Getting Organized

I really wish being organized was one of my stronger traits. I am definitely working on it. I am trying to come up with ways to get more done in my day. It seems I am spending all my time playing, doing activities and learning with my children. Now don't get me wrong, that's not necessarily a bad thing, however, when it is 5pm and you don't know what you're fixing for dinner and your house looks like a tornado touched down, it's time to make some changes. My biggest time waster is the computer. It monopolizes my time when the kids are asleep.....not good. I could say it was for all good purposes such as researching curriculum, field trip ideas, getting ready for next weeks theme, but regardless, once I get on......it is hard to get off.

I figure I have got to start getting my children to do more chores. I am not Super Woman. It is definitely not going to hurt them. I had to start leaving that "if I want it done right I will just do it myself" mentality behind. Let's just say my 4 year old was a lot more receptive to it than my 11 year old. Probably because she was already doing the dishes every night and wasn't sure what was going to be next. She was supposed to also be dumping all the trash cans in the house twice a week but she had begun to get "forgetful" about that one. I say that rather lightly.

Anyway, we started at the good 'ole Dollar Store. She picked out a colorful bucket and we filled it with all "her" cleaners for her bathroom. Scrub brushes, sprays, sponges, toilet bowl cleaners and rags. Now she can just pull her bucket out of our hall closet and away to work she goes making her bathroom spiffy clean. Of course, we did have to have a bathroom cleaning 101 class and then a couple refresher classes but it beats it not getting done! Her reward.....when we go to Barnes and Noble for story time she gets to go to the Cafe and get her favorite frozen coffee drink or sweet snack.

Next, we found a mini dust pan and brush, which was perfect for my son to get down under our bar after meals and scoop up all those crumbs that magically appear, even though they were eating over their plates.

I also bought 2 small laundry baskets and labeled them with their names. Now when I do laundry, I no longer take the time to fold my daughter's clothes. She just gets her basket with her clothes and she folds them herself and puts them away. Now with my son I do things a little different. In his basket I put his socks, underwear and folded PJ's. These are the items that I keep in bins on his shelving unit in his closet. He then puts those in the appropriate bins. Due to lack of space in his bedroom, I hang all his clothes so I now put his outfits together on a hanger with clothespins. His closet rod in low enough for him to reach. Each day he picks out his own outfit. When we first started this he was so proud of his choices. He also knows to attach the clothespins to the hanger and put it back on the rod after getting dressed. Of course, I only keep season appropriate clothes within his reach othewise who knows what he would be wearing.

I am also in the process of organizing for our homeschooling in the fall. I need to do some rearranging to make room for the bins, file totes, art boxes, etc.. If you have ever been to IKEA then you know how awesome of a store it is. Within the next month I plan to make a few purchases from there to help with my organization with all of this. Right now everything is piled up on my kitchen table. Here is a list of some of my supplies I have bought so far for organizing....

• dish pans in 2 different sizes
• 3 ring binders
• display folders
• art boxes
• plastic file totes w/ handles
• hanging file folders
• folders
• ziploc bags
• The Schoolhouse Planner http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HSBCompanyBlog/701286/

Wishlist

• Bookshelf
• write-on-wipe-off table
• lap top computer tables
• felt board
• an assistant, cook and someone to clean....just kidding!

Someone asked me if I was bored staying at home yet....are you kidding me? How could you ever get bored? Especially not in my house. I could find enough projects just in my home to keep me busy without kids for a year!