Ok fellow bloggers, I need advice! I know that all of my readers are incredibly smart, otherwise, you would not be reading.
I need help getting myself, my kids, and my apartment organized. I am serious! I am not a very organized person, I never have been, and it just seems to be getting worse. I end up late for everything because at the last minute I'm running around like a chicken with it's head cut off trying to get shit together!! I do not like feeling rushed but most days, it's my own fault. Did I mention that I may be a bit of a procrastinator? And a packrat? Lord I need help!
Any advice, be it personal or pointing me to a website or whatever would be greatly appreciated.
One thing for sure I need some advice on is how to get Kaylie motivated in the mornings to get herself ready.
Please!!
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Posted by Rachel (Crazy-Is) at 1/25/2007 01:00:00 PM
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19 comments:
First, to help Kaylie in the morning I would suggest to have as many things ready the night before. If you aren't already doing so, lay out her clothes so there's no arguments about that first thing in the morning. If you pack her lunch, do as much of that the night before too. Maybe make a simple chart(get dressed, eat, brush teeth and hair) that she can check off as she does them. It also helps to have backpacks ready the night before with homework and such.
As far as organizing, I like to use baskets. I buy them whenever I see them on clearance or garage sales. If you have a small basket on your kitchen counter or right next to the front door, it can hold keys and purse and whatever else you need before heading out the door. If you've ever seen those stacking baskets with the front of them open, they are great for kid's rooms. I even used those instead of a dresser for my kids when they were babies. Hopefully some of this helps. :)
No idea. But when you get it figured out, let me know so I can do it also.
Good luck, I'm struggling with that also. I agree with roxanne, try to get as much ready the night before. She has some good tips.
Let me think.. I will get back to you.
Ok, as far as the kids are concerned, I agree with everyone else! The checklist is a great idea! Used to be an elementary school teacher (now teach high school) I used checklist everyday! THEY WORK! Especially if you have a "prize" waiting if they complete the list. Now depending on the age depends on how often the rewards come. The younger the child, the sooner the rewards.
As far as the organization is concerned, Start off slow! 1 room at a time. Set aside some amount of time each day or maybe weekends will be better..and get cracking. Go through everything you have, use my stradegy.......even though you may be attached...if you don't remember the last time you used, looked, wore something TOSS IT. Do it QUICk...bring the garbage out QUICKLY!! haha Don't look back! I used to be a pack rat as well...until I got so sick of opening up drawers and closets and having stuff literally fall out of them. This works..and to tell you the truth....I don't even remember the things (that supposedly meant so much to me) I tossed!!
Happy Organizing! Hope this helps a little!
I really wish that I could help you out, but I'm the same way. And I procrastinate everything. One thing that has helped has been moving into our new house...and you know why? Because when we moved I had to clean everything out to pack, and then when I was unpacking, I was able to put things in new places. Maybe an idea for you would be to really clean out all of your closets, etc. and throw everything away that you don't use, and then try to think if putting something in a new spot might help. For example...We never had any place to put our diaper bags, which of course I needed every time I left the house. Our coat closet was jammed with all kinds of stuff. So when we moved, I threw away a lot of that stuff in the closet, and now my diaper bags are the only things on the floor in that closet, so it's easy to grab and go. I also try to make sure that they are pre-filled with everything but the juice cup. I even have snacks already in baggies in there so that I'm not trying to pack a diaper bag while getting the kids ready to leave.
Hope that helps!
Dress her the night before.
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We all totally need to get together and have a yard sale and get rid of the shit we don't use. Hopefully we can make a buck or two. That would help in getting rid of some stuff.
My suggestion would be to go visit Fly Lady - http://www.flylady.net/.
I browsed her website and walked away with a bunch of useful tips, it might help!
I am about 50/50 on this stuff. While I loathe things like being late and disorganized, I often am despite my best efforts. I just try my best to keep myself in line.
The thing that works best for me is to finish everything I can at night. I don't go to bed until the house is picked up and if we have to go out in the morning, things are ready to go. That helps.
As for Kaylie, try setting a timer for her for 10 minutes and if she dresses herself by then, she gets a little reward. Or, you could do a sticker chart that leads up to a bigger reward. KJ is a major butt dragger in the morning, and I find that the timer works really well.
Good luck!!
I agree with sj, I was going to suggest www.flylady.net-
someone told me about it a few weeks ago & there are very helpful tips on there..
Good luck! I need that same kind of help over here as well!
:)
Your readers have a lot of good suggestions.
This site has some useful 'life' information: Lifehacker.com.
It's got a tech/gadget bent to it, but still has a fair number of guides to taming the clutter beast.
I'll be honest. I dropped by to read the comments to this post! I need help, too!
I am many things - ORGANIZED is not one of them :(
But, let me just say WOW! at the suggestions you've received! This stuff is great!
You need a Pisces fried, like me. We're anally organized.
I don't know if you've got a place called "The Container Store" near where you live, but they've got something to organize everything you could ever imagine. My mom goes their religiously.
I just wanted to tell everyone thanks for all the suggestions!!!! I am going to try my best to put them to good use. I'll keep you updated (I know you wanna know).
I have learned to throw things away. Like Kelly M said, if you haven't used or worn it in a year, toss it. Occasionally, I do need something I threw away, but oh, well.
Oh, and the yard sale, yeah, my attic needs to be cleaned out already.
We are trying desperately to get organized here too so I am not sure if I can offer much help. I have a rule though if I haven't used it or missed it in a year it is trash. I have stuff in boxes and if I haven't open the box in a year than the whole box goes to the trash without opening it. The key is to be ruthless and not to think to hard about stuff.
I agree with what alot of others posted, lay our Kaylie's stuff the night before. It works with Ashley.
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