A new week has begun and I am enjoying spring, except for the freezing cold softball game last week. I mean really freezing cold. I was bundled in a sleeping bag as I watched the game. I don’t know how my daughter stayed warm, especially since shecouldn’t wear a jacket while she pitched. I guess youth can bear the cold!
This week, I have a few surprises for you. Steve is offering a free teleseminar for the whole family this Saturday. In case you’ve never attended a teleseminar, you can do it from the comfort of your own home! More details tomorrow.For now, just mark Saturday morning on your calendar.
On to this week’s article….
I receive a newsletter about getting organized now, by Maria Garcia. Her recent newsletter discusses the habits of Highly Organized People. When I read the first habit, I didn’t read any further. I was convinced I needed to make a change in my life and our home. And I plan to start today!
The first habit was …
“They have a place for everything. Every item they have has a consistent, assigned home. The home for books is on the book
shelf. The home for toys is in the toy room on the toy shelves. The home for blank greeting cards is in the greeting card organizer in the office.”
As much as I try, I seem to still have a stack of items that need to be sent back to their “home”.
Do you have a home for every item in your house?
Do you have a junk drawer to throw your unknowns into?
Do your children have a home in their room for all their belongings?
Spring is the traditional time to thoroughly clean your home. When you clean over the next few weeks, be sure every item you
keep has a “home”.
Do you feel like you need a larger home with more compartments to have a place for everything?
Then, get a grip! You probably need to trash some of your stuff or re-organize your cabinets and drawers. Here’s a quick tip on
cleaning a room.
1. Get 3 boxes & label them: Save, Trash, Give-Away/Garage Sale
2. As you clean a room, put everything in a box. Nothing sits on the side waiting for a decision.
3. All the stuff in Give Away is taken to a charity or sold in a garage sale within 2 weeks.
4. Trash items are TRASHED! Really!
5. Everything in the Save box must find a home, a place where it can be returned after being used. If you can’t find a home for it, put it in another box
If you need to re-organize your closets, cabinets & drawers, go to the dollar store and buy some appropriate dividers &
containers. You can probably get everything you need for cheap.
Label each divider & container so everyone in your home knows what belongs there.
Once you are clean and organized, here’s the kicker . . .WHEN YOU USE IT, PUT IT BACK.
As you train yourself to put things back, teach your children to do likewise, even if they are 4 or 5 years old. After you have
school on the kitchen table, put your teacher helps and student books back where they belong. After your children play with
toys, put them back. After you scrapbook, sew or do your hobby, put back all your supplies.
Not only will this help you become organized, it will help keep your home tidy. And you (& your spouse) will be much happier.
It does take time to put things back in their place, but in the end it will save you time. Think about it, how long does it take
to put your writing manual back on the bookshelf or in the crate?
Less than a minute.
How long does it take you to put a stack of books & papers away at the end of the week? At least 15-20 minutes, probably more!
Since I’m writing to myself, as much as you, I’d love to hear your ideas on being organized. Please post a comment so everyone
can read them.
Kerry
ps. Don’t forget the firesale price increases today, Monday March 26 at noon PST! Grab your copy now.
Christian Homeschool Curriculum
pps. Watch your email this week for my surprises (1 is the teleseminar and you’ll have to watch for the other one)
