Family

Here’s a round-up of some good articles and ideas I’ve found recently.
Creativity
A bunch of stuff from Lifehacker on getting organized to get more creative:

Embrace Organization to Foster Creativity

Tough times
Good tips for avoiding chaos when dealing with tough times from Lifehack:

How To Stay Organized When Life Throws You a Curveball

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If your kids and their bedrooms need an organization intervention, then read on.
In this mission we’ll declutter, tidy, and teach the kids some fabulous new habits.
Remember: you only need 30 minutes for the basic mission. Extended Options are below. If you’re new, you might like to start here -> 52 Organizing Missions.
Get Organized Mission #48: Organize Your Kids & Their Bedrooms
Before we start, decide [...]

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This can be a stressful time of year, no doubt about it.
To help you to get things done, keep your cool, and have a good time, here are my top 3 happy-holiday tips.
Getting Organized for Happier Holidays: My Top 3 Tips
1. Do less
Doing less is your single best strategy for avoiding stress and enjoying the season.
Look for things to simplify:

Buy fewer gifts – do a Secret [...]

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Q: Help! My child is so messy. What can I do? 
A: Try these ideas:
 

Take her to Ikea & let her pick out bins, hooks, etc that she likes, so she’ll be more likely to use them.
Get him to surrender an old toy, DVD, etc whenever he gets a new one.
Model tidy behavior – kids follow what we do, not what we say!

Also see: [...]

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Organizing guru, Oprah regular, and fellow Australian Peter Walsh has some good advice for organizationally-challenged teens – and their parents.
In a recent Good Morning America article (from which I’ve taken *these quotes) he countered some of the common excuses that lead to adolescent organizing angst.

If your teen says:

Peter replies*:

But my stuff’s too valuable to throw out

‘If the stuff you bought isn’t helping you build the life you [...]

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Family organization is made easier with the right tools.

The blog Wise Bread has put together some helpful resources for organizing the family, covering

Money Management for Kids and Their Parents –
With a family budget spreadsheet

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I’ve been making 12 fresh starts in 12 life areas over 12 days. It’s not too late to join me!
Day 1: Personal Development
My Day 1 Fresh Start was to raise my bicep and shoulder weights in Body Pump class.
Report: ✔ Feeling pretty dang good about my big-girl weights.
Day 2: Health & Fitness
My Day 2 Fresh Start was to give up Smith’s Cheese & Onion Chips – at least [...]

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Your bedroom is the place to which you retreat at the end of the day. Does it restore your calm and ease you into sleep, or evoke a mild sensation of panic?
If you need a bedroom intervention, you’re in the right place. We’re about to transform your bedroom into your private sanctuary.
Remember: you only need 30 minutes for the basic mission. Extended Options are below.
If you’re new, you might like [...]

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When we get down to decluttering, our books, CDs, & DVDs often escape the treatment. Somehow they receive special dispensation.
Not anymore! 
In this mission we’re going to attack these dust collectors – and we’ll be ruthless!
Remember: you only need 30 minutes for the basic mission. Extended Options are below.
If you’re new, you might like to start here: 52 Organizing Missions.
 
 
 
 
Get Organized Mission #16: Streamline Your Books, CDs, & DVDs
Step [...]

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This is a Tips For Customers post for Ultimate To-Do List Pack | Home & Family Edition Customers.
If you’re in the throes of getting kids back to school and setting up new routines for them – and yourself – then this is a great time to take advantage of the planners, schedules and worksheets in your Ultimate To-Do List Pack | Home & Family Edition.
I’ve listed below the ones [...]

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When it comes to feeling clear-minded, calm and organized, surfaces are sacred.
So in this mission we’re going to transform your kitchen into a haven of clarity for nourishing yourself and your household – simply by removing all those surface usurpers.
Remember: you only need 30 minutes for the basic mission. Extended Options are below.
If you’re new, you might like to start here…

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Can’t for the life of you remember important dates?
Always in trouble for having no gift/card/ excuse on that special day?
If you’re an Outlook user, this Get Organized Quick Tip will give you peace of mind – as well as getting you out of the doghouse and into the good books.
Getting Organized Quick Tip #6: How To Never Forget a Birthday or Anniversary
In a previous Get Organized Quick Tip we [...]

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If your home is strewn with various lists, plans and contact info, then you’re gonna love this mission!

We’re about to create a ‘Household Notebook’ – a place for all those pieces of paper, ideas, and information.

Remember: you only need 30 minutes for the basic mission. Extended Options are below.

If you’re new, you might like to start here: 52 Organizing Missions…

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Can’t remember the last time you changed the toothbrush heads? Forgotten how often you’re supposed to decalcify the coffee machine? Got a niggling feeling you’re wa-hay overdue for a dental checkup?
An excellent personal organization strategy that helps to simplify your life is to get as much stuff out of your head as you can.
If you use Outlook, this Get Organized Quick Tip will help you stay on top of recurring [...]

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Do you regularly find expired food in your pantry or fridge?
Or discover you’ve used up fresh items with distant use-by dates, leaving you stuck with older food of dubious provenance?
Here’s a very simple trick for making sure you use up older supplies first.
Getting Organized Quick Tip #4: How To Unpack Groceries For Freshness
When you put groceries away, simply put the new stocks behind what you already [...]

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