Wordless Wednesday: An Easy Routine to Refresh your Living Room

Schools out and your kids are probably trailing germs, toys and other unnecessary clutter into your family room. To solve the summer living room blues, check out these easy steps. Living rooms seem to breed messes, so get into the mood and fluff up the sofa pillows, fold the blankets and you'll be half-way to a tidy space. Get your kids involved! Have each child remove their items from the room, so you can worry about the rest. Keep a few cleaning essentials in a basket, close at hand. Start by disinfecting the hard surfaces, dust those keepsakes, remove lint and pet hair from your furniture, spray some fabric/air freshener and Voila! You'll have a refreshed living room everyone can enjoy (even Mom and Dad)!

Images ©Christine Bonnivier Photography

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Video: How to Organize Kid's School Papers

I know it is that time of year again and many of you are wanting to know the best way to organize and save all of your kid's school papers.  I hope this video will help you get a start on that project at your house!

Creating a Study Alcove

I do not like to see space wasted.  If there is a section of "dead space" in my own... rest assured it's days are numbered.   

Over the winter we did an addition to our home which resulted in a odd sized alcove just off of our kitchen. 

 I could not stand that space having no purpose so I decided to design a custom build to fill that "dead space".  

Here is what we did... 

We started by building the wall brace for the desk.

Then we added the custom desk piece and anchored it to the wall braces for support.

Then we added a shelf above the desk for storage and primed and painted the wood.

Which left us with our finished project.  We have added two cubes on the top that are labeled with my son's first letter of their names.  These cubes hold their school supplies for easy access.  The dry erase board on the wall has lists of mom approved websites they are allowed to visit during their earned computer time.  There are trays on the desk (one for each student) that hold current spelling lists, homework to do, projects, etc... 

Wordless Wednesday: Routine Checklists

Here is a quick idea you can borrow from something I do with my kids to keep me from repeating myself over and over and over... (you get the idea.)

I printed these on the computer (Words for my readers and pictures for my youngest)  I slipped them into plastic sheet protectors and hung them with magnets on the fridge.  They use the magnetic dry erase marker to mark off their progress each morning.

Then we flip the list over in the Evening and repeat the same process...

Spend a few moments giving this system a try for your family this week to see if you feel less like a broken record.  (All while you are teaching them about time management and responsibility).

My latest Project

One of my biggest organizational challenges in my home has been my four year old's bedroom because it was in serious need of some added storage.  I designed a custom built unit for her room and began planning for the project weekend... anxious to transform her space.

         
Before the Project Started...

I made a list of all of the categories of her toys that I would need

fabric storage cubes for so that I could purchase the

right number before the project started.

I went shopping for fabric storage cubes on a budget. I was finding them for around $3.99-$6.99 online and at local stores; however, I knew that I needed 15 or more cubes so I wanted find something a little more budget friendly.  I can not tell you how excited I was when I found all of these cubes and baskets at... THE DOLLAR TREE!!!!  That is right I got all of this for only $18.00!!!!

 

Project Day

We got started by clearing EVERYTHING out of the room.  I took all of the toys and boxed them up and moved out the other furniture so we could get the unit built.

After they were built:

I moved the bed back into the room and began sorting all of her toys into the different cubes and baskets while also purging out old toys, books, and other items that we not going back into the space.   I bagged up four trashbags of things to donate from her room.  

Putting it all together

My daughter LOVES her new space and so do I!!!  She has been doing a wonderful job of only getting one cube out a time and clean up has been a breeze. 

A personal Friday Five

I hope that you will excuse this slight divergence from our normal Friday Five as I share a personal story about today with you.

Today is World Autism Awareness Day and I am wearing light blue. I have always been a big supporter of this important cause but it takes on a new, personal meaning for me this year. Only a few short months ago my 8 year old son was diagnosed with Autism spectrum disorders, specifically Aspergers. I wear blue today for him.

Since he was young I always knew that something was... different. (It's hard to find a term to use there.) His anxiety level was through the roof all the time and he was a very structured child who could not handle any changes that he was not notified ahead of time. Any degree of spontaneity in our lives was washed away to prevent melt downs and panic attacks.

The diagnosis a month ago did not surprise me but it still left me a little numb for a few days. After years of seeing doctor after doctor only to have them say they are not sure what it was... enduring tests, scans, and blood work to rule other things out... a name was a blessing in disguise. A name has given us power over this invisible force that has been in control of much of our lives, it has allowed us to get education, treatment, support, and peace of mind that we had been lacking before.

Today is also an important day in my home because it is Good Friday and the beginning of Easter weekend. As professing Christians we know that it is because of this weekend that we have a hope and a future... it is for this same reason that I know that God has a special and unique plan in mind just for my son and he was PERFECTLY created to fit that plan.

I do not claim to know it all when it comes to this new force in our life. I am learning all I can about Aspergers and the different ways that we can incooperate it into our lives. However, I have learned five things that seem to really help my son cope... and they all involve organization and routine.

1. He wants to know the plan. All kids thrive on structure but I am learning that kids on the spectrum are especially fond of it. I make a point to tell the entire family each morning what our game plan is for the day and I try very hard to stick to that plan.

2. He wants everything to have a home. Homeless items cause clutter and clutter stresses my son out. (He is his mother's son after all). I have seen this be especially true of his belongings, he wants to be able to find what he wants when he wants it, if he can't he gets very anxious and upset. We have created a place for everything in his room.

3. He is very visual. If he can't see something than it does not exist so I use clear tubs to organize his room and he has a table where he is allowed to spread things out.... it is currently full of pieces to a disassemble VCR that he has been taking apart a little at a time. I recognize his organizing style and try to accommodate it versus fight it.

4. He gets anxious when we are in a loud room or a busy place. I have learned to pack him quite activities that will refocus his attention when we have to be in a place like this. I keep this "quiet bag" in the car at all times so I can grasp it anytime he needs it.
5. He struggles with the concept of time. Instead of telling him that he has only five min. to pick up I play two songs on the CD player and let him know that this equals about five min of time. I try to use cues like this often instead of ONLY telling him time amounts so that he is building a realistic view of time instead of a more abstract one.

Today I am celebrating World Autism Awareness day for my son, my nephew, and the millions of other children that are also affected with this condition. These kids are amazing, unique, and unbelievably talented and I am honored to have such a special kid in my house! He challenges me everyday to be a better mom and a better organizer by making me think outside the box on a regular basis.

Professional Tips on Preparing for Pictures

Professional photographer, Amy Pennington caught my eye recently as I was looking at her blog.  She specializes in working with children and families and has an amazing gift for creating BEAUTIFUL pictures and capturing amazing memories on film for parents.  I asked Amy some questions recently about tips on how to plan ahead and prepare for the best photography session possible, check out our interview below:


Q: When it comes to planning outfits for the pictures, do you suggest that parents dress them at home, in the studio, how many extra sets should they bring, etc…

I think this depends on the age of the child. Children under 18 months dress them at the studio. Children above 18 months, put them in picture appropriate clothing. It is a shock to some children to take them in a strange place and start removing their clothing which could make them upset. Bring as many clothing changes, fun hats, toys, etc. We will prioritize them and see how far we make it.

Q: Are there certain colors or fabrics that take better pictures than others?

Details in white or black clothing can get lost; also satin items do not photograph well. I always suggest bright fun colors for children.

Q: I always recommend that parents schedule pictures in the morning when child is awake and alert or right after nap in the afternoon… both times when they are well rested and not too hungry, would this be consistent with your advice for parents?

Absolutely, I'm always willing to wake up extra early for an early riser to get the best shots. I suggest just enough time to get up, get dressed and eat. I find that if your child is going to miss a nap it's going to be on picture day.

Q:  Are there any favorite tips you have for parents that have worked to get a great shot of their kiddo? Bring special toys or other items?

I do recommend bringing special toys, blankets, comfort items, snacks (fruit snacks work great), and a drink. If they are overstimulated giving them a little break always makes them happy.

Q:  As far as family pictures go… what tips do you have about choosing outfits, poses, etc…

I recommend wearing clothing that would be normal for your family to wear, as if you are dressing for a nice but casual outing. You wouldn't all get up and dress in exactly the same colors. I like to keep clothing simple with little pops of color here and there.

Q:  Do most parents come in with an idea of what they want or do they let you be creative?

Almost all families leave the creativity to me. I sort of get a feel for what the family is like and go from there. Some will have seen a shot that I did with another family and want a similar shot.
This is fine, but I will make sure it is personalized for them.

Q:  How long should you plan to have your child’s session last to get good picture choices.

This really depends on the child and how well they know me. With some children I've got the perfect shots within the first five minutes and the rest is just a bonus. Others will take a warming up period. At least 30-45 minutes.

Q:  Are there any big NO-NOs that you would share with parents about planning pictures?

Bringing a child in when they aren't feeling well, and scheduling close to nap time.

Q: What is your favorite time of the year to get great pictures?

Summer, morning or sunset.

Q:  Many picture sessions I have done with my children… it is like organized chaos. What tips do you have to make the session go smoother?

I would say to relax and have fun, if the children are acting up it's much easier to play along with them than discipline them. Those are the best true to life candid family shots.


I hope that these tips from the talented Amy Pennington help you and your family prepare for the best possible pictures.  If you are in the Springfield, Missouri area I highly recommend that you consider using Amy and her studio to get some amazing pictures of your family! 

Visit Amy's Website and Blog by clicking on the links.

Friday Five: Five Best Clean up songs for Kids

I get asked often at speaking engagements about how to help children learn to clean up better after themselves.  I have learned with my own children, one of the best ways to motivate them to clean up was to play  a simple game I call, "beat the music".  I would simply choose a few upbeat songs to play and I tell them to see if they can get their things picked up before the end of the last song.

I was able to do this easy activity with my children as young as two and truth be told, my eight year old still loves it and often asks to play it when I announce it is clean up time.  Why does this simple act of adding music to your clean up time make such a difference?  I have come up with my own three reasons that I believe it is effective:

1. 
   
   It is upbeat and keeps the kid's moving fast to pick up items. 
2. 
   
   There is a time limit being set by the length of the songs and it will help kids learn to meet small goals.
3. 
   
   As the parent you are relieved of the duty of repeating over and over... "Clean up your toys."  Instead you are able to act as an encourager and cheerleader saying, "You are doing great!  You are going to beat the music for sure!"  

You can choose random songs if you want or you can try to make your own unique blend of clean up songs that you play ONLY at clean up time.  It will get to the point where you won't even have to announce it is time to pick up... only start the CD and they will automatically know what to do. 

This is why for today's Friday Five I want to share with you this list of clean up songs.  After many years of searching I am proud to announce my top Five songs for The Best Clean up Songs for kids!

#5: The Clean up Crew by Don't Blink (2005 Trio Lane Records)

#4: Clean Up by Children's Groove (2006 Children's Groove)

#3: The Clean up Robot By Mark D. Pencil and Friends (2006 Mark D. Pencil)

#2: Clean my Room by The Imagination Movers (Calling All Movers, Disney)

#1 AND... the #1 song... that I love to use to help kids learn to clean their toys is.... In the Box by Eric Herman!!! I have not worked with a kid yet that did not love this song!

I hope that these five songs will help motivate the kids in your life to pick up their toys... and hopefully make pick up time a little more fun and enjoyable for kids and parents.

Monday Motivation: Are your Kids Organized for Back to School?

I recently read the book The Organized Student by Donna Goldberg. I loved this quote from her book: " Many educators and parents have learned to recognize deficiencies in reading, writing, and math, but not in organization."

I could not agree with this more! Teachers are trained to look for signs of MAJOR problems... often overlooking an unorganized student as simply... messy. The fault is not that of the teachers... they are trying to manage twenty plus children and make sure that they are able to learn at the level with their peers. I would love to see organization skills integrated into the curriculum of upper level elementary and Middle school as they often do with study skills. The National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) has seen the same need, recently launching the NAPO in the School program. Professional organizers, myself included, can become certified to present a standardized program to elementary school classrooms in their area.

It is never to early to start children and students on the path to organization... because being organized is a lifelong need to be as successful as possible. Which means that the other half of the responsibility for teaching our children to be organized falls on the parents. Often times, parents are quick to just do it ourselves. I know I too have been guilty of this... instead of fighting with kids to pick up their messes, do their chores, or make their beds... we just do it for them.

Unfortunately we have to remember as parents we are supposed to be teaching them about responsibility and making them do these simple things is a great way to introduce many organizational and life skill concepts to them.

In light of back to school time... I think it is important for teachers and parents to bear in mind that if a child is struggling in school simply because they are not organized... it is time to do an organization intervention! Messy lockers, backpacks, and bedrooms can lead to late assignments, lost library books, missing projects, lost time searching for or redoing assignments, and a great deal of frustration for student, teacher, and parents!

Often these problems can be solved with time, planning, and organization to help your student be better prepared for classes and assignments. Do your kids a huge favor this school year... help them be as successful as they can be by helping them get more organized. If you need help with this... I highly recommend the book I just finished, The Organized Student by Donna Goldberg!

If you desire one on one help contact a professional organizer in your area, the NAPO website can refer you to one if you need just visit http://www.napo.net/. In SW Missouri contact us, Simple*Organized*Sanity professional organizing at http://www.simpleorganizedsanity.com/ and we would be happy to help your student get on the path to an organized school year!