Family Manager Lists

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In my life, making and having a great list can make things so much easier.  On the Family Manager website, www.familymanager.com, there are many lists for  productivity, family chores and peace of mind.  Creating a list gets it all off your mind and you can really live and do “in the moment”. But what if there were lists made for you so you don’t have to think about it all yourself or that go beyond your own ideas?

Weekly Hit List:  Save your sanity with an orderly list of task.  Family Manager divides your tasks in the the six major departments of life. Using this list, you can write down all the tasks and priorities for week.  Seeing it all written it is easy to review what is to be done, deleted or delegated. 

Who’s Responsible for What,  Age Appropriate Chores List and Kids Chores Chart:  Who said Mom is always responsible for all chores?  A full list of all the possible jobs for family members. Use this list for family members to choose what they prefer or do best.  Assign points for level of difficulty of the chores and then create your own chores chart  to post in the kitchen for all to see. 

House Rules Contract: Family communication begins with agreeing on family guidelines and expectations.  Use this contract as a guideline for your family’s discussion. 

Lists are an easy way to make anything more visual, from the files in your file cabinet to the gifts purchased for holidays.  What lists work for you and your family?

Family Dinner

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dinner organizing and family dinner

 

In our minds, the thought of family dinner brings back a picture of the 50s family gathered around the table feasting on pot roast and mashed potatoes.  With the busy lives we lead we may not be able to make that pot roast ourselves, but we can continue to make family dinner a priority. In a recent Time Magazine article, the Magic of the Family Meal, authors cited the family dinner as a primary part of family life. The communication that goes on not only smooths family life, this article even went on to say it prevents kids from doing drugs! This is reason for us to be sure we have our sacred family time.   http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1200760,00.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/04/fashion/04dinner.html

So how to accomplish this daunting task? Here are several suggestions to make this a simple part of your everyday family life.

Start with a plan. 

Be sure family members can be home together to have dinner.  Making dinner a priority means some thing else may not be a part of your week.  Include grocery shopping (and possibly coupon clipping) in your calendar in order to prepare dinner.

Include your family team in meal planning and preparation.  During a family meeting, have family members request their favorites and make a list.   Family members can partner to make meals and clean up after meals.  With your chores chart, assign a night to the pairs.   If starting dinner is a sticking point, make it a standard operating procedure for whoever comes in the door first starts dinner.

Families look forward to dinner and the yummy foods. 

With your family list create a 3 week rotation of easy to prepare meals. Recycle your 3 week rotations in a notebook to reuse later in the year.  Post the weekly or 3  week rotation on the refrigerator so your family knows the plan and chats about the yummy treats coming up.

Keep It Simple Sweetie applies to family dinner.

It is about gathering together, not culinary creativity.  Sandwiches, breakfast food, and crock pot dinners are all great ways to get dinner done.  Affordable healthy take out from fast food restaurants can be a part of the plan too.

Family traditions start with dinner time. 

Friday night can be frozen pizza night, Sunday is Dad’s Grill Day and Wednesday night might be Breakfast for Dinner night.  Our kids remember these times!

Your pantry should be the go to spot for those crazy nights when everyone is running late.  Include pasta, bottled speghetti sauce, tuna and other staples that can be turned into dinner in 30 minutes.

Plan for leftovers. 

Recently I read about a family who dedicates Sunday to going to the park each Sunday in the summer.  Dad grills burgers, chicken and other dinner meats for the week, while Mom relaxes and the kids play games.  On a weekend, double recipes and freeze half.  Cook an entree that can be used in two different dishes, such as taco meat for burritos and later in the week taco salad.

And here are a few other resources too!

www.5dollardinners.com

http://www.dinnerplanner.com/

www.menufortheweek.com

http://www.makedinnereasy.com/

http://www.sixoclockscramble.com/

http://thefamilydinnerproject.org/

 

What is your favorite way to get dinner done?

Back to School Supplies

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Shopping for school supplies is creating a boost for our economy!  Choose where to shop first based on your most expensive item. If you need new backpacks for the kiddos, shop first at the store where these are most on sale.  Don’t forget our sales tax free weekend on August 21 – 23! Its a little late but a great date!  

Some outstanding websites to help you save for school supplies!

www.houstononthecheap.com

www.target.com

www.officemax.scom

www.orientaltrading.com

www.discountschoolsupplies.com

Mom to Mom Toddler Success Tips

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As my kids grew up, I always appreciated tips from other moms who had kids in the same stages as mine or even a heads up about what is coming up.  My daughter is in the middle of the terrible two’s phase.  Here are some of her success tips.
Consistency is most important for parenting a toddler.  Have a plan and don’t waiver, regardless of continual whining, continual negotiation and even if it seems easier to give in.  To be consistent, you must first know what is important to you. Being respectful, having good manners, eating properly and taking care of toys are top priorities.  

Routines are important for every day organizing.  Schedule pick up time regularly in intervals before the next activity. No one is overwhelmed and your home stays orderly.  Five minute “heads up” prepares your toddler for what is coming next.  “Five minutes until we put away toys.” The transition time helps them know what is next and get ready.  Morning and evening routines emphasize the order of life too! In the morning we get up, go potty, brush teeth, get dressed, eat breakfast, and get ready for “school”.  Every afternoon nap time takes place between 12  and 1.  Routines make our lives smooth and tranquil.

Potty training is a big step for toddlers.   A great resource is Potty Training in Less than a Day by Nathan Azrin and Richard Foxx.  It really works! Be sure to follow exactly what it says. 

Time out is viewed as a time to reflect and refocus.  This is coupled with the beginnings of character training and communication.  We stress apologizing, stating what he did, saying he was sorry, and ending with a hug and a kiss. 

My great joy at being a mom is watching my daughter be a great mom!

 

 

 

 

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Gigi Day

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As an organizer, it is important to me to to prioritize. And nothing is more of a priority to me than my family and relationships. Last year, I started having Gigi Day with my grandkids.  Why Gigi Day? I am called Gigi by my grandkids and 2 of them live nearby.  Every Friday I spend the day having fun with them.  What do we do? It can be as simple as a trip to the park, the zoo or Children’s Museum. Some time it is playing hide and seek.  It is my way of spending time with them every week just to be a part of their everyday lives.  

Each summer my other grandchild comes to visit for several weeks and it is our time to spend with him.  As a far away grandparent, we are thrilled to have him play with his big wheel on the driveway, color or play with trucks.   This is time that is priceless, super valuable and incredibly important!   

These times are my small but important ways to do what is most valuable to me.   The greatest gift is time spent together, not the stuff you can buy. 

Think about what your family shares. How do you spend time together? Do you have family dinner and time to have fun? Listed here are some Houston links  for family fun. 

http://www.cmhouston.org/

http://www.discoverygreen.com/

http://www.chron.com/channel/momhouston/

http://www.houstononthecheap.com/

http://www.hmns.org/

http://www.houstonzoo.org/

http://www.grandparents.com/gp/home/index.html

 What family fun are you sharing this week?

Organizing Your Car

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organizing your car

 

Your car is your office on the go and your home away from home! Whether you are a professional going to work or a busy mom or dad carpooling, having an organized vehicle can make the difference in your travels.  Organizing your car just takes a few extra minutes!

Think about what items you will need as you travel. We all need tissues, first aid kit, car insurance, and a flashlight just in case. What is needed for other travelers? Busy families may need books or toys. Travel for work may require business products and files. Take a few minutes to plan and write a list of needs for you and your family.

If you car is your mobile office, organize for stocking, storing and traveling with business tools. Carry some basic desk items such as business cards, calculator, stapler, scissors and tape in a zipper case or small tackle box. Store files in a hanging file case with a cover. Be sure to have a notebook and pen in your car for taking notes.

For kids on the go, being organized makes every trip less demanding. With access for your back seat travelers, you can place an organizer in the back seat or over the seat with a place for a water bottles, electronic games and books. For kids’ toys and more, there is the Clear away car organizer from OnlineOrganizer.com. For maps, snacks and more, look into the Case Logic Back Seat Organizer from stackandstacks.com. For movies and technology, look at the High Road Entertainment Organizer from www.thebusywoman.com. These organizing products make travel easier for everyone!

Every day items require storage too. The Creekside Cargo Mini from www.drivewerks.com keeps all sorts of items from milk to soccer balls from rolling around your trunk. For tools, purchase a durable canvas bag to contain all the tools including jumper cables. For compact disks, visor storage is a convenient, easy to access spot. What about trash? A pop up trash can made of durable mesh can fit by the driver’s seat.

What about paper? The glove compartment or center console is a great spot for this! Use a check organizer and group the papers by category, such as maps and directions, insurance, warranty/instructions and emergency phone numbers. Be sure to label each pocket for easy retrieval.

Finally, keeping your car organized requires maintenance routines. Each stop along the way and each evening empty the trash from your car. Restock the items for your business on a weekly basis. Remind family members to replace items in the storage spots. Be vigilant about your registration sticker and make a note on your calendar when to renew this. Emptying the car is more than stuffing a bag and dropping it in your garage. Finish your routine by putting the items in the trash or in their place inside your home.

What will work for you to keep your car organized?

Go Outside and Play

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Being active with my grandkids is a priority for me! Recently interviewed by Grandparents.com (July 1 edition), I was interviewed about my favorite outdoor activity with the 3 grands. http://www.grandparents.com/gp/content/activitiesandevents/everyday-activities/article/13-grandparents-1-mission.html?clktrk=home_feature_stories-1

Pool time is my favorite kid and grandkid activity! In the pool families interact on a totally fun, non judgemental, no standards arena.  It is all about safe, “clean” fun!  Everyone gets time to be together, share the space and get a healthy dose of vitamin D too.  Being active promotes a healthy lifestyle, encourages a life long love of activity, and bonds you as a family.   Outside time is an aspect that nurtures me, creates clarity in my life and is a priority for me.  I want to share this with my family. 

What are you doing to go outside and play?

Date Night

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When asked to give advice to newlyweds, I always answer to include a weekly Date Night in their activities. Daily life takes it toll on relationships, when conversations about finances, kids and work can take priority over relationships.  Date night is one evening (or day) once a week spent having fun with your spouse.  It is a time to connect on different levels, including communicating about what you are thinking about as well as making plans for the future.  It is also the time to renew the fun you had when you began your relationship.  Date night does not have to be expensive or elegant. It can be a dinner and movie in or out, ice cream at Sonic, a trip to a museum or zoo, or whatever simple activity you both enjoy.  Date night keeps communication and fun in your most important partnership. This is just another way your planner  help you prioritize and  empower our relationships. 

 

Others agree too! http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/life/main/6544045.html

 

JQ and my favorite date night is dinner and a movie.  What is your’s? 

 

 

Clutter has its cost

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Has “clutter-it is” taken over at your home or office? Is every flat surface obscured by paper or belongings? My favorite Peter Walsh statement is about the cost of clutter.  Peter Walsh has a way of saying this in his book Enough Already.  Clutter is demanding, it robs us of space.  It promises everything, delivers nothing, and eventually stresses you out.  Clutter costs us peace of mind and drains us of positive energy. Imagine what you could do with the time and space your clutter is currently taking up!

Choose 15 minutes to declutter your home every day. You can do anything for 15 minutes! Take a few minutes to get items back where they belong in their homes. If items do not have a home, decide if you will “use them or lose them” being ready to store, donate or toss. This routine will get your home or office back to running order very quickly.

Choose 5 items to declutter. What do you truly love, truly use and truly need access? Walk around your home and think about items you truly have not used in YEARS! Do this once a week, and with this baby step, your living and working space will evolve into a clear space.

Declutter your mind with lists. Use paper and pencil to clear out all those required activities, last minutes errands, purchases and more. Keep paper and pencil in your car, by your bed and by each telephone. If you always have access to paper, it is easier to make a list!

Do you have “virtual clutter” – email, forwards, or spam? Eliminate this clutter by using the spam filter provided by your service provider. Hit the delete key for unwanted emails as soon as they arrive. Add a note to your signature line on your email stating “Please do not forward unnecessary email or chain letters to this me. Thank you.” Junk mail and junk email are the same – toss these as soon as these arrive in your box!

Stop clutter before it begins! Before you purchase any item, evaluate how and when will you use it, where will you store it, and whether or not you truly love it!

What is clutter costing you?  Has it cost  you too much already?

Family Manager

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Creating a happy, organized home helps each family member be the best they can be! By building a cohesive family team, you are affirming all of the family members and nurturing yourself and them. For several years I have been a fan of the Family Manager program and Kathy Peel.   The program emphasizes a fresh perspective on your home and life.  And sometimes this new perspective makes all the difference for your family!  As a Certified Family Manager I help people review what is going on in their homes and lives as if it were a business.  Your home is viewed from the perspective of 7 different “departments”, including home and property, food, special events, time and scheduling, finances, personal management and family and friends.  A family manager uses the same skills and strategies of team building, delegating, and standard operating procedures as a business would.  By knowing what our job is, “managing” each department, knowing our mission and communicating well, we empower ourselves and our family.   Learn more about family manager at www.familymanager.com.  Kathy’s book, A Busy Mom’s Guide to a Happy, Organized Home, tells all about this system and more!