Get Those Toys Organized in 5 Steps

For more Work for Me ideas, visit We Are THAT Family.

Toys! Toys! And more toys! Many of my clients, readers and friends frequently ask me about organizing toys. Don't worry it can be done. I've used my five-step STUFF System™ to break it down into doable steps.

Sort
Gather all the toys and start making piles by sorting like items together. This step may take awhile, especially if you have lots of smaller pieces. This is a great time to get the kids involved as sorting is the first basic skill you can teach your child about organizing.

Take Out
Now it's time to make some decisions. What toys can go? Have a box or space for those toys which you can donate, sell or give away. Don't forget to have the garbage and recycling containers near by.

You may or may not want your children involved in this step. It is a perfect time to teach them that it is OK not to keep everything. On the other hand, it might be a battle of tears, pleading and stress for all. Use your judgment; you know the personalities, tendencies and age of your children the best.

Utilize the Space and Systems
Where will everything live? Consider the space from your child's point of view. Keep their favorite toys in easy-to-reach and convenient places. You'll thank yourself later, as this makes clean-up time less challenging.

Think about zones. Keep toys together that go together. For example, a building zone, a reading zone, an arts and crafts zone, etc. This is also the time to determine if shelves, hooks, or other space-utilizing hardware should be added. Perhaps there are such items elsewhere in your home that are not fully utilized.

Fill Containers
At this point you have identified the keepers and have a good idea of how you want to use your space. You can now think about containers. Containers can be boxes, bins, bags, baskets, etc.

Not sure how many and what sizes you'll need? No problem! Just take a look at those piles from sorting and you'll get a good idea of what you'll need. Try to keep like items together and don't forget to take your space and any shelves into consideration. Take some measurements and make notes to aid you if need to make a trip to the store.

Open containers work really well for most children, however if you need to stack them to make the most of the space, go with the lid. Avoid big toy boxes that hold many different items because EVERYTHING tends to get pulled out during play.

Labels are essential! I like to use pictures and words for younger children. You could even label the spots on shelves. Labels make retrieving and returning items easier for children and adults.

Follow-up
Keeping those toys organized is almost always an on-going process for parents and kids. Try to maintain the space on a continuous basis with regular clean-up times and frequent purging (before birthdays and Christmas is a great time). Your family can start a new habit of sharing and trading toys with other families. Put the focus on making room for new toys rather than eliminating their stuff.

On a final note, children typically play with 20% of their toys 80% of the time. Too many toys can make play time difficult and clean-up time overwhelming. You may want to try rotating toys and books; store one-third to one-half of the toys and books and switch them about every three to four months. This helps to keep kids interested and your living space less congested. Remember, the more stuff you have, the more stuff you have to take care of! Play time should be enjoyable not a stressful experience for child and parent.

Zero Clutter Week! Getting Ready for Summer Break

Summer break starts in less than 2 weeks! Some of you are already there. My family had a great and busy Memorial Day weekend and now I have this urge to get the house, calendar and my mind prepared for summer. I'm planning ahead and tackling the clutter around here before the kids get out of school. I want a clean plate and a fresh start with ZERO CLUTTER!

1. I'm going to finish up those projects on my to do list. First up, uploading my family photos to my online photo book for the year 2010. I like to work on this month by month and well, I got a little behind.
2. I want to clean off the refrigerator. Stuff gets piled on top, stuck on the front and WOW - the dust is thick! I'm also going to clean out the refrigerator. This job isn't so tough because I try keep on top of it whenever I do a big grocery store trip but could use a good cleaning.
3. The paper clutter is going to be eliminated! OK, I cheated and did a majority of this last week when I cleaned out my files and went through the school papers and artwork (when the kids were at school). But, I do have a few loose ends to take care of. My June newsletter comes out this week and this month's article focuses on getting those school papers organized.
4. I'm returning phone calls and getting in touch with friends and family. Of course my friends and family are NOT clutter, but I have a pretty lengthily list of calls I would like to make and I have some down time this week to get back in touch with those important people in my life.
5. Summer activities will be finalized. I'm taking care of the registrations for my kids' summer activities and camps. I'm also getting everything on the calendar, even the 2010-2011 school calendar! I know my husband and I will be looking forward to a few date nights alone so we are picking some dates now and making arrangements. I want to be clear that I am careful not to over schedule; I need to be sure to protect our free time. I prefer last minute spontaneous get-togethers with friends over scheduled events.
6. I'm taking a break from Facebook this week. I realized a while ago that this technology has its positives and negatives for me. I spend way too much time checking Facebook and I have fallen into the trap of "feeling busy" with all the energy I have put forth. Once I realized that I had time for that but not to give #4 my attention, it was an ah-ha moment. Please note: my blog post automatically get posted to my Stuff 2b Organized Fan page so I'm not really breaking my 5 day hiatus already. :)

ZERO CLUTTER.....It feels so good!

How to Set up a Household Action Center

Does junk mail, school papers, bills and other paper clutter pile up quickly and take over your counter tops and table top? Do you find yourself stacking and then stashing the piles out of sight when company comes over? Are you scrambling in the mornings to get the kids out of the house with everything that they need? Do you miss appointments because you forgot or pay bills late because you can't find them?

If you said yes to more than one of the above, a Household Action Center (HAC) may be the answer. This is the same system I use and teach my private clients. A well-organized HAC can help you to deal with activities, information, and papers that come into your home.

Your HAC should be set up in a central location, most often it is the kitchen-the hub of the home. I like to utilize a portable file box (shown in the picture to the right) but it could also be stationed in a desk or filing drawer. Supplies, such as envelopes, tape, stapler, pens and pencils, and the telephone, should be near by. Through your Household Action Center you can manage your mail, bill paying, calendar, events and projects.

A very important component of your information center will be a Tickler File, which consists of a dated accordion file (1-31 and January-December) and action files. Another important and very necessary component is a calendar or planner.

So, as paper and information come into your home, you must make decisions on each item. Use my 3T Plan™ for making decisions: Take Out, Take action (now or a future date), or To file. Things you need to act on will go into your action folders - labeled with the actions your need to take. If you have a paper that you need to act on at a specific date, put that paper in your tickler file behind the appropriate date or month.

Another useful tool is a household binder. This 3-ring binder can be used to keep regularly accessed information. Common things you would store in your household binder might be school calendars and directories, lunch menus, practice schedules, and frequently used telephone numbers. I like to keep action forms in mine.

Use your system on a regular basis. Get into the habit of consulting your Ticker File and calendar at the same time every day, preferably the night before or in the morning. You should be continually adding and taking out items. Setting up a Household Action Center will help you eliminate the piles and reduce the stress.

For more Works For Me Ideas, vist Rocks In My Dryer.

Quick Organizing: DVDs, CDs and Silverware

Project #5: DVD and CD Recovery
Grab a box or a basket and gather all the cases and lose discs scattered around the house (The kids could easily help with this project). Match up the CD, DVDs and their covers or, perhaps you can use a CD album to store your music and movies. Get rid of the ones that are unwanted, damaged or not used.

Project #6: Silverware Drawer
What does your silverware drawer look like? Does it need attention? Take everything out of the drawer and wipe it out. It's amazing how many crumbs can get in there! Sort all the utensils. Take out the stuff you don't use. Could you add inexpensive containers to keep the drawer better organized? Hey, maybe you could win some free ones! Enter my giveaway to win Rubbermaid's 6 piece Drawer Organization Set.

View more Quick Organizing Tips.

For more Works for Me Ideas I usually tell you to visit We Are THAT Family, but this week, visit Rocks in My Dryer.

Quick Organizing: How to Organize a Junk Drawer

Project #4: Junk Drawer
Almost every home has one (or two). It’s that special drawer where you can find anything, from hair bands to hammers, batteries to balloons. My friend calls it the magic drawer because you just don’t know what you'll find in there.

I’ll break it down using my STUFF System™
Take everything out of the drawer and Sort like things together. Take Out (throw, recycle, donate) the broken items, keys that have no home, dead ink pens, etc. Determine how you will Utilize the Space. Where will everything live? It makes sense to keep the frequently used items near the front of the drawer.

Fill Containers to keep like items together and eliminate the shifting of items when you close and open the drawer. I like to use the inexpensive containers shown here. Finally, Follow Up with your organized space on a regular basis. Straighten up things every once in a while, put items back in their homes after each use and adjust as needed if you find something just isn’t working.


Watch a short video on Organizing a Junk Drawer. Feel inspired to get your junk drawer organized? Post a link to your before and after photos. I'd love to see them!

View more Quick Organizing Tips.

For more Works for Me Ideas, visit We Are THAT family.

Enter my giveaway to win Rubbermaid's 6 piece Drawer Organization Set.

Rubbermaid Drawer Organization Set Product Review and Give Away

The good people at Rubbermaid sent me a set of their new 6 piece Drawer Organization Set to try out. This is perfect timing as I just shared my latest Quick Organzing Idea, How to Organize a Junk Drawer.

Here's shot of the product out of the package.

The drawer organizers interlock with one another. This allows you to adjust and create any any configuration that fits both your needs and your drawer space.

These containers are very sturdy and I like the various sizes.

The drawer organizers also have grips on their bottoms which stop them from shifting back and forth when the drawer is opened and closed. I love this feature because it I want my baskets to stay put!

You can use the drawer organizer in other places, too. Places that come to mind are the utensil drawers in the kitchen, desk drawers, bathrooms - to keep all those hair band and barrettes organized. These would be great for craft supplies as well.

Another neat thing about Rubbermaid's drawer organizers is that they come with a tip sheet on how to tackle your junk drawer. I like that they supply the buyer with the how-to!

Updated Note on the Tip Sheet: The tip sheet is not included in the package when you buy this product at the store. I was mistaken. I'd love to see this happen in the future!

Now for the giveaway.

1. Simply leave a comment on this post and tell me about your junk drawers. Don't be shy. Everyone has them.
   
2. I will randomly pick 2 winners and notify them by posting the results on my blog.
   
3. This giveaway will close at 5pm Central Time on March 5.

Feel inspired to get your junk drawer organized? Check out my post Quick Organizing : How to Organize a Junk Drawer. Post a link to your before and after photos. I'd love to see them!

Quick Organizing: Make a Donation Box

Project #3: Make a Donation Box

Have a designated container for donations. When you come across an item that can be donated, put it in the box right away. Keep a slip posted near by to make a note of items for tax deduction purposes. Be sure to grab your donation box when you are working on an organizing project.

I keep my donation spot in the laundry area because it's right by the back door. When it gets full, I put it in the van and drop off the items the next time I'm running errands.

View more Quick Organizing Tips.

For more Works for Me Ideas, visit We Are THAT family.

Quick Organizing: Tackle One Moving Box at a Time

I know it's not always easy for busy moms to find large chunks of time to devote to major organizing projects. When time is tight, I like the idea of tackling mini organizing projects projects around the house. Last fall I posted 8 Quick Organizing Ideas and over the next few weeks, I'll share even more ideas.

Project #2: Tackle One Moving Box at a Time
If you still have boxes in the basement, garage or storage from you last move, pick just one box to tackle. Have your donation box handy because chances are, if you haven't seen it or used it in a while, you can probably donate it.

Break down any cardboard boxes and recycle those right away. Schedule a date with yourself to do one more box, and then one more, etc.

Quick Organizing: The Kids' Dresser Drawers

I know it's not always easy for busy moms to find large chunks of time to devote to major organizing projects. When time is tight, I like the idea of tackling mini organizing projects projects around the house. Last fall I posted 8 Quick Organizing Ideas and over the next few weeks, I'll share even more ideas.

Project #1: The Kids' Dresser Drawers
Get the kids' clothes in order. Areas that are used frequently will require more attention so I tend to straighten up my kids' drawers about once a month and it doesn't take much time. Another good time to do this is during the change of seasons.

This is a great project to do with your children. Show them how to sort the clothing. Let them help fold their clothes ---- don't expect perfection.

As you are sorting, take out the stuff the doesn't fit or isn't worn. Have the kids try items on questionable items. Have a donation box close by.

Eventually, older children can tackle this project on their own. Getting the kids involved in a small organizing task like this can help teach them the skill of organizing and that it's okay to let go of things. Talk about how having an organized dresser makes getting ready in the morning easier and finding that favorite outfit is a snap.

For more Works for Me ideas, visit We Are THAT Family.

Get Your Closet Organized

Countdown to Christmas: Final Touches

This is my sixth week of Countdown To Christmas and it's Final Touches Week and I'll be focusing my organizing tips and thoughts around the final details of getting ready for the big day.

The biggest tip I can share with you this week is to focus on the most important thing(s) and let the little stuff go. Negative stress can invade and take away your focus. Make note of those things causing you stress and make note of how you can make changes for next year.

If there are lots of things floating around in your head and you feel overwhelmed, get them out of your head and onto paper. Find a quiet spot for 15-30 minutes and just start writing.

If you are thinking, "Ya right! If I had time to do that, I'd have time to finish those cookies or Christmas Cards!" I find that just getting a few minutes to myself can make a big difference at those stressful times and that's good for the whole family!

Christmas Countdown: Setting Up a Wrapping Station

Wrapping and Baking Week

How to Set Up a Temporary Wrapping Station

1. Gather your wrapping supplies.
   
2. Organize Your Wrapping Supplies if they aren't already.
   
3. Set up a table that is out of the way or isn't being used on a daily basis. Avoid setting up your wrapping station in a main living space so it won't be disturbed and can be kept up for a period of time. I'm setting up mine in the basement where it won't be disturbed (hopefully) by the kids.
   
4. Have a basket or container to hold your scissors, pens, tape and extra tape for easy access.
   
5. Have another container to hold your name tags and pre-cut ribbon if you'll be using it.


6. Keep your supplies close by but try to keep your table clear so presents can be wrapped easily.


7. Use a Wrapping Checklist to keep track of what gifts need to be wrapped, are wrapped and where they are located. DON'T LEAVE THIS LIST OUT IN THE OPEN for little eyes to see!
   
8. Clean up your space after each use so it's ready to go the next time you have a window of time to wrap a few presents.

If getting the presents wrapped with the kids around is a challenge, schedule a day or night when you can make arrangements for them to be out of the house (or asleep). Swap some time with a friend or enlist the help of the grandparents. If you'll be wrapping solo, send dad and the kids away to a movie or another activity. Host a wrapping party; invite your friends over and share supplies and ideas. Put on some Christmas music, grab a glass of wine and start wrapping.

Not into wrapping? Take advantage of gift wrapping at the stores or malls. You'll pay a fee or a donation, but it'll save you time and the cost of having your own supplies on-hand.

What works for you? For more Works for Me idea, visit We Are THAT Family.

Check out more Countdown to Christmas organizing tips and ideas.

Countdown to Christmas: Wrapping and Baking

This is my fifth week of Countdown To Christmas and it's Wrapping and Baking Week and I'll be focusing my organizing tips around getting those gifts wrapped and finding time to bake your favorite goodies.

Next week is Christmas! I see this as my last week to get some major stuff done. The kids have two days of school next week and Thursday is Christmas Eve. I've started some wrapping. OK, the kids did some, not me, so I'll try to get that done this week while they are at school.

Here is an article I did on Organizing Your Wrapping Supplies. You might want to set up a temporary wrapping station in your home using a folding table or dining room table with all your supplies close by.

Countdown to Christmas Recap

I'm currently doing my Countdown to Christmas: Six Weeks of Organizing Tips for the Holiday Season. For the rest of November and December, I will be walking you through tips and ideas on how you can take the stress out of the Holidays and Christmas through a bit of easy organization and planning.

Each week I will focus on one area. This week is Preparation week. So far I've talked about reflecting on your values and traditions now, before you are in the midst of the busy Holiday season. You can get my Holiday Values and Traditions Worksheet HERE.

If you typically feel behind with getting it all in and want to avoid last minute stress, you'll want to take some time to Get Your Holiday Calendar into Shape.

Looking for some gift ideas? How about clutter-free gifts this year? When you subscribe to my monthly newsletter, you'll receive my popular guide, Clutter-Free Gift Giving Guide: Giving Love, Not Stuff.

For more Works For Me Ideas, visit We Are THAT Family.

Countdown to Christmas: Six Weeks of Organizing Tips for the Holiday Season

Does the holiday season overwhelm you or seem to come at your full force? Do you just not feel prepared as you would like to be? I want to help!

For the next six weeks I will be covering an area or topic to help you prepare (your home and your heart) for the holidays. Here's a sneak peak:

Week 1 (Nov 16): Preparation

Week 2 (Nov 23): Shopping
Week 3 (Nov 30): Home: declutter, clean, decorate

Week 4 (Dec 7): Cards and Packages

Week 5 (Dec 14): Wrapping and Baking

Week 6 (Dec 21): Final Touches

Reflection

I hope you will follow along with me as I share tips, ideas, forms and checklists to help make your holidays and Christmas more meaniful and less stressful. I hope your share your ideas and questions, too.

Time to Get Out the Hats and Mittens

Fall weather is officially here in Wisconsin! I've already sent my kids to school with hats! One of my readers sent me a great reminder to share with everyone.

Becky writes,

With the colder weather approaching we gathered the family last night, pulled out the winter coat, snow pants, hat and mitten bin and went through the whole thing. We basically did an inventory of what fits, what doesn't, and who needs what.

It seems if you want until the snow flies to buy snow pants etc, the stores are already picked over by then. I like to give my business to the local gently-used kids consignment stores, but they are even already starting to get picked over.

Its just a good idea to do your winter-wear inventory NOW, not wait until you are in panic mode!

Thanks Becky! Becky has a couple sites to check out.
Travel Activity Bags For Kids
Lake Area Moms Squad

Quick Tips to End the Paper Clutter

Paper just seems to multiply. You get so much in the mail and the kids bring home even more every day. Pretty soon the piles grow and take over your counter tops. It doesn't take too long before it's overwhelming!

I believe it's best to deal with the paper that comes into your home on a daily basis. This works for me and saves me so much time and energy. For more Works-For-Me ideas, visit We Are THAT Family today!

I suggest making a point to make decisions on those papers every day by asking yourself:

• Do I need to act on this? If the answer is yes, pick a date and do it.
• Do I need to refer to this on a later date? Put it on your calendar.
• Do I need to give this to someone else?

If you answered no to all three questions, most likely you don't need to keep it. Make this part of your daily routine and you will be on your way to putting an end to paper clutter before it even starts.

Are you ready to put an end the paper piles in your home? Want the help to do it? Join me on September 26, 2009 for my Paper Organizing for Busy Moms ~A Virtual Workshop~ to learn the exact systems and steps I teach my clients to eliminate those piles. Just $97 when you register by 9/11/09, $137 after that.

Click here to learn more and to register.

I Want to Help You Get Your Papers Organized!

Paper Organizing for Busy Moms
~A Virtual Workshop

This virtual workshop is for you if you:

• Have tried getting your papers organized before and failed
• Are a busy mom who is determined to spend more time doing those things you enjoy instead of searching through papers
• Have considered seeking the help of organizing expert
• Want to be free from the paper piles and mess in your home

When you register by Friday, September 11 you'll receive these special bonuses:

• Making Time for What's Important Home Study Program (manage your time, manage your life and create the balance you yearn for)
• A Mom's Guide to Organizing Children's School Papers and Artwork (the resource for maintaining, organizing and displaying your child's work)
• The Early Bird Special of only $97 (regular price of $137 after 9/11)
  Register Now!

You'll Learn:

• The steps to get rid of those invasive paper piles with my 3-T Plan
• How to set up your own Household Action Center so you can find what you need when you need it with no more piles
• What papers you should keep, for how long and where
• How to set up an easy-to-use filing system so you can have your important papers at your finger tips
• My five step Stuff System to help you get through those overwhelming stashes of paper, including the kids' papers and artwork.

How it Works:
Throughout the workshop there will be a series of four live teleclasses with me. I'll walk you through the exact steps of paper organization. After each teaching session you will then be able to apply what you have learned right away during your in-home organizing session. I'll be holding your hand all the way through. You'll also receive a 30 page workbook and products worth $98! Learn more here.

What one mom had to say after participating in my Paper Organizing for Busy Moms Virtual Workshop:

"Things are going well and I'm setting aside time each day to work through the rest of the paper piles. I LOVE the systems and it is motivating to see how much I have accomplished already! The day of the workshop I kept organizing until that night. I was amazed at how much I got done in one day. I've already had several times where I needed to locate something and I actually found it within seconds! No more wasting time searching. Thanks again!"

Find Out More and Register Now!

Organizing Ideas for Laundry Duty

For more Works-For-Me ideas, visit We Are THAT Family.

Join me September 3 for my free Back-to-School teleclass! I'll be talking about the morning rush, school papers and artwork, getting more done without feeling overwhelmed and my Paper Organizing Workshop for Busy Moms.

Organizing Ideas for Laundry Duty

The average person spends six hours a week washing clothes, according to a survey of homeowners conducted on behalf of Sears, Roebuck and Co. There are possible solutions to make your laundry less invasive in your daily life.

Start with the Laundry Area
Depending on the size of your space, there may be steps you can take right where you do your wash. Try to locate your machines side by side to save on steps.

Install a closet rod with a shelf or a rod between two cabinets to hang clothes. Keep your detergents, stain removers and fabric softeners right next to the machines, preferably in a cabinet or on a shelf. Keep a clean surface to fold clothes and have bins or baskets for sorting.

Your System
Only do what you can wash, dry, fold and put away in one day. You may prefer to do all your wash in one day; someone else might prefer to spread it out to a few days. Some prefer to do all their ironing for the week at once, others may prefer to do it daily. I prefer that my husband does the ironing; he’s much more efficient and therefore he’s better qualified!
If your space allows it, save yourself the extra work and fold clothes right out of the dryer and into baskets for each member to put away.

If you have the closet space, try hanging more clothes rather than folding and storing items in drawers. Less folding means less time spent doing laundry. Have a hamper or basket in each bedroom that can easily be carried to the laundry room.

Help from Family Members
Involve family members as much as possible and get children involved from a young age. Yes, a toddler will take great pleasure in learning how to fold towels and putting away their own clothes. This may mean a little extra effort from you now, but in the long run you are teaching them the skills to do it on their own.

Assign each child a day to help with the laundry. Chances are being involved will help them understand that every item of clothing they try on does not automatically go into the dirty clothes.

Teach family members to assess the level of dirtiness of the clothing they remove. Socks and underwear automatically get tossed in the hamper. Jeans can be worn more than one time.

Other Time Saving Ideas
If you are doing a major clean and come across a ton of laundry (most often found in children’s bedrooms), consider making a trip to the laundry mat. You could get multiple loads done at once. This is also a great idea for the return home from a trip. Rather than unpacking all those dirty clothes, take the suitcases right to the laundry mat.

Take a good look at the amount of clothing each family member owns. If you can go for 2-3 weeks without running out of clothing, you may have more than you really need.

Whatever system you try, stick to it for a few weeks and then make changes or adjustments if needed. Laundry is something many of us dislike; it is time consuming and never ending. But, I am grateful I don’t have to boil the water, scrub my clothing on a washboard, or by a river bed, for that matter.

Back-to-School: A Complimentary Teleclass Just for Moms!

If you are determined to start this school year off right, join me on Thursday, September 3 for my complementary teleclass.

Prepared, Organized and Focused:7 Great Back-to-School Tips for Moms to Start the Year off Right!

I'll share the top seven tips that will help you get focused, organized and ease the stress during this busy time and beyond.

Here are some of the things that I will be covering during this call:

• How to keep your focus on the important stuff during this busy time
  
• 8 tips to put an end to the morning rush


• How to make the most of your time without feeling overwhelmed


• The steps to finally getting those organizing projects done
  
• The 4 steps to controlling all the school papers and artwork
  
• How to reserve your spot for my upcoming Virtual Workshop, Paper Organizing for Busy Moms with bonuses and special pricing

When: Thursday, September 3
Time: 12:00pm Eastern / 11:00am Central /10:00am Mountain / 9:00am Pacific

Cost: Nothing! It's Free, but you must register.

If you can't make the call that's OK! Still register and I'll send your the link to the downloadable recording.

For more Works for Me ideas, visit We Are THAT Family.