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. 

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

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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

The Clutter of Costco?

As I was working with a few clients recently, I started to wonder, when did Costco take over our lives?  I grew up in Virgina and don’t remember anyone ever going to a warehouse store.  We had friends with many kids (3 or more) and I can never remember opening a cabinet that was filled with toilet paper or giant boxes of cereal.  I have been wondering when did we feel the need to buy in bulk?  Growing up in the 70’s in Virginia, we only had one car.  My father commuted to Washington, DC on the Metro.  We didn’t go to the grocery store every day, but I never remember my mom or dad stocking up cabinets.   I don’t remember a pantry, just a cabinet with food in it.  I remember one shelf in our linen closet that held extra rolls of toilet paper.  We had just enough.  When did we become unsatisfied with just enough?  At some point in our culture, we decided that we needed the bigger packages.  We now have the clutter of Costco!

OK, before I get lectured about the benefits of warehouse stores, this post is not to discourage your shopping at places like Costco, just to get you to think before you buy such large amounts.  Can you not pull your car in the garage because you have shelves full of paper products?  Just because it is a good price does not mean it is a necessity in your life.  And what about the bulk packages of staplers…do you really need 4 staplers in your home?  I hear many people say they can’t get out of Costco for under $400.  Most of the time it is because we are so distracted by the deal, that we forget whether or not we really need the product itself.  We are living for the future, “I will need it and use it eventually”, instead of living for today.  I think it is funny that we have a much greater ability to get what we need when we need it than we ever did before, but somehow we purchase as if we will never have the opportunity to go shopping again.  Like the stores will somehow disappear off the face of the earth!

Here are a few ways to make sure you don’t get caught up in the Costco fever when you enter the store:

• Shop with a list.  What do you really need?  Are you there for food, yet some how are in the book aisle?  Are you there for gifts, yet somehow come out with a bulk pack of vitamins?  Stick to what you need.  Otherwise the excess becomes Costco clutter!  If you aren’t going to consume, wear or use it anytime soon, you need to store it.  And storage for most people is an issue in and of  itself.
• Shop with friends and family.  Many times we waste money by buying in bulk because the food goes bad before we can use it.  Also, storing the items can be a real challenge.  Where is all the extra going to go?  When you shop with  friends and family you can split items, like fruits and veggies, cereal, and even toilet paper. 
• Shop with a budget.  Make it a challenge to get out of Costco for a set amount.  Can you beat the limit? 

Being realistic with our true needs will help us make the most out of Costco.  Costco is actually thriving in our economy.  People are now in the mind set to save money.  But we can get caught up in the deal and forget about our needs.  Buying in excess means throwing away food that has gone bad, and paying to heat/cool areas that are filled with excess is not saving us money in the long run.  Also, think about the time spent organizing excess.  Finding homes for everything can be a real challenge.  Are you spending time trying to make room for 30 rolls of paper towels?  Living and buying for today should save you time and money.  Just remember the days before Costco ever existed!

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

Organize Your Home Office Day

March 10, 2009 is the official “Organize Your Home Office Day” (according to Chase’s Calendar of Events).  Seeing as March 10th this year falls on a Tuesday, I was hoping to give you the motivation to get a jump start on it this weekend.   Take this as a guide for your home office, but know that everyone has a different space for their home office as well as different activities that must take place.  If you have any questions regarding what you need for your space, leave me a note in the comments and I will get back to you.

Tips for Organizing Your Home Office

Ask yourself:

• Who uses the office space?  You, your spouse,your roommate, your children?
• What activities take place in the space?  Bill paying, office work, homework?
• How do I want the space to look?  Relaxing and soothing, fun and bright?  Like a library, an art studio? 

Group and Sort:

• Put items for each activity together.
• Remove items that do not belong (your old maternity clothes, china, laundry, etc)
• Remove all trash from the space.
• Put all paperwork together to be sorted separately  Get ready to shred! Keep only:
  *ALWAYS CHECK WITH YOUR ATTORNEY AND TAX ACCOUNTANT BEFORE YOU DECIDE   TO SHRED!!!!!
  • Tax Returns for the past 7 years (with appropriate back up)
  • All receipts and documents for current year Tax Return
  • Warranties, Contracts, and Policies
  • Medical Records
  • School Records
  • Current month bills, and credit card/bank statements.  Retain longer only if you think they will be a tax write off.
  • Auto records for as long as you keep the car
  • Home Sale and Purchase Documents for the rest of your life.  Keep with these documents any home improvement receipts and permits.  If they are going to be used as a write off in your taxes, keep a copy with your Tax Return Documents.
  • Investment purchase records.  Keep as long as you own the investment.
  • Vital Records:  Birth Certificates, Social Security Cards, Wills, Trusts, Estate Plans, Marriage Certificates, Passports.
  • Get real with what you will actually keep.  You make time for what you actually want to do.  If you have been keeping a book on how to knit and 5 years later you still haven’t “found time” to learn, you most likely never will.  Be real with yourself.  Make room for what you need and love to do and embrace them! 

Find Homes for Each Activity:

• If the children use the space for homework, find a space for all the supplies they need to accomplish their work.
• If you pay the bills, find a space for the calculator, stamps, return address labels, checkbook, etc.
• If you work from home find a separate place for your work files and your home files.
• If you are in school yourself, find a space that is inspiring to study.
• If you wrap gifts group all your wrapping supplies including tape, scissors, tissue, gift bags, etc.
• Store extra supplies in an area you do not need to access immediately.  This does not mean to go overboard and have 1,000 binder clips, but enough that you can replace your supplies without having to run out to the store every time you run out of something.

Think of Proper Placement for Each Activity: 

• If you have your computer cords running in front of your desk drawer, you will most likely never use the desk drawer.
• If you need to jot down a note or phone message, keep a pad of paper and pencil in close reach.
• If you print often, don’t place the printer on the other side of the room.

Invest in High Functioning Furniture and Storage Containers:

• Home offices do not need to be a room, but can be a “hub” somewhere in the home. If you do realize you need a larger space, re-evaluate the space you have in the home and see where your office would be best placed.  If you have a bedroom saved for a child who is now away at college, re-invent the room so they have a place to visit but you have a room to function in.  Choose furniture that best suits the space and the activities that will take place in your “office”.
• If you will be accessing files often, purchase a file cabinet that opens and closes easily.  If you are struggling to open the drawer to file, chances are you eventually won’t do it.
• If you have a nice size drawer, purchase organizing trays or individual drawer containers to keep like with like and make it easy to find what you are looking for.
• Avoid desks with a hutch above it if this is the area you will be working at most.  You will feel crowded and will not have enough surface space to spread out while you are working.  Instead, sturdy shelves that are easy to reach serve the same purpose without using valuable desk square footage.
• Invest in a chair that is comfortable and ergonomically correct for you.  Your back will thank you for this!

Once you have a high functioning work space, you will be motivated to actually get the work done and keep it organized.  If you have good systems in place, you will be able to find what it is you need very quickly and will be able to do the tedious tasks (like paying bills) with ease!

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

 

Wasting Away

I was looking through People Magazine a while back and saw a new edition that was being introduced.  It is ”People Pets“, and it is specifically geared towards, you guessed it, pets!  The ad says it has “Insanely Cute Photos, Hilarious Videos, Adorable Gear, and Celebrity Pet News”.  When I saw the website ad saying “Visit peoplepets.com today!”  I just about rolled over laughing.  Now, I am a HUGE animal lover.  I own two dogs, grew up with cats, would die for a horse, and never met a fuzzy creature I didn’t want to take home for my own.  But what made me laugh was the idea of dedicating an entire magazine to pets in such a People Magazine format.  Do we really need to know what new outfit Paris Hilton’s chiuaua is wearing these days?  This made me think of how much time we waste on fluff. 

Social media like Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, blogs, are a new way to communicate.  The only problem is that it has taken a hold of many lives.  We are a world that loves to know everyone  personal business!  (I am guilty as charged!)  We love our gossip magazines and finding out about the latest celebrity scandal!  It is so easy to be caught up on the updates posted  or the latest celebrity drama that you find yourself loosing track of time.  And we wonder why we feel we don’t have time to get everything we need done.  I hear all the time, “I don’t feel like I accomplish anything in the day”.  I think if we were to really evaluate how we spend our time we would see that there are a lot of ways we occupy ourselves that is not productive.    We can be easily distracted from what we need to do in so many ways. 

I have many clients tell me they feel like they are ADD.  They run around the house in circles trying to get stuff done and become easily distracted by ongoing projects in each room.  Or, they are sitting at their desk, working on paying bills, and an email notification dings and they immediately switch to email and the bills are left behind.  We can be reading a blog entry of something pertinent, and then we see a related post and read that one, which leads us to a product we have never seen, so we go to their website to check it out.  You can see how adults feel like they are ADD, but really they are unfocused and committed to the task on hand.

Here are some suggestions for better “time management”:

• Try limiting your social media time to 15 minutes a session, twice a day.  Set a timer if you really are one to get sucked in.  Or, limit it to no more than 3-5 minutes at the top of the hour.  These limits will keep you in check. 
• Limit your magazines to one or two gossip magazine (i.e. People, Us, OK!, and of course People Pets) subscriptions.  You don’t need to see each magazines take on how Jennifer Aniston is angry still at Brad and Angelina).  If they come to your home, you will be more inclined to read them! 
• Try carrying around a pad of paper and every time you see another project you need to work on while you are in the middle of something else.  Write  down your thoughts and keep going on what you were doing.  A lot of times we move on to another project because we are afraid we will forget to do the new one we see.
• Only check email 3 times a day.  Morning, noon and evening.  the world will not explode because you did not check you email.  Turn off the email notifications! 
• Turn off the phone ringers and check it after the tasks are completed.  Same goes for text messages!
• Ask people to not interrupt you during certain times of the day so you can focus and complete your tasks. 

You will be amazed how much you can get accomplished without so many distractions!  Now these suggestions are just ideas to help you see where you waste your time.  Reading magazines, such as People Pets, can be a great way to decompress for some, but make sure you are decompressing after you have finished your work.  Keep your guilty pleasures as a  rewards for a job well done!