Organizing

Back to School Organization

It is time for back to school! Are you ready? Are you Organized? 

It is time for back to school! Are you ready? Are you Organized?

 

Have you looked at what processes you have in place to assist you and your kids in their busy lives? With the school year starting or just started it is not too late to get yourself in gear and get organized.

Summer holidays are drawing to a close and we are now facing the "reality" of routine and digging in and getting to work.

Here are a few tips to get you up and running just a little smoother.

  • Stick to routine
  • Get to bed at a decent hour- Get Plenty of Rest
  • Meal Plan
  • Prepare ready to go snacks for the week
  • At night get organized for the next day

Always plan the night before for the next day. Get ready before you turn in for the evening. Try not to leave it to the last minute. If its too late at night you may just be too tired or too unmotivated to get it done! Make this a priority right after the dinner hour. 

Plan Meals Ahead of Time

This doesn't necessarily have to look like an entire full blown week meal plan, but think about at least 4 main meals you can make. What you will need to take out of the freezer the night before, is there any thing you can make now for the next day?

While preparing one meal, can you start on the prep work for the next day at the same time? It really boils down to thinking ahead and having some ideas in mind.  Make a list with Ideas to get organized in your meal plan.

Children's lunches and snacks are always a challenge to get made in the morning before work. If you love to sleep just a little longer or hit the snooze button it is definitely time to change the routine.

Create a Snack Station in your Fridge

Healthy ready to go snacks are golden!  Prepackage your freshly cut veggies, raisins, crackers and cheese slices. Pre-make on Sunday night for the week small individual baggies of snacks ready to go. Place your ready made bags in one drawer or bin in your refrigerator.  Have ready lunch bags/ totes/ frozen juice box ready to use as your ice pack. Empower your children to choose what snack they will take with them to school from the snack drawer.  More time to enjoy your morning coffee.

Coordinate Calendars

Have a shared family Google calendar, or a paper calendar in view for all to see. Plan as  family activity and coordinate events, birthday parties,exams, soccer games and medical appointments. All planned activities should be on the family calendar.

Back to school is all about establishing routine and getting organized.  Taking a few moments to plan each week in advance will save you house of aggravation and hopefully help you create some more "Me Time"

Live well and thrive!

 

 

 

 

Clutter is What Stands Between You and Success

Clutter is what stands between YOU and SUCCESS!

Over the next little while I will be writing about clutter, the scale of measure and things we need to do to move us towards to success.

What does the clutter say – lack of focus, procrastination, lack of attention – You may experience some or all of these things.

Are you finding yourself asking -  Where do I start?

A good idea is to go room by room and do a survey. Ask yourself some questions such as:

  • What does my clutter say about me?
  • Is my room tidy and neat
  • Is it paper clutter and minor clutter?
  • Is it happily cluttered?
  • Is it messy?
  • Too embarrassing to invite any one in?

Biggest Clutter Problems

The biggest clutter problem in many people’s lives is paper.

If we stay on top of things we prevent feeling overwhelmed. Unfortunately life gets busy and paper piles up from time to time. It is then that we begin to feel overwhelmed. We can’t keep up and sometimes we feel like we are so deep in the clutter we cant get out.

Once you decide that you need to take some action it is a good time to begin asking yourself some challenging questions that will ultimately help you in the long run. Take a few minutes to ask why we are holding on to stuff and what is the use and how the stuff is contributing to our lives.

Are you holding stuff out of fear or just no time to get to it?

Are you addicted to Busy?

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Are you too busy being busy?

Running around so busy that you really dont have time for anything? You run into your neighbour and your so busy talking about how busy you are that you really forget to have a REAL conversation? 

Someone said to me the other day.. I feel like it is the new buzz. The new one up. The new step ahead of your rival. 

Thinking about running into people recently I realized she was probably right. Everyone is busy and everyone is talking about being too busy. 

People do not have time for getting organized, smelling the roses and calling an old friend. WHY? Because were all so busy. I've never thought as myself as trying to one up someone over being busy.

If anything I search for ways and ideas, systems to make my life simpler and less busy. 

Think about the concept if you said to your neighbour,  I've been enjoying my favourite book, sitting in the garden or creating these great fall decorations for my home. It has energized me and been so much fun!  I could almost guarantee it that inside your neighbour would be green with envy

wishing they had only made that time to do those things that really nourish the soul.

They may actually come back to you with their long list of busy-isms. I'm just way to busy with this and that to have time to read a book they may say.

Unfortunately this has often been a norm of society. Some of the biggest offenders can be parents of children. I have to ask, what ever happened to the kid who was involved in one or two activities? Now I see children and parents involved in multiple activities that encompass their entire week.  When do you ever get a break! That is just it., they don't.

Mental and physical clutter are intertwined together, Too busy to take the time to clear your mind, relax and enjoy... smell the roses.. read a book, visit with friends.  Your home becomes riddled with clutter, paper piles, dish filled sinks. One area of your life often manifests someway into another area of your life. Clutter in your mind, becomes clutter in your home, and clutter in your home manifests into anxiety, restlessness and irritability.

Disorganization costs you on so many levels.

The key is to realize that these busy-isms cost you. And cost you dearly. One of the most important things you can do for you is to take time to take care of yourself. Every age, gender, race ,nationality .. every person on the planet needs time to regroup and recharge our batteries.  It is true that some need more time than others, however we all need time.

Schedule in some honest uninterrupted you time this week.  If it means hiring someone to get your groceries, have someone watch your kids for a day, take your laundry to the cleaners,  arrange a car pool for your kids. Give yourself a break.

Taking time for you helps to restore balance and gives you peace of mind.

Time can not be recaptured.

Dont be addicted to busyness and dread what you may  find in it's absence. You may actually be pleasantly surprised.  

Remember this if you remember nothing at all.. at the end of the day you will not be sitting back saying I wish I worked more, I wish I was busier. You will be sitting back saying I wish I had more time for lunches with my mom, More time for a martini with the gals, More time for quiet family times, More time for days with my dad. More time for the good hard laughs with your best buds.. the list goes on.. We can't get time back, but we can definitely find ways to simplify our life, and make time for what really matters.