Now that school is in full swing, the kids are already bringing home the artwork that they created in school. Especially in the early school years, these activities will stimulate your children and help them grow.
No matter how simple or complex, usually these "masterpieces" are brought home and proudly displayed on the fridge or the walls. However, how do you handle all of it when it starts to take over the home?
Here are some suggestions:
NO NEED TO KEEP EVERY "MASTERPIECE"
- Once a month, sit down with your child and ask him or her to choose the one they like the best from that month's collection. By the end of the school year, you should...
Although I love Summer and hate to see it end, as a parent of a senior in high school, I have no choice but to start thinking about the upcoming school term. This year promises to be very exciting and it will be in full swing before we know it.
So, once again, it's time to start thinking about how to handle the deluge of school papers that will flow in and out of our homes. For students and parents alike, getting an ORGANIZED start to the new school year can make the difference between having a SUCCESSFUL school year or not. If you follow the eight recommendations below, I know that you and your child will have a much more successful school year!
GET YOUR CHILD RE-ACCLIMATED TO GOING TO BED EARLIER AND WAKING UP EARLIER.
Start now to slowly move the bedtime back by a half hour or an hour a week so that when school begins, your child will be able to go to bed early enough to get the proper rest that they need in order to function best in school. This is especially true for older children (such as teenagers) who, like my son, started off the Summer going to bed at 1:00 a.m. and sleeping until 11:00 a.m. Teenagers need lots of sleep (usually about 10 hours per night). I am currently moving his bedtime back in one hour increments so that when Labor Day rolls around he will not have such a hard time going to bed at 9:00 p.m. This will enable him to get up for school on time at 5:45 a.m. As I move the bedtime back, I also make sure my son gets up earlier so he can get acclimated to doing that as well.
I have always recommended to my clients that they make use of a "To Do" list. I even supply new clients with a note pad and pencil to get them started! It is a great time management tool and allows you to have that sense of accomplishment, when, at the end of the day, you see what you achieved.
However, sometimes people get too carried away with the concept and write down every little thing they need to do on the list. I do not recommend that. What sometimes happens is that you feel you cannot do something until that other thing gets done so that it never gets done and you schedule yourself so tightly that you are constantly referring to the list to make your next move.
You should look to your "To Do" list as a tool by...
Summer time is generally vacation time. It's time to take those photographs and create a collection of the memories of that great summer vacation or day trip.
I have great some suggestions on how to display those photographs after you have developed your favorites.
Always keep in mind that visual clutter occurs when your photographs are in different frames and scattered randomly throughout a room. When displaying your photos use a cohesive collection of frames that are similar in style and color to display your photos to their best advantage.
A large collection of photos looks best grouped tightly — no more than an inch or two apart . I recently saw a picture of 24 identical white frames that were hung on...
Since Summer is in full swing, I thought I would provide those of you who intend to travel some time during the summer months with a guide to help you get it organized.
1. Start early. Once you determine where you're going to be going, begin gathering everything you need to make your trip a pleasant one. Need a passport? Apply at least 3 months ahead of time or you'll pay extra for express delivery. Secure airline reservations at least 8 weeks prior if possible, especially if traveling abroad. The closer it gets to the date you want to leave, the more the tickets will cost. Reserve hotel and car rentals well ahead of time to ensure your reservation is accepted. Get maps, surf the Net and speak with others to get...
It's officially Summer! This is a great time to consolidate your efforts to save time and energy so you can enjoy all those Summer activities.
Here are some quick tips you can use starting today:
Shop for groceries once rather than three or four times a week. Plan out a menu for the week and do it all at once. It will not only save you time and energy, it will save you gas! You would be surprised how those trips to the grocery store can add up.
Iron a bunch of items at one time rather than one at a time. It takes time to pull out that iron and ironing board and set it up to iron. Gather the items you have laundered for the week and do it all at once. It will also save you time when you go to get dressed in...
Summer is my favorite season of the year. I love the warm summer days, outdoor activities, the fact that the sun doesn't set until about 8:30 and the natural beauty of my backyard on a quiet summer evening. It is a wonderfully lazy time of year.
However, it doesn't mean we can't be productive at the same time. Here are a few examples to help you get organized so you can chill out this summer: ...
Some of the people who contact me to help them out with their clutter woes suffer from varying degrees of ADD. ADD is an abbreviation for "Attention Deficit Disorder". For many adults with ADD, life feels overwhelming and chaotic. Their homes are cluttered; laundry and dishes go undone; newspapers and magazines pile up; bills get lost in piles of paper, etc.
In order to assist those of you who suffer with ADD, I recommend taking these 10 steps to building habits that will help you get and stay organized.
Tie a new habit to an old one
. Once you become an adult, you tend of have some ingrained habits. It's easiest to develop a new habit if it's tied to an old one. For example, place your vitamins...
Unless you are living under a rock or in a cave, you know and are well aware that we are in the midst of an economic "crisis". This scares many people. The fear of losing your job, your home and/or your investments can be overwhelming.
However, the one thing I have observed recently is that this "crisis" is forcing people to stop and think about their particular financial situation and have a desire to become more aware of where their money comes from and where it is going.
Currently there are over 600,000 people per month in the United States applying for unemployment compensation. Of the nearly 52 million U.S. homeowners with a mortgage, about 13.8 million, or nearly 27 percent owe more on their mortgage than...
Audrey Cupo is a full-time Professional Organizer and sole proprietor of A BETTER SPACE based in Bucks County, PA. She specializes in residential organizing and focuses her business on helping busy moms get organized with her services and her U Can Do It product line. To sign up for her free newsletter full of great monthly tips, resources and product reviews go to www.4abetterspace.com.
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