Summertime Responsibilities

Schools out for the summer! With the kids home during the day there is likely more clutter to deal with. A few helpful ideas include giving kids responsibility early. Responsible kids are made, not born! Remember in a few short years your son or daughter will be someone’s roommate or spouse…will they make a good one??

Cooking, laundry, organizing, and money management can all be included as part of your kids daily routine. Here are a few of the summer “chores” that we did with our kids, so I know they really work! Have your kids help with summer meal plans and have them help cook. Younger kids can help put laundry away and older kids can easily learn to do laundry. Organizational skills are best taught through modeling. If you always return items where they belong your kids will learn to do the same. Talk openly with your kids about finances and teach them how to spend responsibly, save, and give back.

Lastly, reward your children with experiences, not things. Spending time together provides life long memories and living in the Northwest provides endless opportunities.

My Top 5 Father’s Day Gift Ideas

One of the best ways to get your husband on board with organizing is to provide him with the necessary tools. My husband still appreciates the wall mounted vacuum for the garage that our boys gave him a couple of years ago on Father’s Day. It helps make garage clean up a snap and has also made it much easier to quickly vacuum out our cars! Still wondering what to get the man in your life?

Here are some of my favorite (and affordable!) Father’s Day Gift ideas:

Hoover GUV1. Hoover GUV. $159. This vacuum is carried online or at about every main chain store including Walmart, Sears, Best Buy and Home Depot. I found the best deal on Amazon.

 

 

giftcertlink 2.  Garage Makeover Gift Certificate. $100 off any garage makeover for the month of June. Contact Julie for details.

 

 

 3. Wall Mount Shelf With Hooks. $99. This can be used for so many things in the garage.  Hooks are always a good solution to just about any mess.

 

 

AAA Auto Emergency Kit

 4. Emergency Auto Kit. $35. A must have for every car!

 

 

 

BBQ Gift Basket 5. BBQ Gift Basket. $30. Make your own gift basket with these fun lobster towels from one of my favorite bloggers – Lemonade Makin’ Mama. Add a few drinks, his favorite snacks, a BBQ basting brush and voila! If he’s not into barbecuing then Pinterest is also another great resource for gift basket ideas.

 

What are your Father’s Day gift ideas?

Fall 2012

backpacks

Fall is in the air!

As summer winds down and we begin preparing for a new school year the pace of life increases. Creating a bit of order now will keep chaos from reigning in your home.

Here are a few of my favorite tips for getting organized for a new school year.

Prioritize: Set goals-what is most important to you, your spouse and your kids? You can’t do it all so determine together what you will do and focus your energies there.

Plan Ahead: We can’t anticipate everything but we can be prepared for so much. School schedules/events, sports, lessons, work, meals, chores, exercise and family time. A little planning and organization can make a big difference as you prepare for fall.

A few things you can do with your kids as summer comes to a close:

  • Sort kids clothing and eliminate anything they don’t like or that no longer fits them.
  • Declutter bedrooms…yours and theirs. Nothing complicates life more than unnecessary clutter.
  • Establish a drop zone for backpacks, sports bags, shoes etc. to keep them from being deposited all over the house.
  • Create a family/life management area (I usually recommend somewhere in the kitchen).
  • Use a bulletin board or magnetic board to track schedules, lists, reminders for each family member.

Play: People often complain that there is little time for fun in their life because so much of life is structured. Remember that you are in control of your schedule and if you don’t like it, change it!

Giving Back!

Blue Skies for Children is a local nonprofit which sponsors enrichment programs and other essentials for homeless, low-income and foster children in Whatcom and Skagit Counties. You can learn more about how they invest in the community by visiting http://www.blueskiesforchildren.org/ or calling (360) 756-6710.

Organized at Last Fall Classes

The Simply Organized Home- $95
Thursday, September 20th 9:00am- 2:30pm

Organizing Paperwork Permanently- $45
Wednesday, October 3rd 7:00pm- 9:00pm

Simplifying the Holidays- $45
Monday, November 5th 7:00pm- 9:00pm

Private classes are currently available. Contact Organized at Last to customize a class for you, your friends and family. With 7 guests, your registration is FREE!

5 Tips to Simplify the Holidays

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5 Tips to Simplify the HolidaysHere are some ideas for making space for Christmas to be more meaningful.Think about your favorites:  It’s so easy to get lost in the busy-ness of Christmas, between the cookie exchanges, craft fairs, pageants, and other programs.  Take time to really think about what events are important to you, and don’t overbook yourself or your family.

Give the gift of an experience:  Offer to take some of your close friends out for lunch or a day at the spa instead of buying gifts, or take your family on a trip.  It will be more memorable and leave less clutter afterward.

Make room for the new:  A great rule of thumb in keeping an organized household is to get rid of two items for every one item you bring home.  In a season of buying new coats and cold weather accessories, pass your old ones on to someone in need.  (The Lighthouse Mission here in Bellingham is always open to donations, see below).

Shift your focus:  This is a way to bring peace to your own life, but also a reminder of what Christmastime really should be; a season of giving.  So take your eyes off the stuff that you need to get done, the list that’s controlled your life all month, and take a look at the world around you.  Think of those in need, and give as you can, play with your kids, make time for people.  When all is said and done, you’ll feel a lot better than if you had simply checked every time off your list.

Accept help:  Let your kids help with mailing out Christmas cards and baking cookies.  Let guests bring dishes when they come over.  Accept people’s offers to let them know if you need help with anything.  And if you’re still overwhelmed, call the girls at Organized at Last.  We’d love to come help you get caught up and organized so you can relax and enjoy the holidays.

Giving Back: Lighthouse Mission. For the glory of God, the Lighthouse Mission Ministries ministers to needy men, women, and children through the provision of compassionate services in the name of Jesus Christ.  Funded 100% by private donations, they rely on contributions from individuals, businesses, and churches in our community.  Visit www.thelighthousemission.org for more info.

Creating Space for What Really Matters!

How and where do you begin? Be realistic – establish reasonable and reachable goals. Set yourself up for success!

1. Simplify your life: What do you want your physical space to look like? Less is best and less really is more. Start with one room, one pile at a time to remove all of the physical clutter. Change your decor through simplifying. A few larger pieces in a room are much more beautiful and make a much stronger statement than a bunch of small knick knacks.

2. Storage units are very costly especially when you think about the stuff you are storing and not using. Consider asking yourself if your “stuff” is worth the amount you are spending.

3. Office/Paperwork – Having a daily system

    • Sort mail daily and recycle junk immediately!
    • Set up a desktop system or wall pockets with the following headings:
      • To Pay
      • To Do
      • To Read
    • Have personal files for each family member and/or current project/committees.

4. Limit Shopping

    • Discipline yourself. When you do purchase something new, something else needs to go.

5. Live a Balanced Life

    • Look your best: simple routines for self-care.
    • Feel your best: eat well and exercise.
    • Be your best: get organized so that you have time for the truly important things in life!