http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogList.asp?sort=organizer&schedule=106 In my first blog I focused on organizing kids only...now, after a recent move and dealing with the 9 months post move fallout I feel the need for fellowship with my moms! This blog will focus on the many needs, pitfalls and solutions that we as busy moms all need to know about to make our lives easier. I will also be addressing topics that You want to know about. If you would like to see a particular subject addressed contact me and let's figure it out together! Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:45:37 EST en-us http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2716 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2716 Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST I have had an ongoing battle with my children's socks. This is a particular area that I as an organizer am ashamed that I cannot handle. But, I have found a solution. Having a 7 and 4 yr old, I have kept all in between and baby socks lumped together for more than a year I know. I have dumped the basket all the way out, sorted, piled it back in and repeated the step as needed for more than one solid year. I know every time I do this I say to myself I am going to take care of this once ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2700 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2700 Thu, 5 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST Last week I discussed a few ways we could dress up our homes for the upcoming holiday season. It seems that is always my favorite part…getting the house to feel festive, warm and inviting. There is a whole other side to the holidays which is usually the part I dread. Especially now that we have moved and once tried and true traditions have to be adjusted to allow for more travel. Most of my clients tend to agree with me that the holiday season can produce more anxiety and stress even over tax ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2690 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2690 Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST Before the holiday season begins it is a good time to evaluate our current décor and begin thinking of ways to enhance what we have for better enjoyment and functionality. Quick changes can be made to update rooms and provide a fabulous background for hosting holiday events. We have to think of decorating in terms of layering. Special to the holidays is the chance to create ambience and an atmosphere that glows with warmth and coziness that no other time would seem ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2676 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2676 Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST When we talk about time management what comes to mind? Tips like: take small bite size portions; make a task management log of the things you do daily; research to find where the minutes are going. We most often fail to notice the small steps required to reach the larger goal. We obsess about not fitting it all in our daily agenda. I believe that is because we are not able to think that long term or to plan from the end to the beginning. At the end of our life, what is going to be the most ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2635 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2635 Thu, 8 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST This week I found a soapbox! Over the weekend I had an individual post on two of my recent blogs that they were "lot about you"…well, yeah! Mostly they are. They are a lot about my experiences, my mistakes, my successes, my failures. But my one desire is that they inspire hope to my readers. See, I only want for my readers, fans, clients, friends, family and anyone else who is interested what I want for myself. The opportunity to manage my time well. To start my day rested and well organized. ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2619 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2619 Thu, 1 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST Tips for Organizing Your Home Office Workspace Home offices…now here is a topic I feel very close too. Having worked from a home office for nearly 4 years, and a husband who also works from a home office I feel comfortable speaking from experience. In the last decade many changes have been made in our country resulting in a huge increase in the number of Americans currently working from home. Over 48 million make the 60 second commute daily and those in the know expect this ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2611 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2611 Thu, 24 Sep 2009 14:00:00 EST Imagine the following scene: The family has returned home after a long day. Mom and dad have been very busy at work, either at home or at the office. Kids have been at school all day, and are tired. The kids now have homework to complete. They have just returned from dance or ball practice or are about to go to practice. Everyone is going in different directions at chaotic speeds. And to top it all off, everyone is hungry! But guess what! Mom methodically pulls a few things out of the ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2601 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2601 Thu, 17 Sep 2009 14:00:00 EST This week we have been working so hard for all our clients to bring new products and services to Lulagrace. We want to say thank you to all of you that have been following us! Traffic results have been tremendous and we just can't thank you enough for your support. Please keep the comments coming as we love to hear from you. Next week, we hope to introduce a brand new product that has been fabulous in our own lives. So, we decided to customize it for each of our clients and make something ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2580 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2580 Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:00:00 EST So you ve tried it all! Bins, stackers, sorting. How mad have you been when you've accidentally stepped on one. Ouch!!! So, here is the issue. If you have em your kids love em, but they can be a burden to store. We have tried every trick in the book. Let's face it, nothing sticks. We have found the best way to store them is, to be frank, unsorted!! For LEGO collections up to 5000 pieces, it is easiest to use a drop-cloth draw string approach. We have discovered that by ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2561 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2561 Thu, 3 Sep 2009 14:00:00 EST Oh how I absolutely despise doing laundry. Now, I know there are folks who say that folding and sorting clothes can be somewhat therapeutic. That has never been me. I really have tried, I have invested in multiple multi-compartment laundry hampers (which fall apart), flip folds (which I LOVE), several glass containers to make doing laundry seem pretty. I have several shelves in my laundry room that house everything I need right there within reach. But I STILL hate doing laundry. In our first ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2543 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2543 Thu, 27 Aug 2009 14:00:00 EST It's 7:15 a.m., Monday morning, the beginning of the week. I have ten minutes to get the kiddos packed up for school with their lunches and backpacks and loaded into the car, and I am standing in the middle of the kitchen, Beckett, my 7 month old, pulling at my pajama pants, Caleb, my five year old, saying, "You haven't given me my vitamin!" Cooper, my 3 year old, "I'm still hungry," in the whiniest, most pitiful voice you have ever heard. All the while, Hot Wheels are ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2528 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2528 Thu, 20 Aug 2009 14:00:00 EST Awwwww...today! Today, was the first day I have not had children at home with me all summer. I had such plans for today. After an energizing meeting yesterday, my youngest starting school yesterday and routine settling into my bones, I had planned so much for this morning's 9-1pm slot! I was going to mop, dust, steam drapes, change linens, scrub kitchen cabinets and work on laundry along the way. Well, coffee maker broke yesterday so had to run and get coffee. Then had to go get a new ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2509 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2509 Thu, 13 Aug 2009 14:00:00 EST "We adore chaos because we love to produce order" –Dutch artist, M C Escher ALL Summer I have been lazy. VERY LAZY! I had a built in excuse, we had just moved…I was getting to know new friends, spending time on the road. Whatever excuse I could find to NOT keep myself in order. I have torn the house up this week, reorganizing, moving furniture around getting the "summer" out of my house and re-establishing routines. I've relocated things to help us as we enter through the door, ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2483 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2483 Thu, 6 Aug 2009 14:00:00 EST Getting children ready in the morning is a chore all by itself. Throw in a cluttered closet or jammed pack dresser drawer and it can turn into chaos. Resulting in mom's stress level going through the roof! Here are some tips to start the new school year off on the right foot. First, it is necessary to remove everything from the closet. Give it a good cleaning, vacuum and if the closet is in need of any repairs (holes in walls, touch up paint) now is a good time to do so. Take advantage ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2474 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2474 Thu, 30 Jul 2009 14:00:00 EST For weeks, I have been saying to anyone who will listen…back to school is coming! Now, what I should be saying is…"Your routine is about to change, get ready". Now some will say that I preach too much and let's just enjoy summer while it is here. That is fine, no doubt some handle routine changes with a breeze. However, many do not and they will not dig themselves out until after Christmas, if then. For many of us moms, back to school means back to work for us as well. We begin to wear so ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2463 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2463 Thu, 23 Jul 2009 14:00:00 EST I am home visiting my folks with the kids for a week. Since our move I am only able to visit every two months or so and each time I come I can see changes. My mother, 75, had a fall nearly two years ago leaving her with a broken leg, a lingering staph infection and the frustration of not being mobile. She spends most days in a wheelchair idling from room to room doing what she can from her three foot high chair. My father, 77, has heart trouble since I was 10 and has developed congestive heart ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2455 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2455 Thu, 16 Jul 2009 14:00:00 EST Today started out like any other day…I figured we would go to the grocery store, maybe one more store, come home, beat the storm and be in for the day! But, I woke up with the worst pain in my neck and back. Our 6 yr old got in the bed last night and he would dig his knees in my back each time it thundered. So, I start my morning, running to the phone…I slam my shoulder against the doorframe trying to beat the number of rings so the fax machine doesn't pick up. We make it to the store, get ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2427 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2427 Thu, 9 Jul 2009 14:00:00 EST Since last week's blog…I have decided to take back my own house! I sat down and really thought which room is the worst? Is it our bedroom or the boys'? It was undoubtedly the boys' room. Right now we are in between seasons, getting ready for back to school and readying ourselves for what is about to go to consignment. My boys are separated by two seasons clothing wise, so I also have to pull out the clothes the oldest has outgrown and store them for a year until the little one is ... http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2396 http://www.onlineorganizing.com/BlogEntry.asp?id=2396 Thu, 2 Jul 2009 14:00:00 EST For many of you this will be your first introduction to me! I blogged with onlineorganizing.com in 2007 and have taken a bit of a vacation. Last Spring, my husband was transferred and we began the agonizing journey of packing up our well running household and moving two hours north to a wee bit larger home with far less storage options! We literally had two weeks to pack up our home and unpack right after the first month of school and we blew in like a tornado only to have to restart life ...