Discipline is not all about punishment and consequences. It can also be about love and guidance. I was reminded of this when I wrote my post: Books that Speak to the Soul.
My philosophy when working with children is to try to avoid having to constantly discipline. Allow children to solve any problems they can independently and offer guidance when needed.
One way I do this is by scheduling a bit of downtime into the day. This small amount of downtime goes a long way to deter fighting and arguing. Many times 10-15 minutes will do. The main focus is quieting the mind and rejuvenating the body.
Most of the time I will take this time to snuggle with my boys and watch a movie, read a book, or take a quick nap. Okay, so sometime the nap is not that quick.
If you allow your child the needed downtown during the day, many times discipline is rarely an issue. The children are refreshed, refocused, and ready for the rest of their day.
To be honest, this is why I love nap time in kindergarten. Even those children that no longer nap get up with a happier disposition than that prior to this time of quiet solitude.
As for the times, when discipline is needed, I love natural consequences. By natural consequences, I mean the kind that are logically the next step for a given situation. For example: Sorry your brother gets a snack and you don't. He ate all his dinner. Did you eat all your dinner? What should you do if you want a snack?... go finish the dinner.
Natural consequences are hard to argue with. You have set up a system or guideline. If it is followed, A happens. If not, B is the natural consequence. Another example of this could be simply... I am going to the pool in 10 minutes. If your room is clean, you may come. If not, I will see you when I get home. Of course this only works with older kids. For little ones, you would probably say something like... I would like to leave for the pool in 10 minutes if your room is clean. If not, we will have to try again tomorrow.
Always make sure that the natural consequence is something you can follow through with. Would you actually leave your 3 year old home alone? Probably not, but it would be perfectly acceptable to not go swimming and try again tomorrow.
Another strategy that seems to work is to allow your child to feel in control. Instead of arguing with your child about when to do homework or fold his/her clothes... offer options. I can see that you do not want to fold you clothes right this minute. Would you like to fold your clothes in 30 minutes or before bath time?
Offering options to a child allows them to feel control in a somewhat crazy, fast paced world. Remember though, just like with natural consequences... only offer options you are willing to live with.
The final strategy I use to deter constantly disciplining my children is to unplug. When children sit & watch tv or play video games for long periods of time, their brains are working on autopilot... very inactive so to speak. I have found this inactivity to cause very unpleasant behaviors in my children: bickering, yelling, easily agitated.
I am not saying that I do not allow my children to do these activities cause I do. It is part of today's society. I do, however, have sections of my day that are No TV Times. By No TV, I mean all electronics. The only exception being the Nook... our eReader. I purposely purchased the eReader without Internet access because it would be too tempting.
During these times of No TV, boredom is inevitable. Boredom will bring about the most creative times in your child's day. It is hard not to offer up suggestions and map out this down time, but please do not. By allowing your child the gift of boredom, you are allowing your child to find out new interests, build a strong sense of self, and learn a bit about the world around them. Bordem is like the icing on the cake allowing your child to explore all the world has to offer. It is an amazing gift that cost absolutely nothing.
So with all this being said...
What strategies do you use to discipline through love and guidance?
Showing posts with label home management. Show all posts
Showing posts with label home management. Show all posts
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Natural Vinegar Disinfectant Spray with a Twist
I get a newsletter from Learning Herbs and couldn't be happier with all the great things they share. This week I received a wonderful recipe I'd like to share as well as access to a free webinar with Rosemary Gladstars.
If you are interested in natural health and healing or just want to learn more about herbs, you have to check out the site. What Learning Herbs.com has to offer:
How to Make a Lavender Thyme Disinfectant:
1. Fill a quart jar with 1 cup dried thyme leaves and 1 cup lavender flowers.
2. Fill the remaining portion of the jar with white vinegar and seal tightly.
3. Allow mixture to sit for at least 24 hours.
4. Strain vinegar from jar. Try to get as much of the herbs separated from the vinegar as possible.
5. Place vinegar into a spray bottle. Use to clean an surface you would normally clean with a disinfectant.
*NOTE* You can add a few drops of essential oil to the vinegar and shake. I like orange and lavender together, but you can experiment to find a duo that works best for you.
Learning Herbs.com suggest getting herbs in bulk from Mountain Rose Herbs.
If you are interested in natural health and healing or just want to learn more about herbs, you have to check out the site. What Learning Herbs.com has to offer:
- free ebooks
- free webinars
- free ecourses
- a cooperative board game to teach children about herbs (my kids love this game)
- medicinal kits with all you need to create your first salve and tincture.
How to Make a Lavender Thyme Disinfectant:
1. Fill a quart jar with 1 cup dried thyme leaves and 1 cup lavender flowers.
2. Fill the remaining portion of the jar with white vinegar and seal tightly.
3. Allow mixture to sit for at least 24 hours.
4. Strain vinegar from jar. Try to get as much of the herbs separated from the vinegar as possible.
5. Place vinegar into a spray bottle. Use to clean an surface you would normally clean with a disinfectant.
*NOTE* You can add a few drops of essential oil to the vinegar and shake. I like orange and lavender together, but you can experiment to find a duo that works best for you.
Learning Herbs.com suggest getting herbs in bulk from Mountain Rose Herbs.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Color Personality Quiz
Better Homes and Gardens has an online quiz to learn about your decorating color personality. I am a Fiery Red which was not a shock since I consider red to be as neutral as black and beige. Here is what BHG has to say:
Fiery Red...
Decisive and result-oriented, you’re a take-charge person with a flair for the dramatic. You're not afraid to take a risk or show your passion. Red is a powerful and evocative color.
Add pops of red in curtains or ottomans. This color personality is sensual and stimulating.
Use orangey reds on kitchen cabinets... energetic and powerful.
Deep red walls, white wooden features and pops of aquamarine... extroverted and ardent.
Go check out the quiz. It only takes a minute or two to take and looking at the room suggestions is fun.
So, What is your design color personality?
Monday, January 17, 2011
Cheap! Cheap! Homemade Laundry Detergent
My favorite green blog, Nature Mom, posted this wonderful recipe on her blog yesterday. I wanted to try it out, so I am reposting for you.
The next morning you’ll need to take a used, clean laundry detergent dispenser and fill it half full of your soap and then fill it the rest of the way with water. Now if you want it scented, you’ll want to put 10-15 drops of an essential oil in for every 2 gallons.
Viola! There you have it. Homemade, all-natural laundry detergent. Remember to shake it before each use because it will gel. This recipe yields approximately 10-gallons of detergent. For a top-load machine use 5/8 cup per load {approx. 180 loads}, and for a front-load machine use ¼ cup per load {approx. 640 loads}. So, you get all of this detergent and it only costs about $2.00 to make it! I don’t know of anything cheaper than that!
*Posted directly from Nature Mom.*
- 1 bar of Fels-Naptha soap
- 1 cup of Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda {not baking soda}
- ½ cup of Borax
- Essential oils {whatever scent you like}
- 5-gallon bucket
The next morning you’ll need to take a used, clean laundry detergent dispenser and fill it half full of your soap and then fill it the rest of the way with water. Now if you want it scented, you’ll want to put 10-15 drops of an essential oil in for every 2 gallons.
Viola! There you have it. Homemade, all-natural laundry detergent. Remember to shake it before each use because it will gel. This recipe yields approximately 10-gallons of detergent. For a top-load machine use 5/8 cup per load {approx. 180 loads}, and for a front-load machine use ¼ cup per load {approx. 640 loads}. So, you get all of this detergent and it only costs about $2.00 to make it! I don’t know of anything cheaper than that!
*Posted directly from Nature Mom.*
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Tackling the Bedrooms
My small challenge last week was to tackle box clutter. I didn't quite manage that with the holidays because something more important came up... the boy's bedrooms. What began as the infamous lego sort ended with an good thorough room sweep.
Here are the highlights of our cleaning adventures:
As for the clothes, T man folds and puts away his own clothes and Little J takes his folded clothes and places them in his drawers. I do not check the drawers that often because honestly it is not a fight I want to have. I know the drawers are a mess only days after cleaning them. I think the next step for us to take will be to lessen the amount of clothing each of the boys have. I think I will have the boys select enough clothes for a 2 week period. This really should be plenty and hopefully will help with the excess that seems to tumble out and onto the floor.
Paper seems to be a key to the mayhem my boys create in their bedrooms. They want to keep every item that has been created or every flier we receive in the mail. I had a hard time convincing them that even though they painted something doesn't mean it needs to be kept for months down the road.
We decide that we would keep 10 papers from each grade level as mementos and a mall handful of artwork form each year. The papers must be able to fit in the provided drawer or on the peg board in T Man's room. I need to get one for JJ as well because this really does give them a place to showcase their accomplishments. You would be amazed at the amount of paper I was able to recycle during this cleaning session.
Finally, we sorted through 100s of books. I am a kindergarten teacher and one of my guilty pleasures is reading. I read 10 books in the 2 weeks I had off over the holiday break. I did not have the boys help me with most of this process because I wanted to ensure we were keeping the quality literature and getting rid of the books that just do not have much substance.
I ended up taking two bags of books to Half Price Books, 1 box of books to school to add to my leveled library, and filing about 50 or so books on the shelves in each of their closets. Little J now has a book box that contains less than 10 picture books sitting next to his dresser. T Man has about 3 favorite series and maybe 5 on level books on his shelf above the bed.
We can always go to the closet when we want to select something new, but when the boys are reading and looking at books independently the choices are limited. This allows for more "reading" and less time flipping through pages trying to make a decision.
Overall tackling the bedrooms was a success.
What do you do to keep your children from becoming overwhelmed in their own personal space?
How do you help our children make smart decisions when simplifying?
Here are the highlights of our cleaning adventures:
- remove all toys out of the closet and little hidey holes
- sort clothes and place them in the correct drawer or location
- throw away all paper that does not have a purpose or a place
- sort through books and store in closet or give to Good Will.
As for the clothes, T man folds and puts away his own clothes and Little J takes his folded clothes and places them in his drawers. I do not check the drawers that often because honestly it is not a fight I want to have. I know the drawers are a mess only days after cleaning them. I think the next step for us to take will be to lessen the amount of clothing each of the boys have. I think I will have the boys select enough clothes for a 2 week period. This really should be plenty and hopefully will help with the excess that seems to tumble out and onto the floor.
Paper seems to be a key to the mayhem my boys create in their bedrooms. They want to keep every item that has been created or every flier we receive in the mail. I had a hard time convincing them that even though they painted something doesn't mean it needs to be kept for months down the road.
We decide that we would keep 10 papers from each grade level as mementos and a mall handful of artwork form each year. The papers must be able to fit in the provided drawer or on the peg board in T Man's room. I need to get one for JJ as well because this really does give them a place to showcase their accomplishments. You would be amazed at the amount of paper I was able to recycle during this cleaning session.
Finally, we sorted through 100s of books. I am a kindergarten teacher and one of my guilty pleasures is reading. I read 10 books in the 2 weeks I had off over the holiday break. I did not have the boys help me with most of this process because I wanted to ensure we were keeping the quality literature and getting rid of the books that just do not have much substance.
I ended up taking two bags of books to Half Price Books, 1 box of books to school to add to my leveled library, and filing about 50 or so books on the shelves in each of their closets. Little J now has a book box that contains less than 10 picture books sitting next to his dresser. T Man has about 3 favorite series and maybe 5 on level books on his shelf above the bed.
We can always go to the closet when we want to select something new, but when the boys are reading and looking at books independently the choices are limited. This allows for more "reading" and less time flipping through pages trying to make a decision.
Overall tackling the bedrooms was a success.
What do you do to keep your children from becoming overwhelmed in their own personal space?
How do you help our children make smart decisions when simplifying?
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Applied Labels
I know I mentioned a few days back about T Man losing things at school. I just received my new Applied Labels to try to deter this problem... or at least have the items find their way back home.
 |
| photo courtesy of Applied Labels |
With my order, I received small labels, clear labels for protecting the labels when worn in shoes, and date labels (perfect for food leftovers). I was hoping to mostly use the labels on important clothing that goes back and forth between school & home and on lunch items.
The labels will work perfectly for lunchboxes, containers and the such... clothing, not so much. For the label to be laundry safe, you have to use a backer and label pressed around a clothing tag. With most clothing having the tag printed onto the fabric now, this has been a problem. The labels work fantastic when the jacket has a tag, but for those that do not have the tag the labels are useless.
Overall, I would definitely recommend using the labels for all items that travels away from home. I have already applied one to the back of my NOOK. I'm also using the labels to differentiate between items in the home... which bag belongs to which child, etc.
BUT... If you need to label clothing, you may have to go with another option. If the company solves this problem, I would definitely use the labels for years to come.
What other uses can you think for using the labels?
How can these labels help your items return home each day?
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com and the Tomoson weekly featured sponsor Favorite Wigs - Shop Name Brand Wigs at Low Prices! Large Wig Selection of Forever Young Wigs, and other Quality Wigs. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product Review & giveaway Disclosure.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Lego Overload
It may not have been one of my many boxes (small change challenge), but it was definitely CLU-TTER. We tackled part of the boys' rooms today... with their help. What started out as a bit of Lego fun ended up in tears and finally smiles.
T Man got a wild hair to build one of his Star Wars Lego ships the day before Christmas. Well, both the boys have mixed all the different Lego tubs (knights and castles, Star Wars, airport, etc.) making this an impossible feat without sorting the Legos into colors.
Sorting the Legos proved to be major overload for T. He had this wonderful idea to dump his entire collection on the floor in order to better find what he needed, but with 1000s (literally) of Legos it was pointless.
Daddy stepped in to help out by having both boys working on a single color and making piles. This helped a little with the stress, but the job was still too big to feel like any real improvement as accomplished. I waited for awhile and let the family work toward a solution.
Finally, I couldn't take the tears and heartache anymore and I made a suggestion. I gave T a small bucket and had him place two handfuls of Legos in the bucket. He then went to the sorting piles and sat down. This allowed him to have a smaller focus, the stability of not having to move from place to place to sort, and a sense of accomplishment each time the bucket was emptied.
...SMILES...
After we finished sorting maybe a third of the Legos, I called it done for the day. Daddy helped the boys get various bins from the tall storage system in T's room and place the sorted piles into individual bins. I quickly picked up all unsorted Legos and placed them in a large tub with a snap on lid.
For now, the boys will play with the large tub of unsorted Legos. They will only take out the Legos needed for their creations. After playtime, the pieces used will be sorted into the correct color bins. We will continue to do this until all Legos have been sorted. Once all the Legos are sorted building specific structures will be much less stressful because each bin can be removed from the storage system and placed on the floor near the builder.
Now, I know some of you might be thinking...
I know I should get rid of some of the Legos. I know the amount of Legos my boys play with is ridiculous. At this time, I just can't do it though.
My boys do not play with or have tons of toys. I have decluttered and simplified the toys already many times. If I simplify much more, there will be nothing left. Legos is the one constant in my boys play. I honestly believe they are learning alot in the process:
On a side note, I did get rid of one large bin that was filled top to bottom. The container was about 2 1/2 feet tall and 3 1/2 feet wide.
T Man got a wild hair to build one of his Star Wars Lego ships the day before Christmas. Well, both the boys have mixed all the different Lego tubs (knights and castles, Star Wars, airport, etc.) making this an impossible feat without sorting the Legos into colors.
Sorting the Legos proved to be major overload for T. He had this wonderful idea to dump his entire collection on the floor in order to better find what he needed, but with 1000s (literally) of Legos it was pointless.
Daddy stepped in to help out by having both boys working on a single color and making piles. This helped a little with the stress, but the job was still too big to feel like any real improvement as accomplished. I waited for awhile and let the family work toward a solution.
Finally, I couldn't take the tears and heartache anymore and I made a suggestion. I gave T a small bucket and had him place two handfuls of Legos in the bucket. He then went to the sorting piles and sat down. This allowed him to have a smaller focus, the stability of not having to move from place to place to sort, and a sense of accomplishment each time the bucket was emptied.
...SMILES...
After we finished sorting maybe a third of the Legos, I called it done for the day. Daddy helped the boys get various bins from the tall storage system in T's room and place the sorted piles into individual bins. I quickly picked up all unsorted Legos and placed them in a large tub with a snap on lid.
For now, the boys will play with the large tub of unsorted Legos. They will only take out the Legos needed for their creations. After playtime, the pieces used will be sorted into the correct color bins. We will continue to do this until all Legos have been sorted. Once all the Legos are sorted building specific structures will be much less stressful because each bin can be removed from the storage system and placed on the floor near the builder.
Now, I know some of you might be thinking...
Who needs 1000s of Lego's? Really?
I know I should get rid of some of the Legos. I know the amount of Legos my boys play with is ridiculous. At this time, I just can't do it though.
My boys do not play with or have tons of toys. I have decluttered and simplified the toys already many times. If I simplify much more, there will be nothing left. Legos is the one constant in my boys play. I honestly believe they are learning alot in the process:
- hand eye coordination when snapping the pieces together
- engineering when they have to figure out the best way to assemble the pieces for stability
- following directions when reading the maps on how to build specific structures
- sorting (enough said)
- measurement when they have to find a Lego of a specific height and length
- creativity when they build from their imagination
- cooperative play when they create a world all of their own and interact together towards a common goal
- etc.
- Don't make a mess that you cannot clean up.
- Too much makes us sad.
- We get angry when we are overwhelmed.
- Take time to STOP and make a plan.
- When we work together as a team, we can reach a common goal.
On a side note, I did get rid of one large bin that was filled top to bottom. The container was about 2 1/2 feet tall and 3 1/2 feet wide.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
One Small Change
The week of Christmas is it is about spending time with family and finding a small change that I can address since I will have two weeks off from work. I have always been pretty good with scheduling and routines, but my environment is always a mess.
It seems as soon as things get cleaned something else is cluttered or dirty. I think I have mentioned this before, but our house has very little to no storage. I have boxes in just about every room... mostly holding stuff for school.
My small change is to spend 10-15 minutes a day tackling a box. Most boxes will not be finished in that time, but I am going to slowly trudge on until all boxes are GONE.
I am really debating just throwing a couple boxes out in their entirety. If I do not open the box, I will not know what I am missing.
How do you go about decluttering your home?
What advice can you give this "stacker"?
It seems as soon as things get cleaned something else is cluttered or dirty. I think I have mentioned this before, but our house has very little to no storage. I have boxes in just about every room... mostly holding stuff for school.
My small change is to spend 10-15 minutes a day tackling a box. Most boxes will not be finished in that time, but I am going to slowly trudge on until all boxes are GONE.
I am really debating just throwing a couple boxes out in their entirety. If I do not open the box, I will not know what I am missing.
How do you go about decluttering your home?
What advice can you give this "stacker"?
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Lost AND Found
T Man and Little J both keep losing things at school. So far we have lost 2 lunch boxes, a jacket and who know how many things I am unaware of. To solve this problem, I am trying out some new labels from Oliver's Labels.
I thought a label was a label to be honest. One size fits all kind of deal. I didn't realize there were different labels for clothing, shoes, etc. and various sizes.
I am going to put the clothing labels inside jackets and sweat shirts that are worn most often. The small labels will be used on lunch boxes and the such. I am going to use the original (larger) labels on electronics such as my laptop and Nook.
I must say the bright color and high quality of these labels is perfect for two spunky little guys. I haven't used them long, but I think the labels will serve there purpose well. The nicest thing about the labels is that I can still place the items in the dishwasher because the label will not fall of. It is perfectly water proof.
Hopefully, we will have more items found and fewer lost now that both the boys can verify there items.
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Aprons: An Old Fashion Tradition
The question of the day: Are aprons an important part of the modern woman's kitchen or not?
I say... YES! It is important to not only look great in the kitchen, but to feel great too. Wearing a fabulous apron and keeping your clothing clean at the same time can do just that.
I recently received a Sassy Cook'n Apron from CSN Stores. The Purple Peepers design was too cute with its pom-pom trimming along the bottom edge. The whimsical trim gives the apron a young, edgy feel that I love.
Besides the fun design, this particular apron has many other positives. It is long enough to conceal my clothes (I tend to make huge messes.) and cute enough to wear around company. The belt is long enough to wrap around back and to in the front keeping the apron snug and secure.
I would definitely get another Sassy Cook' N Apron for myself and/or as a gift for a new wife or mother.
Fun and Functional.
Now, on to some interesting facts I found about aprons.
Here's a brief rundown of the "Age of Aprons".
Origin:
The English word "apron" came from "naperon," the old French word for napkin or small tablecloth.
Twelfth century:
Guess who wore aprons first? Men, as hygienic, protective wear.
Fourteenth century: Dark-colored aprons started to be worn tied at the waist.
Sixteenth and seventeenth centuries:
Colors denoted the trade of the wearer. English barbers wore a checked pattern; butchers and porters, green; and masons, white.
Seventeenth century:
Romantic notions began to blossom. Your beau is thinking of you if the apron becomes untied and drops off.
Eighteenth century:
The pinafore apron was "pinned" to clothing.
Nineteenth century: Cooks began turning the apron only once before washing. Any more, and the stains aren't hidden.
1900-1920:
Long aprons cover and protect clothing.
1920:
Straight-line aprons are the style.
1930:
Beautiful prints with bright sashes, along with crocheted aprons, make an appearance.
1940:
Printed half-aprons tied around the waist, and aprons made of handkerchiefs, are popular. Picture credit to The Apron Queen.
1950:
Full-skirted plastic aprons, and ones with cross-stitch designs, gain U.S. popularity.
1960:
Half-aprons with attached hand towels are sure-fire hits, along with aprons sewn with plastic hoops or valance material. Picture from Fabrics.net
1970 to present:
Barbecue, anyone? Grilling is a popular design or theme for modern-day aprons.
For Fairview's Judy Vetrovec, the history of aprons is as important as their beauty and practicality.
Article courtesy of c2007 ANG Newspapers.
I say... YES! It is important to not only look great in the kitchen, but to feel great too. Wearing a fabulous apron and keeping your clothing clean at the same time can do just that.
I recently received a Sassy Cook'n Apron from CSN Stores. The Purple Peepers design was too cute with its pom-pom trimming along the bottom edge. The whimsical trim gives the apron a young, edgy feel that I love.
Besides the fun design, this particular apron has many other positives. It is long enough to conceal my clothes (I tend to make huge messes.) and cute enough to wear around company. The belt is long enough to wrap around back and to in the front keeping the apron snug and secure.
I would definitely get another Sassy Cook' N Apron for myself and/or as a gift for a new wife or mother.
Fun and Functional.
Now, on to some interesting facts I found about aprons.
Here's a brief rundown of the "Age of Aprons".
Origin:
The English word "apron" came from "naperon," the old French word for napkin or small tablecloth.
Twelfth century:
Guess who wore aprons first? Men, as hygienic, protective wear.
Fourteenth century: Dark-colored aprons started to be worn tied at the waist.
Sixteenth and seventeenth centuries:
Colors denoted the trade of the wearer. English barbers wore a checked pattern; butchers and porters, green; and masons, white.Seventeenth century:
Romantic notions began to blossom. Your beau is thinking of you if the apron becomes untied and drops off.
Eighteenth century:
The pinafore apron was "pinned" to clothing.Nineteenth century: Cooks began turning the apron only once before washing. Any more, and the stains aren't hidden.
1900-1920:
Long aprons cover and protect clothing.
1920:
Straight-line aprons are the style.
1930:
Beautiful prints with bright sashes, along with crocheted aprons, make an appearance.
1940:
Printed half-aprons tied around the waist, and aprons made of handkerchiefs, are popular. Picture credit to The Apron Queen.
1950:
Full-skirted plastic aprons, and ones with cross-stitch designs, gain U.S. popularity.
1960:
Half-aprons with attached hand towels are sure-fire hits, along with aprons sewn with plastic hoops or valance material. Picture from Fabrics.net1970 to present:
Barbecue, anyone? Grilling is a popular design or theme for modern-day aprons.
For Fairview's Judy Vetrovec, the history of aprons is as important as their beauty and practicality.
Article courtesy of c2007 ANG Newspapers.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
New Organizational Books
I have been hunting for ways to simplify and declutter my home. I have stumbled upon several books that look promising.Below are my newest finds and why I am so interested in each of these books.
Makes it sound like cleaning can become a 'zen' experience. If this is possible, I definitely want to give it a try. Being at peace while cleaning would be bliss!
Sidetracked Home Executives(TM): From Pigpen to Paradise
Sounds like a book written by real women, not some perfect example of what a woman is supposed to be.
Clutter Clearing Choices: Clear Clutter, Organize Your Home & Reclaim Your Life
This book just had such rave reviews. I couldn't help but include it in my list.
Organize Now!: A Week-by-Week Guide to Simplify Your Space and Your Life
Week-by-week instruction with checklists. Checklists are my favorite. Spiral bound and lays flat... even better.
Household Wisdom: Traditional Homemaking Tips for Modern Living
Old school remedies from cleaning your home to saving seeds to polishing silver, etc. A bit of everything you need for your home and your sanity.
Do you have a favorite organizational book or site?
I'd love to hear your suggestions.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Thoughts for 2010
I have two goals for the new year:
1. recycle my household trash and take to the recycling center.
2. reorganize my household to begin more green, simple living.
I think this is a big step to take, but one I find necessary in the search for what I feel is a healthier way to live. To do this however, I am going to have to make a plan.
My Plan... Rough Draft
January... Organize & clean my school stuff out of the garage and house. Take what I can to school andtoss try to toss the rest... I think I just took the deepest breath of my life. Throwing out stuff I use for school is very difficult, but I need to make it a priority if I want to simplify.
Buy & label recycling bins. Print pictures and tape to bins, so we know what goes in each bin.
February...Tackle the family office. This is also my scrapbooking area. I will need to purge everything that is not in use at least once a week (unless it is scrapbooking stuff). I will probably need to buy several bins for the shelves on my scrapbooking table. Hopefully, I can find some containers in my school stuff or at garage sales.
Organize my book shelve and possibly purchase an additional one from IKEA.
Get rid of anything that does not have a place. If it is in a box on the floor since we moved in when JJ was an infant, it probably will not be used EVER!
Start recycling our household trash. Take any containers that are full or almost full to the recycling center on Saturdays.
March... Clean out my closet & bedroom. Gather items to be taken to Goodwill and take whatever has been collected on Saturday of that week. I need to be ruthless. I am going to try to part with stuff that I always hope one day to fit into, but haven't in over 5 years. I think it is time. If I actually get skinny, then I will deserve NEW clothes.
Begin the search for a dresser. Once dresser has been found begin to save up for the purchase.
Go to thrift and consignment stores for storage bins to help organize my closet junk necessities for easier access.
Make a planting calendar and plan. Get the soil ready for planting.
Consider purchasing a rain bucket to collect water for the flower beds and garden. If we decide to purchase, set it up before the month's end. if we wait, it will not get done.
April... Little J's room... Make sure that the paint is finally finished. Put up wall stickers if they are not already on the walls.
Go through all boxes in closet and take all items that cannot be used in the next month's time to Goodwill.
Box up items/toys that are keepsakes and store in the garage with a label on the box.
Go through toy box and shelving and purge toys that are broken, not played with, or make an unnecessary mess. Donate toys to Goodwill.
Gather containers to sort toys/other items in the shelves.
Consider purchasing JJ a twin sized bed that has built in drawers. Get rid of dresser regardless of purchase or not.
May... T Man's room... help T sort and organize all of his clothes. Donate all clothes that are too small to Goodwill. Make sure that there are enough hangers to hang all of T Man's shirts in the closet.
Get a days of the week clothes organizer for both of the boys to hang in their closets. Have boys begin to use the organizer to lay out all outfits for the week. Each night shoes should be found and placed in the next day's slot.
I think we will see how it goes up to this point and then I will revise my plan as needed. I do think this is a great starting point though. Now, if I can only stick to the plan, I might achieve my goals.
1. recycle my household trash and take to the recycling center.
2. reorganize my household to begin more green, simple living.
I think this is a big step to take, but one I find necessary in the search for what I feel is a healthier way to live. To do this however, I am going to have to make a plan.
My Plan... Rough Draft
- Set a monthly goal in which to implement.
- Enlist the family in helping me achieve the goal.
- Try not to change anything too quickly or get upset if things do not work as planned.
January... Organize & clean my school stuff out of the garage and house. Take what I can to school and
Buy & label recycling bins. Print pictures and tape to bins, so we know what goes in each bin.
February...Tackle the family office. This is also my scrapbooking area. I will need to purge everything that is not in use at least once a week (unless it is scrapbooking stuff). I will probably need to buy several bins for the shelves on my scrapbooking table. Hopefully, I can find some containers in my school stuff or at garage sales.
Organize my book shelve and possibly purchase an additional one from IKEA.
Get rid of anything that does not have a place. If it is in a box on the floor since we moved in when JJ was an infant, it probably will not be used EVER!
Start recycling our household trash. Take any containers that are full or almost full to the recycling center on Saturdays.
March... Clean out my closet & bedroom. Gather items to be taken to Goodwill and take whatever has been collected on Saturday of that week. I need to be ruthless. I am going to try to part with stuff that I always hope one day to fit into, but haven't in over 5 years. I think it is time. If I actually get skinny, then I will deserve NEW clothes.
Begin the search for a dresser. Once dresser has been found begin to save up for the purchase.
Go to thrift and consignment stores for storage bins to help organize my closet junk necessities for easier access.
Make a planting calendar and plan. Get the soil ready for planting.
Consider purchasing a rain bucket to collect water for the flower beds and garden. If we decide to purchase, set it up before the month's end. if we wait, it will not get done.
April... Little J's room... Make sure that the paint is finally finished. Put up wall stickers if they are not already on the walls.
Go through all boxes in closet and take all items that cannot be used in the next month's time to Goodwill.
Box up items/toys that are keepsakes and store in the garage with a label on the box.
Go through toy box and shelving and purge toys that are broken, not played with, or make an unnecessary mess. Donate toys to Goodwill.
Gather containers to sort toys/other items in the shelves.
Consider purchasing JJ a twin sized bed that has built in drawers. Get rid of dresser regardless of purchase or not.
May... T Man's room... help T sort and organize all of his clothes. Donate all clothes that are too small to Goodwill. Make sure that there are enough hangers to hang all of T Man's shirts in the closet.
Get a days of the week clothes organizer for both of the boys to hang in their closets. Have boys begin to use the organizer to lay out all outfits for the week. Each night shoes should be found and placed in the next day's slot.
I think we will see how it goes up to this point and then I will revise my plan as needed. I do think this is a great starting point though. Now, if I can only stick to the plan, I might achieve my goals.
Project Organization Update
Organizing and simplifying sounds easy, right? I must say... IT IS NOT. I think I might be a closet hoarder. Not really, but I just hate to part with certain things even though I cannot find a "home" for that thing.
I think I might have to make a new rule that states... uh, hummm... If an object or item does not have a home, the said item must leave my home as well.
There... I said it.
Does saying it make it true? Am I now bound by my own revelation that somethings are just meant to GO?
I think to live up the expectations I have set for myself I have to be.
Enough said. Let's move on.
Completed Projects:
I think I might have to make a new rule that states... uh, hummm... If an object or item does not have a home, the said item must leave my home as well.
There... I said it.
Does saying it make it true? Am I now bound by my own revelation that somethings are just meant to GO?
I think to live up the expectations I have set for myself I have to be.
Enough said. Let's move on.
Completed Projects:
- Cleaned out the toy box... only the toy box, but I had 4 bags of toys that I took to Goodwill.
- Cleaned my scrapbooking table and bookcase in the office.
- Purchased recycle bins, laundry sorter, days of the week clothes sorter for each of the boys' rooms, and a new trash can for my office desk.
- I have begun cleaning my office desk. I am acquiring space in my husband's hanging file drawer for myself. I am creating a hanging file for each of the main areas that warrant clutter on my desk: kids, magazine clippings, recipe printouts, & school. I will instantly file papers in the files instead of leaving things on my desk. I think I will go through one file a week and purge unnecessary items to keep the files from becoming a permanent garbage bin.
- I have started looking into purchasing seeds. I need to decide what will be planted and begin working on getting the soil ready in the garden bed.
- my school stuff in the garage and the house... If this can get tackled I will finally feel an accomplishment on the organization & simplification front.
Organizing Made Easy
Need tips to organize and simplify? I know I do. So I searched through stacks of old magazines and found tons of ideas that I thought might come in handy. Here are my top favorites...
Simple Ways to Organize Your House & Household:
Most ideas I found in Woman's Day magazine.
Simple Ways to Organize Your House & Household:
Most ideas I found in Woman's Day magazine.
- assign each member of the house a color: When purchasing towels, backpacks, etc. buy the appropriate color for each family member. This will let you know exactly who has left out what, so that it can get cleaned up quickly.
- place a small decorative basket near the door that is used most often: Use the basket as a place to place keys, cell phones, etc. when you enter the house. This will save time as you will not here the all to familiar... "Honey, where did I put my keys?"
- make casting away old items easy: Place several baskets in a closet. As you have old clothes, toys, etc that need to be given away simply toss them into the corresponding bin and you are done! When a bin is full take it to the local Goodwill as a donation.
- manage laundry in minutes: well, okay... let's be honest... not minutes, but definitely not hours: Place rolling cart of drawers in the laundry room. Label each drawer with a different family member's name. Fold laundry and place it directly into the appropriate draw. When a drawer is full, that person, must take the drawer upstairs and put away the contents. The next morning just grab the drawer and bring it back to its "home". Oh, I almost forgot. Don't do laundry all on one day. Do at least one load of laundry daily to keep this very unfriendly chore in check.
- scheduling and homework help: Create a binder that has tabs for each member of the family as well as a master calendar, important telephone numbers, etc. Keep class list, important assignments, restaurant menus, etc. organized and right at your finger tips. Be sure to find a place that this binder will stay at all times. if not, it won't get used and it will end up only another piece of clutter.
- shelve those books: Line the wall of the living room with shelves about 18 inches below the ceiling. This is the perfect place to shelve books that you want to reread, but need to stash away.
- keep dirty clothes at bay: Place a small hamper in or directly outside each bathroom door. As soon as clothes are removed, they should be tossed in the hamper. When the hamper is filled, take the hamper to the laundry room for washing.
- create a lost and found: Place a small basket in a downstairs closet or pantry for found items. Before bed, take out the basket and have each family member take what belongs to them and put it away.
- catch all: Somethings just do not have a place. Batteries, safety pins, and other random items can all be stored in a plastic shoe box type container or in a designated kitchen drawer. If you chose a box with a lid, make sure you find a location to store the box and remember to always put it back after use.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Stop Junk Mail in Its Tracks
Sites to Help Reduce Your Junk Mail...
- 41Pounds calls companies and various agencies to stop 80%- 95% of your annual junk mail.
- The Privacy Council will remove you from such list as ValPak, Pre-approved Credit Card Offers, Direct Marking, and much more.
- Stop Junk Mail is a paid service..$19.95... that reduces your junk mail by about 90% with a 100% guarantee.
- Do Not Mail provides phone numbers for some of the major companies sending out junk mail.
- Direct Mail is the National Do Not Mail List. Plus, it is now FREE!
- EcoCycle has tons of ideas on how to reduce the amount of junk mail you receive annually. Check out this site for some easy to use tips!!
Tips on Frugality
While searching the web for tips on saving money, I came across a variety of great posts. Some are for pinching pennies and some are for just being more frugal in general.
How to Sharpen Scissors: instead of purchasing new scissors why not sharpen them yourself
How to Break the Spending Habit: click to view deals to the list provided below
1. Go cash only using the envelop system.
2. Set long term goals.
3. Distinguish between needs and wants.
4. Shop with a list.
5. Give yourself an allowance.
6. Institute a 24 hour wait period for purchasing big ticket items.
7. Find a shopping buddy.
8. Shop without a cart.
9. Let someone else shop for you.
10. Survey your selections.
5 Painless Ways to Cut Your Spending: click to view deals to the list provided below
1. Switch to the store Brand.
2. Shop with a list. *Since it is listed more than once I am assuming this is a must do.*
3. Carry snacks.
4. Use it up.
5. Shop to save.
How to Create a Frugal Budget
Weekly Meal Planning Worksheet
How to Sharpen Scissors: instead of purchasing new scissors why not sharpen them yourself
How to Break the Spending Habit: click to view deals to the list provided below
1. Go cash only using the envelop system.
2. Set long term goals.
3. Distinguish between needs and wants.
4. Shop with a list.
5. Give yourself an allowance.
6. Institute a 24 hour wait period for purchasing big ticket items.
7. Find a shopping buddy.
8. Shop without a cart.
9. Let someone else shop for you.
10. Survey your selections.
5 Painless Ways to Cut Your Spending: click to view deals to the list provided below
1. Switch to the store Brand.
2. Shop with a list. *Since it is listed more than once I am assuming this is a must do.*
3. Carry snacks.
4. Use it up.
5. Shop to save.
How to Create a Frugal Budget
Weekly Meal Planning Worksheet
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