Tag: organizing

Helping Children Learn Organizational Skills

Posted on by Jordank

A sign posted on the entry door to a private school for boys is creating a stir on social media. It states that parents bringing lunches and homework forgotten by their kids should turn around. The school wants the youngsters to learn about self-reliance instead.

As the school suggests, perhaps parents aren’t doing their children any favors by bailing them out, so to speak. It may be best to help youngsters learn how to stay organized, so you can say goodbye to manic mornings and forgotten homework and lunches.

If you want to help children learn to take responsibility, you can start in the kitchen. Even a 3-year-old can clear a plate from the table and set it on the counter. Next steps for little ones could include putting their dirty clothes in a hamper or laundry basket. How about putting apples or containers of yogurt in the refrigerator after their parents go grocery shopping? Older children can easily help do the dishes or load an empty a dishwasher. They can also learn to keep the mess to a minimum in their bedrooms.

Family experts are full of organizational ideas, like these:

  • Create checklists for getting out the door on time each morning.
  • Train your children to select an outfit the night before school. Some experts recommend setting aside time on Sunday evenings to select an outfit for the entire week.
  • Buy your child a kid-friendly and easy-to-use alarm clock.
  • Make sure your child knows where his or her shoes are by putting them away in the same place each day.
  • Let your children know they are responsible for packing their backpack each morning.
  • Keep jackets, shoes, school sports equipment and backpacks in the same location, if possible.
  • For days when you’re running late, keep an emergency pack in the car. It can be filled with hair clips and brushes, a few dollars for school lunches if there was no time to pack them and gum as a last resort if there was no time to brush teeth.
  • Put a reminder on your exit door about lunches, homework, keys, permission slips or whatever your children may need during the day.
  • Set aside specific time for homework. Some parents give their children 30 minutes of free time after school, followed by homework time before dinner.
  • Teach your children to make a simple breakfast, and store those breakfast items in spots they can easily reach.
  • Assign a specific job to each child. For example, one child can feed your pet; another could walk the dog. Or, one child could make toast for the family, while another pours juice.

Simple chores can become routines that help youngsters enjoy staying well organized. And, you’ll be teaching them lessons and habits that will last a lifetime.

How are you helping your kids learn important organizational habits?

Fight the Chaos of Home Renovations!

Posted on by Jordank

While we’ve talked about summer being a great time to clean out closets, host garage sales, move, and even take some relaxing (and a bit stressful) vacations, there is one other very common activity or project that takes place in the summer: home renovations and remodeling. For many people, summer is a great time to take advantage of the good weather and make that much needed addition to your home, redo the flooring in your kitchen, or turn the garage into a dual purpose space for both vehicles and entertaining.

With remodeling, though, comes chaos and a mess. After you just spent hours—maybe even days—on spring cleaning, you’re inviting sawdust and messes to accumulate once again in your home. You may think that there’s no way to possibly avoid all of the mess that you’ll have once the remodel is over. While we can’t promise a pristine home, we do have a few tips to make your renovation experiences a little less stressful.

One suggestion we have is to take your renovation one room at a time. Some people like the idea of getting everything fixed up at once. However, doing that will not only lead to more stress and chaos, but it will also lead to a bigger mess and more displaced items.

Another idea is to keep similar items grouped and packed away together. For example, if you’re renovating the kitchen, have boxes or storage containers ready, and group all plates and bowls together in the box. This will make it easier to find things during the renovation, and it will also make it easier to move your items back into a room after the remodel is over.

And, of course, we’d be remiss if we didn’t remind you that if you find anything in preparation for the remodel that you no longer want or need, donate these items to us. If your possessions are small, simply put them in a box that’s clearly marked for donation. We’ll make sure they don’t take up space during your renovation, and they’ll find a place in a welcoming new home!