Do You Have a Command Center?

Happy Monday!  For many it is a holiday, off from work for President’s Day along with the kids.

Quick question, have you ever wished for one central spot to keep the kids and you organized?  I mean besides the pile on the kitchen counter or table when the kids unpack their bags from school?  Maybe you have a basket where everything gets dropped?

If you are like me, usually something gets lost in the “pile”.  Or something never makes it to the pile so it never gets done.  What if you had one spot for everything?

Does your refrigerator look like this?  Notes and lists everywhere.  Mine isn’t this neat and as a result, you guessed it, things get lost.

As women, we need to fulfill many roles and take care of many responsibilities in our families.  Everyone looks to us to keep them on track.

A Control Center is the communication center for your family where you keep track of all activities, as well as the plan for managing your household. It is in one central location so everyone knows the plan.  Each control center may be different BUT the common elements are:

Calendar:  to keep track of appointments, doctor’s appointments, music lessons, sports practices/games and family social events.  We have one on the fridge but the information never seems to make it past my planner or the calendar on our phones.

Meal Plan – A weekly meal plan will not only help you get dinner on the table but will save you time and money as well.  Since it is just hubby and I, there is not meal plan.  LOL.  I cook on Monday and Tuesday for the week for him and freeze.  A meal plan allows the kids to pitch in and help to get things ready.

Grocery List – Keep a grocery list on your fridge so you can mark when you are about to run out of items.  We use a wipe board and add to it as needed which is a HUGE help when it comes time to grocery shop.

Kid Plan – Chore charts and lists with morning, afternoon and evening routines will help to keep kids on track.

Household To Do List – Keep a list of home projects to be done such as seasonal cleaning and repairs.  

This is also a good spot for Emergency information for babysitters.  A list of phone numbers for neighbors is good to in case your children need to call them.

The Oh Snap Pockets by Thirty One are perfect for kids papers or to keep forms handy.  They can be personalized for tasks or for individuals OR you the chalk front which is easily wipeable to change as needed.  The Oh Snap Bins are great for keys or your cell phone.

The key to a successful system is to keep it as simple as possible.  Too many steps or ‘over-organizing’ can be a waste time.  Choose your most basic, essential needs and skip unnecessary elements.

Not a lot of space, how about the NEW Hang-It Pocket Organizer.  Get organized in the mudroom, office or playroom with this five-pocket organizer.  It can be tied on a door or hung on the wall. Extra-roomy pockets are great for craft supplies, file folders or even kids’ toys. Pair it with our Wall Together collection for the ultimate wall storage solution!

Printables are courtesy of The Peaceful Mom.  Be sure to check out her blog for more tips, tricks and printables.

My essentials in our control center is a calendar and the grocery list.   Choose what works for you.  What would you include?

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

Organize Your Craft Supplies

I don’t know about you but when Belinda was out of school for the summer, my normally neat and tidy craft supplies looked like “who did it and ran”.  She loved to do projects BUT hated to clean up.

So. whether you scrapbook or the kids’ have lots of paper and markers.  Craft supplies tend to clutter up a closet faster than you can complete a project. It seems that the bigger the closet, the more we collect – just can’t resist that sale at AC Moore‘s of Michael‘s and of course Hobby Lobby is deadly, right?

Maybe you have a walk-in closet with lots of room or a closet with just a few shelves – there can be still create order out of craft supply chaos.

Rolling carts: These can be tucked under a shelf or work surface for easy accessibility and are ideal for storing items you don’t use everyday.  I LOVE that the kids can roll this into whatever room they are working and then put things away in the drawers when they are done.

Magnetic spice racks: These small round containers come with clear lids so it’s easy to see what’s inside.

Baskets (or cubes): Small paint bottles, paintbrushes, crayons, markers and colored pencils are easily identifiable and moved about if you have an easel or separate area for drawing and painting.  These cubes also have a clear side so you can see what is in them.

Small compartment boxes: The compartments are great for keeping up with buttons, beads, shells and rubber stamps.

Expanding files: The individual files allow you to easily sort scrapbooking and decoupage supplies into categories, either by person, holiday or event.

If you’re lacking office space, use an armoire or a spare closet (with an electrical outlet nearby) to store your computer, important papers and office necessities.

     

Here’s how:

• Paint the inside of the closet a fun color.
• Add a shelf at chair height for the desktop and one or two shelves up high to store office supplies you don’t use on an everyday basis.
• Create a message board by attaching cork to the inside of the closet door.

• Use wall pockets for incoming mail. Be sure to assign action verbs to each pocket, like To Read, To Do and Trash.
• Place a rolling file cabinet under the desktop to store important papers. Use a color-coded filing system to distinguish between types of papers like bills, bank statements and work-related documents.

Who is ready to organize their craft/office space?  Share with us your best tips.

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

Organizing the Nursery

So, it has been about 27  years since I had to worry about setting up a nursery BUT I have been getting requests on how best to organize one.  Yes, that cutie is my “baby“….

When I set Belinda’s room up, there were lots of hangers and dresser drawers full of stuff.  This busy  mom struggled with remembering where things were especially when I needed to do a middle of the night change.  I wish someone had of shared these tips with me.

Isn’t this adorable?  Inexpensive and practical for small spaces.  Courtesy of Crafty Morning.

We can all agree that layette items should be in easy reach since there are frequent newborn changing.  I mean who wants to turn on the light and go digging for things in the middle of the night, right?

I love the idea of using baskets, bins or cubes that fit perfectly on the changing table. Keeping like items together will help to create a system that will make staying organized easier.

We love the friends and family who buy things in multiple sizes so “they can grow into them”, right?  These chalk cubes, allow you to organize by size and are easily changeable.

Current sizes can be stored for easy access while larger sizes are placed in cubes labeled with size and season.

Diaper changing essentials fit great in a caddy which also allows for it to be portable.  No running to the baby’s run to change a messy diaper.  A diaper caddy is a great way to keep diapers, wipes, lotions and creams together.

Bedding: Reserve a shelf or a container in the closet or under the crib for extra bedding.

Medicines: Keep medicine where you would administer it. If your child is teething you would want to have the teething gel both in the nursery, and in your diaper bag. A small lidded plastic container is a good place to store all necessary medicines (of course, out of reach of the baby or other children). Returning everything to its place will insure that you will have what you need when necessary.

How about baby furniture?  It is best to order furniture 12–15 weeks before the baby’s scheduled due date. This way you can be sure that the furniture arrives, can be assembled and the rest of the nursery can be put into place.  Be practical, making sure that the furniture will fit in with the overall decor of the house and the size of the room.

If these is your first child, consider the fact that the furniture may be used for more than one child? If so, gender-neutral and classic styling is important. You wouldn’t want to purchase furniture that is so trendy it will feel dated by the time your second or third child is born.

Will an older brother or sister need to room with the new baby?  Space planning really needs to be considered.  If an older siblings will be sharing the room, create something that will appeal to both children. Colors and patterns that both children will view as fun with functional furnishings that will keep them both happy.

What are some of your best tips for organizing a nursery or even a toddler’s room?  Share them with us…

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

Organizing Your Home

The first week of the New Year and you are already wondering HOW you are going to accomplish this resolution, right?  It seems overwhelming – new toys for the kids, new clothes, buying seasonal decorations when they are on sale… you get the picture, right?

Now is a great time to create or fine-tune your household systems.  Getting organized doesn’t mean that your house will look perfect all of the time.  Getting organized doesn’t automatically mean the kids will put their toys away.  What it does me is that there will be simple systems in place that will keep you from wanting to declare

Here are three of my favorites:

1. Create a family command center.  You’ll need a monthly family calendar with everyone’s activities on it including Mom and Dad’s.  Color code each family member and write in all activities, parties, birthdays, travel, homework assignments due, etc. This can be a big paper calendar or a white board calendar that’s wiped clean and started over every month. It can hang on the wall or on the side of the refrigerator.  Hubby and I do this now even though it is just us.  It makes life so much easier.  You can keep pens, paper, scissors, tape, etc. in the drawer and it gives the family a place to put their activity schedules and party invitations so you can get them on the calendar right away. You can also use the space to make your grocery list. This becomes the hub for your family and you’ll be on top of their activities.

  

2.  Let the kids help!   Okay, so maybe it won’t be done exactly the way you want.  Maybe you will need to practice patience since I am sure they won’t move as fast as you want them too.  Let the younger kids pick up all the recyclables i.e. papers, magazines, plastic bottles and put them in the recycle bin.  As they grow, they can help load and unload the dishwasher. You can stop laughing now!  It is possible for this to happen  🙂  How about a place for back packs, jackets, shoes and school work.  This will save you HOURS of hunting every morning.   You’ll need is a small place to hang some hooks and some shelves. Even a small peg board with shelves under it helps control the clutter.

3.  Have a dedicated space to work.  I know that not everyone has an extra room to turn into an office.  I began my first craft business with a small table in the corner of the living room.  It definitely was not perfect, yet it worked. Maybe you  have a big closet you can turn into a work space.  It doesn’t matter where it is; it just needs to be dedicated space for you and your business.

Organizing isn’t about making MAJOR changes, it is about taking small steps to make life a little easier for you and those around you.  What are some of your best organizational tips?  Share them with us…

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

National Get Organized Week

Did you know that this week was National Get Organized Week?  This week was originally created by The National Association of Professional Organizers to focus on the benefits of getting organized along with some techniques. They have since gone to January because most people have “get organized” as ONE of their New Year’s Resolutions.

I am old school and remember October as being “fall cleaning” when I was growing up.  In fact my mom still does this.  It was when we cleaned the house top to bottom, over furniture, stored away  summer clothes and brought the dreaded winter clothes out of storage.  So, if your goal at the beginning of the year was “to get organized” now is a great time to finish up the year reaching that goal (if you haven’t already).  Take this week to simplify your life and make it more manageable by getting organized.

I read a quote by a fellow blogger, Cheryl Richardson who is a spirituality and self-help author. Does this sound like your office (or house):

“Stuff has tentacles. Every pile of paper, cluttered counter, or disorganized closet is filled with items that have cords attached to them. These cords reach out and suck the energy from us whether we’re near the stuff or not.”

GO, right now. Grab a broom, a mop, and a dust bin (that’s old school talk for “trash can”). Roll up your sleeves, put on some rockin’ movin’ music and do this!

Here are some solutions to those organizational problems in your home or your office:

   

I love that you can label things to make it easy for kids (and hubby) to know where to put things away.  Like that is going to happen, right?  The cubes are solid on one side while the other side has a clear opening so you can actually see what is inside.  A great way to  hid things when company comes to visit!

As for your office (or even the home), my BEST tip is:

Touch each piece of paper (or email or mail) only ONCE!

I know, crazy right? The truth is it is possible. I used this system for years in my JOB. It made life so easy. I am not sure why I have such a problem in my home office.

What will help you get organized as we enter the last quarter of 2015?  I am not a professional organizer but I do have some great tips and products that will make your life just a little easier.

Wouldn’t it be nice to call someone and have them come in and just pull together that messy closet or counter space or maybe even your office?  Think of how much more energy you will have when you are not faced with the clutter every day.  Remember, clutter drains your energy. It zaps your creativity too. If there’s more to do, continue the process of decluttering and organizing. Twenty minutes a day is all it takes.

How about a “Product Experience“?  A NO obligation consultation.  I will come in and help you with suggestions for your “hot mess” using things you already have or sharing some of Thirty One’s awesome product.  If you are interested in our product and they meet your needs;   I will help you find the best deal for you. If not, it is okay – I will be grateful for the chance to meet some new people and share the gift of Thirty One.

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