Kids follow by example. They may walk behind you like a tornado cluttering everything in their path, but if they see you putting things away, they will eventually start to model this behavior. Does that mean that they’ll start cleaning up after themselves when they’re 3, probably not. One thing for certain, you’ll improve…
Keeping up with all the papers children bring home from school can be a full time job. Having a good system to manage homework, artwork and school correspondence is crucial to keeping your child (and yourself) organized during the busy school year. I keep a file for each of my children with a label for…
The unofficial end of summer is upon us as we approach Labor Day weekend. Kids are back to school and all schedules are amping up. Now is a good time to take a look at your household schedule and make sure smooth systems are in place. In the Friel household we use electronic calendars and…
With kids home for the summer, they can run you ragged asking for snacks and drinks throughout the day. Age appropriately, turn a cabinet into a snack center with plastic cups and dishes, juice boxes and various snacks at a height that is convenient for them. I also think cereal would be a good item…
Laundry is an unavoidable drudgery, so getting it done quickly and efficiently is a must. Here are some tips to process laundry promptly. Sort it out. Rather than putting all of the laundry into one hamper, sort it as you go with these terrific laundry sorters from Sterilite. They’re a great time saver–when one fills up,…
Getting kids to put towels back in the bathroom is usually more effort than it should be. Here’s a tip from our organizer Pam on how she keeps towels organized, off the floor and decorative too. You can also make use of space above the door for extra towel storage. It might be a good…
Today is my daughter Alissa’s 9th birthday, so on this day, I thought I’d share a gift I give my kids on their birthdays so they will remember the past year. I make an annual digital photo album for each of them. The album goes from birthday to birthday and highlights all the adventures of…
It’s that crazy time of year when kids sporting activities are in full swing. Here’s what our organizer Lara does to keep all the different sporting activities organized in her busy household: My family is involved in multiple sports per person including soccer, baseball, basketball, softball, football and tennis. Recently, our mudroom, which is really…
If you have children–you have artwork, and one piece at a time it can snowball and become overwhelming. Kids come home from school every day with papers, drawings, paintings, etc… You need to be selective about what is kept and what is tossed. If you keep too much, you will be lost in a sea…
Today’s Friday Favorite is the Command Hook from 3M. They are functional and attractive hooks that our organizers use and recommend frequently. These easy to use and removable hooks help make use of vertical wall space absolutely anywhere. The Command Hooks by 3M are not only good looking hooks, they are also completely removable with…