helps preserve those items.
10. Professional Organizers help maintain your valuables, including your home and car.

A professional organizer is a confidant, a friend, a specialist, a coach, a financial assistant, and so much more.  We have different niches that we focus on to be the best service provider for our clients.  No matter what your level of disorganization is, a professional organizer will bring more time, joy and freedom into your life!

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Budding Artists-Taming Your Children’s Art Clutter

As the end of the school year is swiftly approaching, parents are faced with what to do with all the art (and school work) clutter their children have produced.  Now, when I call it clutter, that is not to say we don’t love what our children created, it is just that the shear volume is overwhelming.  It seems as if once a child can hold a crayon, their paper seems to multiply faster than fleas!  But what is more amazing is our attachment to each and every one they create.  Whether it is a masterpiece that Van Gogh would admire, or one that is scribble scrabble (a phrase my kids teachers have used) we can’t seem to let go of our budding artists/scholars work.  And this is only compounded by having more than one child! 

If you were to save each and every piece of paper our children worked on in their 13 years of school, you could fill an entire standard bedroom!  Mom’s who find out I organize homes always ask how they can better organize their children’s art and school work.  They all seem to want to cut it back but don’t know what to let go of.  I mean, how can you let go of something your child created.  It seems like you are giving or throwing a piece of them away!

The good news is the older they get, the less paper work they bring home.  The bad news is you can’t keep it all!  Making the decision of what to keep and what to toss/recycle can be easier if you face it head on.  You need to create a limit or standard and a means of storage of what you will keep.  Each family and situation is different, so there is no set standard, but you can figure out your own set of guidelines. 

I typically save art that is art.  Not the painting swirled in a circle with the teacher writing “A Motorcycle” above it.  I also keep things that show progression in their development.  Be it writing letters, or drawing a flower, or a worksheet, I will be able to look back as see their attempts at mastering a new learning challenge.  Also, I save items that are about them.  A self portrait, a interview from preschool about what they want to be when they grow up, a drawing of the family, an essay of their summer vacation, and so forth.  You don’t need to keep the 4th grade book report they received an A++ on, unless you somehow are related to the person in the story!

Keeping the work you have decided to save can be a challenge.  Here are a few suggestions on different approaches to keeping the memory alive of their precious childhood:

• A scrapbook or file box that shows progression and growth.  Start a the beginning and work your way up to high school.  Make sure you don’t fill books or boxes.   Your child will not have the same attachment to these as you will.  Be picky, and set your limit.  Your child will appreciate that you don’t hand them boxes and boxes of their work when they are adults.  Parents are always surprised at how their children don’t have the same attachment to the items that they do.
• Photo of your child with their art work or school work.   Hang your children’s art/school work on a blank wall and take a picture of them with their work.  You can place multiple works on the wall and have one photo!  You will capture the memory, but save it in a much smaller form.  Also, the glitter and rice (cereal, beans, you know what I mean!)  will not be left in a box for so many years that the glue has disintegrated and left you with a mess!
• Scan or photograph their artwork and school work.  Create a digital scrapbook of their work.  You will be able to arrange a book in no time that shows their development and progression.  This will cut down on the size/volume of papers you accumulate.  This doesn’t give you “permission” to save it all.  Again, be picky about what you save.  Your child will not appreciate your hard work of scrap-booking all they did in school if it is a 20 volume series!  Use what is most valuable, and toss the rest.

Some moms tell me their children may get upset if their work is thrown away so soon after creating it.  For my children, I have a large magnetic board that has their weekly art/school work on it.  This sets a limit/boundary as the board can only hold so much.  As they bring home something new, I have them help decide what should come down to make room for their new work.    You will be surprised at how fast they will take something down to make room for their new creation.  You can see what they value in their eyes, not yours! 

I know all the little scraps of paper that say “I love you Mommy” are so hard to throw away!  But be strong, know your children love you and that you have a limit as to what you can keep.  It doesn’t mean they don’t love you if you need to throw it away!  And a little disclaimer to the toss process, recycle what you can!

For more tips on organizing, visit my website at:  www.afreshstartorganizing.net/tips. 

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Sugar High

OK, enough with the candy already.  I can’t believe how, between Christmas and Easter, I can consume so much sugar.  If you have ever seen the movie Elf with Will Ferrell, he talks about the four food groups.  “We elves try and stick to the four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corn and syrup.”  With all the candy from all the holidays, I actually think I may give up sweets until Christmas.  Not… my sweet tooth is too big to give it up completely!  But I do think I need to replace a few Peeps and jellybeans for some carrots and lettuce. 

As I think of my new relationship with vegetables, I feel like I am making a New Year’s resolution for healthy eating.   This will be a positive change in my life (as I kick and scream).  Growing up, I could eat whatever I wanted.  As the big 40 is coming at me like a freight train, I feel like I could eat two carrots all day and still gain a pound.   I have to come to terms with the idea that I can’t eat like I used to.   The same rings true for organizing.  If you have habits that allow clutter to pile up, a change in your habit needs to take place.   The more you ignore it, the worse it becomes!

In trying to create new habits, be it organizing, eating more healthy, or any other positive change you want to take place, you need to be more conscious of your choices.  Being present in your life is a means to making new habits stick.  When we just go through the motions in life, we are bound to the same in life.  Change requires going through life with your eyes wide open and your mind in the game!

I have the following suggestions for making changes in your life that will stick:

1.  Find the positive in the situation.  I could feel angry and deprived that I need to pay more attention to my diet, but instead, I am looking at it with a new attitude.  If I don’t embrace the need for change, no change will happen!  I love the way I look and feel when I am eating well.  The energy I have is endless.  If you are trying to be more organized (or even get organized), find what you do that is actually working.  Do you pay your bills on time?  Do you always keep your keys in a certain place so that you always find them?  When you start to see the good in what you are doing and see the good in what these changes will bring you, you will be more apt to maintain your new habits!

2.  Make a game plan.  If you don’t have a plan, then it is easier to slip into your old routine and habits and nothing will change!  With better eating, I know I need to have my food somewhat planned for the day and week.   When I am busy and hungry, I will reach for a quick fix and not choose healthy foods.  If I eat about every 3 hours, and eat something well balanced,  I will be successful in sticking to my plan to eat better.  If you have a plan of action for your organizing, you will be less overwhelmed with the clutter and be able to tackle your disorganization day by day.  This plan of action will help you focus on your goals and keep your mind in the game.  Knowing what to do next is half the battle!

3.  Be prepared for set backs.  Life comes at us pretty quick some days.  If we are going through the motions, we are hit harder by the unexpected.  Whether you have been traveling and find it hard to eat well or a loved one passes away and you inherit their belongings (not to mention the grief), the unplanned needs to be expected.  I guess expect (and plan for) the unexpected.  We are only in control of our lives to a certain extent.  When you need to deal with other things in life, be aware that this is only temporary.  Be aware that you can and will get back to your plan of action.  I think most people when the unexpected takes over, don’t see how or when things will get back to normal.  The overwhelming feeling usually covers our eyes to our goals and we often give up.  If you know your plan, can incorporate any thing into your plan and be aware of potential setback, you will have an easier time getting back into the game!

With any desire for change, I look forward to the results, yet don’t always like the steps it takes to get there.  I have clients who hate when I come to work with them, but love when I leave.  In life, routine and habit make our days easier to handle.  Creating new, good habits is not easy.  For example, I love any sort of sugar junk food.  I know I will never be able to live without it.  The way I feel after eating a lot of sugar makes me miserable.  But, oh how I love the taste!  Cutting back and being more conscious will make this change easier.  Knowing that the change is for the good will help us focus and stick with the steps you need to take for your desired results!

What change are you in need of?  What steps will you take to make it happen?  Share with us.  Leave a comment on how you will or are living a little more aware of your habits!

For more tips on organizing, visit my website at:  www.afreshstartorganizing.net/tips. 

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Are you ready for A Fresh Start?

Whether you celebrate Easter or not, the feeling of new beginnings is in the air.  Spring is my absolute favorite time of the year.  Everything seems clean and fresh.  (Yes, you can tell my mood by how clean and picked up my home is! Mess = Stress)  New plants and flowers, blue skies, warm and comfortable temperatures and fresh green grass make a beautiful picture.  This is the best time of year to create your own new beginnings.  What do you want to change?  What do you want to start pursuing?  Where do you need or want A Fresh Start?

My company name came from the need we all have for the changes in our lives to move in a positive direction.  A Fresh Start is something we all desire when things aren’t working quite right.  My organizing company helps people have a new start in their home.  Whether they just moved into a new home, they are moving out of a home or they need to make their home work better for them, they are all craving a new beginning.  Organizing can help you have A Fresh Start in your life.  Being organized can free up time and space to pursuing new activities, make new relationships and take better care of yourself. 

Most people I find are so overwhelmed with their situation, they aren’t sure where to begin.  Just the thought of starting can create feelings of overwhelm and panic.  I think of when I was in high school and would have a large project or paper assigned.  I would have no idea where to begin.  I would always freak out about not being able to do it.  I would have to break the project down into bite size pieces to get started. 

If organizing your space is a new beginning you want to have this spring, here is a way to break your project down into bite size pieces so you can get the job done and go on to pursue those things you so desire. 

5 ways to organize a room:

1.        Visualize how you want the room to look.  Ask yourself:

a.      What is it you are trying to accomplish in the room?

b.      Who is using the room?

c.      What activities take place in the room?

2.       Sort your stuff.  This is where most people give up, because it always looks worse before it gets better. 

a.      Make sure the items in the room should stay.

b.      Ask yourself if you really need the item.  Instead of thinking that I may use it one day, live for today.  Just because you spent money on it doesn’t mean you have to still keep it.  Think of it as a life lesson and be more careful when you shop.

c.      Separate into categories

                                                                           i.      Trash

                                                                         ii.      Donate

                                                                        iii.      Give to family or friends

                                                                       iv.      Move to another room

                                                                         v.      Keep

d.      For the items you decide to keep, group like items together.  For example, toys and games, beach and pool items, even rags with cleaning supplies.  This will help in remembering where things are when you need them.

3.       Find homes for all your items that remain. 

a.      Where will you use the items? 

b.      Do you use the items often or occasionally?

c.      Keep items you use often easy to access.  Things you use less often are better in your harder to reach areas.

 

4.        Contain.  Containers can make or break an organizing system.  Keep in mind that containers with lids are harder for children to use.  That is one step too many for a child to put things away. 

a.      Make the most use of your space.  Add shelves to utilize vertical space. 

b.      Use clear boxes to see what you have inside. 

c.      Use containers to hold items in cabinets.  You can pull the container out to get to an item easier than knocking down items to get to the back of the cabinet!

5.       Maintain.  Maintenance is the most important means to keeping an organizational system in place.   

a.      Remember “One In One Out” rule.  For every item you bring into your home, you should be removing something else.  This is especially important for clothing and toys. 

b.      Set aside a few minutes a day and a few minutes a week to make sure your systems stay in place. 

These are basic ways to tackle your Fresh Start in your home.  For some of us, the clutter is there for a reason:  we are attached to the clutter, we are overwhelmed by the clutter, we think we may use the clutter, we feel guilty to get rid of the clutter or a combination of  all these.  What ever your reason for clutter, the only way to move forward in your life and stop having this stuff hold you back is to face it.  For some that means someone to help.  If you need assistance, ask for it.  Allow yourself to have the new beginning you are so desiring!

For more tips on organizing, visit my website at:  www.afreshstartorganizing.net/tips. 

Also, you can subscribe to my monthly e-newsletter “Fresh Ideas for A Fresh Start” . Subscribe Now 

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Help Me…I’ve Been Robbed!

Don’t panic.  I don’t mean this literally, but we all are robbed daily of something valuable…TIME!  There are so many stolen moments that we need to be aware of to make the most of our day and our lives.  If we don’t open our eyes to the things that rob us of our time, then we will always have a nagging feeling  something was taken from us.  We get angry and frustrated when our time has been taken away from us!  I try and use my time as wisely as I can, so that I actually practice what I preach, but sometimes I am not even aware of when I have been robbed. 

Just the other night, our new puppy (who has been a challenge to say the least)  got into my husbands glass of red wine sitting on the side table next to the couch.  We were busy upstairs putting our boys to bed.  My husband usually kisses the kids good night first and then I do.  He is always back downstairs in his spot on the couch immediately.  As I was doing my kisses, I hear my husband say “DAKOTA WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!”   I am thinking she shredded a piece of paper or got into the trash again, but never would I have thought she was going to have dyed my golden tan couch a new shade of purple.  We settle the kids back down (who now were curious about the commotion) and I got to work on cleaning the stain.  It was BAD!  As I am scrubbing and trying every cleaner I have, my husband says “Why are you wasting your time?”  In my pursuit to undo the damage, I realized that he was right.  No cleaner I had was going to get this up.  I needed a professional.  Had I not been pulled out of my stealth focus on fixing the problem, I would have spent hours cleaning something that was just not going to come out.  I would have been robbed of the time that I had to relax with my husband and watch our favorite shows together. 

There are time stealer’s taking your precious moments everyday.  Are you aware of them?  Things like long, unexpected lines at the store or post office.  Phone calls where you are left on hold for a long time, a family member or you getting sick, car accidents and traffic are other time stealer’s.  These are things that tend to be out of our control, but we need to be ready for them and how it can set us back.  Also, things like not being prepared (can you say no grocery list and forgetting half of what you went to the store for, then having to go back), waiting to the last minute (like trying to buy your Christmas presents a few days before the big day and getting low inventory and long lines), doing something someone else could or should do (like me trying to get a horrific stain out of our couch) and disorganization and clutter (looking for your keys or an important document) steal our time as well. 

How we handle these situations that potentially rob us of our precious time is important.  First of all, setting time buffers in your day will allow you to handle these interruptions with ease.  If you are overbooked, or even booked close together in your day you will be overwhelmed with the time stealer’s.  Allow some open time for the unexpected.  If nothing happens that day, you will have time to relax and enjoy!  Second, you need to have things to do if something is taking too much time.  Like having something to read if you are stuck at the doctors office, making a phone call while you are stuck in traffic, or cleaning out your purse when you are waiting in a long line.  Carry a book with you, or a pad of paper for notes of things you want or need to do, or fold laundry while you are stuck on hold.  There are a thousand things we could do in a short period of time.  Most importantly, being organized (having an organized home and office) will help you fight off some of the thieves of time! 

Just like the saying, “It takes money to make money”, it takes time to make time.  Give yourself a few minutes at the end of the day to prepare for the next one.  Organize your spaces so you know where everything is and can find what it is you need.  Be prepared for the unexpected with time buffers and having things to do while you are waiting.  You will be the Super Hero of  Time and fight the crime of the infamous time robbers!  (Can you tell I have two boys?!?)

What is stealing your time?  Write your “crime” prevention tips in the comments and help us learn what to watch out for!

For more tips on organizing, visit my website at:  www.afreshstartorganizing.net/tips. 

Also, you can subscribe to my monthly e-newsletter “Fresh Ideas for A Fresh Start” . Subscribe Now 

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Help Me Please!

Is the help you are receiving making your life easier or more frustrating?  Management requires organization and delegation.  Whether you are managing a Fortune 500 company or a family of 4, you need to utilize the skills of others on your team.  While I can’t give advice to Fortune 500 companies, I do have advice for those of you managing yourselves and your home.   I meet many clients who have the same complaint, the people who help them run the house don’t put things back where they belong.  They spend a large amount of time rearranging things after someone has helped.   What a waste of valuable time!   The fastest way to solve this problem is through good communication upfront.  You cannot expect someone to remember where things go if they don’t know ahead of time. 

Following are a few tricks of the trade to help facilitate good communication with your help.  Whether it is your children doing chores, your spouse helping with the house work load, your childcare help, or your cleaning person/staff, use these tips to make sure the help that is given is a good use of their time and yours!

• Labels – Labeling is one of the key ingredients in house communication.  If you label the shelf for linens with what sheets go where, then there is no question when someone goes to out the sheets away after the laundry is done.  Also, they can see what they need quickly and easily.  If you have people who help you around the house that don’t speak fluent English, use labels in both English and the language they speak fluently.
• Notes – If you need to let someone know something, and you are not there to actually speak with them, leave a note.  Also, if they don’t speak fluent English, try using BableFish   http://babelfish.yahoo.com/ to translate a note for you.  Clear communication is essential. 
• Repeat after me – Make sure, especially for children, have them repeat what is expected of them after you give instructions.  Now this is not to belittle your help, it is to make sure you have clear expectations.  There is nothing worse than trying to explain something and getting a blank stare.  Asking them to repeat back to you will help ensure you have made your point of what needs to be accomplished.
• Pictures – Pictures are a great way to show what it is you are talking about.  Also, if you need to remove something to clean, and then go to put it back, can you remember exactly where everything goes?  Pictures speak a thousand words!!!  Create a photo book for your cleaning staff, or one for your family.  They can refer back to it to make sure they know where things go.  This works great for cabinets and closets, too.  When unloading a dishwasher, those who are helping may not know where everything belongs.  The pictures will assist when someone doesn’t know where things go.  You will avoid “losing” things!
• Be specific -  Make sure they know what it is you need help with and what it is you want as a finished product.  You can’t expect.  If you want to have help, you can’t expect people to live in your head.  They will not know what you want unless you explain it to them.  Many times we hurry through explanations and don’t give enough information. 
• Demonstrate – Especially for children, if you want something done a specific way, make sure you demonstrate for them.  Some people learn and remember by visually seeing what to do.  Walking them through it will also help those who learn in a  tactile manner.

Many people don’t utilize their help because they worry it won’t be done right.   They think they might as well do it themselves.  No one person has the skills, abilities and time do do it all.  Use your help!  Clear communication will save you time and money.   Remember though, if you use your manners with good communication, you will have happy helpers!

For more tips on organizing, visit my website at:  www.afreshstartorganizing.net/tips. 

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What are we teaching our children?

Yesterday, I had my children assist in one cleaning project that I so badly wanted to get done, cleaning our wood shutters.  We don’t have a large house and we don’t have shutters on all the windows, so I thought this would be fun, easy and most of all quick.  Well, not so true on any of these thoughts.  I had envisioned giggling and talking while cleaning.  I had envisioned my boys finding the joy of a job well done.  Well, this was SO not the case.  I had to break up the fights (”your not helping”,  “I was working on that side”) and motivate ’til I was blue in the face!  I practically took over the job because I just wanted it done and done right.  I came in behind and redid their work and basically finished by myself.  So what kind of lesson did I teach my boys?  Looking back, not a very good one!

I believe we need to teach our children at a young age that the family is a team.  We work together to get things done.  No one should be the sole person to clean, declutter, organize and be responsible for the home.  If you don’t get everyone involved to help, the one person doing all the work will eventually blow.  Running a household, whether you are a stay at home parent or a working parent, is a lot of work.  Having a team effort to keep the house running smoothly is vital.  The quarter back doesn’t win the game alone, neither does the pitcher.  Good team management will make a big difference in your home being calm and loving, versus chaotic and angry. 

Kids at a very early age can be taught to help.  The more you include them in household chores, the better adults they will grow up to be.  But you have to approach it in a fun and loving manner.  Not the case for me yesterday.  Here are a few suggestions on how to make the learning and teaching process run smoothly:

1. Establish Chores.  Check out the chore chart below.  Have your children pick the chores they feel they want to do and can do well.  Involving them in the decision process makes a big difference in their willingness to participate.  Even a 3 year old can do this. 
2. Set clear expectations.  Explain in detail what you expect from them.  If you simply say dust the shelf, and don’t say make sure to take everything off, or dust in the corners, you can’t expect they will know to do that.  They will do the minimum job expected.  Make sure your child(ren) repeat back to you what is expected so the communication is clear.
3. Set reasonable expectations.  This was my mistake yesterday.  My kids couldn’t reach the top shutters and they shutters were so dusty they required a little more elbow grease then I had originally thought.  A quick run of the Swiffer Duster wasn’t doing the job.  They didn’t realize they weren’t doing a complete job.  They were just doing what they thought was good. 
4. Don’t swoop in and do it for them.  Realize their abilities and don’t set them up for failure.  If they see you coming in and redoing their work, their confidence goes down the tubes.  As was the case for my oldest son, who said “I am trying my best, and you don’t care!”.  Whoops, I needed a reminder that they were trying and my doing it for them wasn’t teaching them anything!  Accept their limits and don’t expect perfection.
5. Remember your manners.  Would you want to have orders barked at you?  Would you want to listen to constant criticism?  Give praise, say please and thank you, and most of all, tell them how much their help helps you!  Let them know how more hands getting the job done will free up time to do more fun things, like play a game together or read a book to them. 

My best advice is to make the process as fun as you can.  Crank up the music.  Turn things into games.  Set a timer to see how fast they can do it (only if they do a good job though).  Reward with fun activities.  You can also reward with money, but I feel that I don’t get paid to do things around the house, so why should I pay them?  Choose your motivation and reward system and let the kids know ahead of time what they get for their hard work. 

See below for the chore chart.  This is just a general guideline, so don’t worry if your child isn’t there yet.  I paid my twin sister to do my laundry for a few years until I understood how to do it myself!  She got the sorting process way before I did.  I was intimidated and would rather pay some of my allowance than face my fear!

Chores for Every Age:

Toddlers:

·         Put clothes in the laundry basket

·         Put toys away (where they belong)

·         Take things to the trash can, such as if you are opening your mail or clearing the dirty napkins at dinner

Preschool:  Same as above, PLUS

·         Get dressed

·         Pick clothes for the next day or the week (give limits such as “choose a short-sleeve shirt, a pair of shorts, underwear, and socks”

·         Help match socks when folding laundry

·         Put folded laundry away (pre sort as you fold, grouping what would go in each drawer or cubby)

·         Help set table

·         Help clear table

·         Wipe off table

·         Deliver items to another room (such as “please put this book on the self in the office”, or “please put the mail on my desk”)

·         Help unpack groceries

·         Help make/pack lunch

Kindergarten:  Same as above, PLUS

·         Make bed (even if it is putting pillows on the bed after you fix the sheets)

·         Tidy up their room

·         Help unload dishwasher

·         Pack backpack for school

·         Follow a morning routine

·         Get the mail

·         Empty trash cans, into a larger trash bag

·         Put a new trash bag in a trash can

·         Help hang up shirts in closet

 First and Second Grade:  Same as above, PLUS

·         Clean their room

·         Take trash out to outside receptacles

·         Sort dirty laundry

·         Sweep floor

·         Yard work (rake leaves, pull weeds, hose off patio)

·         Help put groceries away

Third and Fourth Grade:  Same as above, PLUS

·         Vacuum

·         Load dishwasher

·         Walk the dog

·         Help with meal preparation

·         Bathe themselves

·         Make breakfast

·         Pack lunch

Fifth and Sixth Grade:  Same as above, PLUS

·         Take on weekly responsibilities, such as take out the trash to the curb, fold laundry, and clean their bathroom

·         Be responsible for their homework and projects with a calendar and schedule

Seventh Grade through High School:  Same as above, PLUS

·         Iron clothes

·         Make dinner

·         Wash the car

·         Take on a part time job or babysit

·         Be responsible for managing their money, with guidelines on how to save, give and spend

College:

By now you have given your “child” the necessary skills to be a responsible young adult.  If they are living at home, they should be responsible for doing all adult chores just as if they were living in an apartment on their own.  They should be paying rent and/or doing things to contribute to the household chores and budget.  By this time you will have created an independent young adult that wants to do things to help both physically and financially.

I know I will be working more on my ability to let go of  “perfection” in order to teach my kids to enjoy their chores more!  I hope your team will be on the winning end of the chore battle!  Let me know if you have any tips or ideas you would like to share on how your get your kids to help more!

For more tips on organizing, visit my website at:  www.afreshstartorganizing.net/tips. 

Also, you can subscribe to my monthly e-newsletter “Fresh Ideas for A Fresh Start” . Subscribe Now 

And get daily tips delivered to you through Twitter.  Follow Me