Sharing solutions to organize and transform your space.
Ah, the piles of masterpieces that your child creates! Now give them a proper display with new posters from Juxio.
Simply take photos of your child’s creations and upload them to Juxio. Then arrange in a template, and print or share. What could be easier!
Thanks to Gabby from Claiming Space for finding this new resource.
Babies”R”Us and Toys”R”Us are having a trade-in event for cribs, car seats, strollers and more. From January 28 – February 21, 2011 they are giving “customers the opportunity to trade-in any used cribs, car seats, bassinets, strollers, travel systems, play yards, toddler beds or high chairs in exchange for a 25% savings on the purchase of any new baby item, in any of these product categories, from select manufacturers.”
The trade-in event “places an emphasis on specific baby products, such as cribs and car seats that, due to safety concerns, may not be the best candidates to be handed down or resold.”
This is a great opportunity to take a look at older equipment in your home and see if you can trade it in.
Are you a member of the Arlington Family Connection and want to be better organized this year? I’ll be sharing organizing tips for busy families next Thursday, January 13th at 7:30pm. Sponsored by the AFC and open to members only.
It’s almost January! How did that happen? It’s the new year, my birthday month, and a great time to reflect on the year ahead.
What do you want to accomplish? What are your goals for the year? Write or type them out, and visit your list* often.
I’ve already started jotting down a few ideas for 2011: places I want to go, fun things I want to do with my family, goals for my business. And in the spirit of The Happiness Project, I’m going to set a few happiness goals again for myself this year.
During this holiday season, spend a little time relaxing, reflecting and then planning for the year ahead.
*Read my tips for making a list work for you!
Don’t know what to do with your child’s artistic creations? Read Elizabeth’s tips in the October edition of the Boston Parents Paper.
Check out page 24 in the easy-to-read digital version under “Archives - October.”
Parents: get out your No. 2 pencils, it’s the start of the school year! As any parent of a school-age child knows, there seems to be a never-ending supply of required forms. I thought there were a lot to complete for the start of Kindergarten, but the forms continued throughout the school year and summer. There were forms for the after-school program, health forms for sports, forms for each summer camp, and now forms for the new classroom teacher.
Talking about this frenzy of forms with another mom/organizer friend, she shared her secret: she keeps a copy of the form before turning it in. What a brilliant idea! Often the information required is the same each year (emergency contacts, doctor’s phone number, insurance information, for example). Why not have a copy to make it easier to fill out next time?
I’m going to take this one step further: scan the form. Then I’ll have the information for easy reference for the next time, but not the paper.
Recently I had one of my most fun organizing sessions ever: helping my niece set up her dorm room at Harvard! She may have been the only freshman with her own personal organizer, but her mom (my sister) had everything well prepared…including coming with a ton of organizing products.
Although my daughter won’t be heading off to college for quite a while, I was taking notes on what products really worked. Here are my three favorites:
My niece was excited to have her dorm room set up, decorated, and get all her clothes in the closet.
Four…three…two…one! Has school already begun?
The countdown is on for back-to-school, and now is the time to set up (or create!) your systems to stay organized. In my home, during the summer we have different routines and have been on vacation…so we don’t always follow our typical ways of doing things. This is part of summer and the change is good!
Just don’t forget to get ready and set for school.
Be sure that you have a way to deal with:
A “system” doesn’t have to be complex – it is just a process or routine for regular activities to help us stay organized. And simple is often better.
For example, use a basket on the kitchen counter to catch incoming school papers that need your attention. Update your family resource binder with the new class information. Make lunches and have kids pick out clothes the night before. Use a family calendar – paper or electronic – to schedule activities and school days off.
These are just a few ideas. For more, search our blog under the categories “kids” or “school” or contact That’s Neat! Organizing and we’ll set up a customized system just for you.
It’s August, and in New England that means it’s time again to shop for school supplies, new clothes, a lunchbox, or dorm room gear. In other parts of the country classes may have already started.
In honor of back-to-school month we are highlighting our favorite posts from the past year about getting organized for school. Enjoy!
Organizing for the College Years
Have you seen Toy Story 3 yet? Our family saw it last month and really enjoyed the movie. It’s a fun coming of age story for Andy and his toys. (And anyone who grew up with Mr. Potato Head, a slinky dog, green army men, or Barbie and Ken will love those scenes.)
While watching Toy Story 3 I couldn’t help but see (behind my 3D glasses) that the movie also shares a powerful message about what to do with things when you outgrow them. I won’t give all the plot away but an important scene involves Andy and his mom “sorting” his toys into “keep” and “donate” piles.
Andy struggles while making the decisions, which is very true to life. It’s not easy to decide to part with something that was once a treasured possession. But Andy’s plan for his most-loved toys at the end was touching.
Enjoy the show!
To help young kids learn how to put their clothes away, I tell my clients to label the dresser drawers with a word and picture.
Now the work is done for you! I just read about these great dresser knobs in the August edition of Parenting: School Years magazine. I love the idea that the picture is right on the knob – it’s cute and a helpful label all in one, and there are versions for boys and for girls. Check them out from Olive Kids.
I’ve been trying to remember to put sunscreen on my daughter before she heads out each day. We’ve left the sunscreen on a shelf by the front door, and we often remember…but there are many hectic mornings when we forget. With the weather getting hotter I wanted to have a reminder for myself.
So I did what I would tell my clients to do: label it! I made a reminder that hangs on a door knob in a fun sun shape. (A post-it note would work just as well.) I made one for the front door and the back door, and now we never forget!
This time of year can be really busy: as soon as school winds down…summer camp starts up. In the next few weeks I’ll be getting my daughter ready to go to camp for the first time.
Here are some reminders to help get your camper ready to go:
With a little bit of planning and organization, your child will be a happy camper!
In a recent post I recommended that parents undertake an end-of-year paper purge of school information. Continuing with that theme…don’t forget the black hole of your student’s backpack!
For many students, the backpack is a black hole: things go in and they don’t come out.
Even if your child is usually good at routinely going through the contents of the backpack, the end of year busyness may mean that papers, projects and other things get shoved in, and there isn’t as much time to go through them. (My kindergartener is fairly organized but I know all spring she has been stashing more and more toys in her backpack for “free choice time.” I don’t think she has any idea how many erasers and Polly Pockets she has accumulated.)
Now’s the time to take a look in the backpack and clean out the papers, trash, food remnants, toys, and whatever else has been hiding in there. Parents of younger kids may need to lend a helping hand, but for older elementary school kids they should be able to do this on their own. At minimum, a child can dump everything out and the parent can guide the sorting of items into basic categories: trash, recycle, and things to keep.
Don’t forget to check out the lunch box too! If it can be used next year, give it a good cleaning. If not, be sure to make a note to buy a new one in the summer.
It’s that time of year: school is almost out for summer!! This year, as school winds down, plan 30 minutes to organize or "reset" the papers from the end of school craziness.
In just 30 minutes you can get a lot done. Here’s how to get started:
Purge last year's school papers from your notebook, folder, or the pile on the kitchen counter where they have been sitting all year. Much of this paperwork will not be necessary to keep.
If there are papers such as class lists you want to keep, you can 1) file in a manila folder labeled with your child’s name, school and year…or better yet, 2) scan the document and toss the paper!
Start a file or binder for the incoming papers you'll receive for the new school year. Label this folder/binder with the school name and year.
Sort and purge the pile of school projects or artwork. Save the special pieces in a file or box (be sure to date them), and archive them in a dry, out of the way spot such as your attic or a closet.
Pick 1-2 creations to display and enjoy. (For more ideas on displaying and using artwork, see this article on my website.)
You can even turn this task into an end-of-school year ceremony with your child. Go through the projects and artwork with your child and have him/her help select the pieces to keep. Celebrate the year's achievements and then enjoy some special time together getting some ice cream, taking a walk, or playing your child's favorite game.
Take some time now to reset the school papers for summer...and in September you'll be glad you did!
Note: This article is based on one originally published in the July/August 2009 edition of The Neat Sheet.
Here's the second post in my Preserving Treasures series…I'm pleased to have our guest blogger, Gabriela Burgman, a trained archivist and professional organizer, back to share her tips for preserving special photos.
In the summer of 1999, I had the wonderful opportunity to work in the photograph archives at the San Diego Historical Society. My duties included describing, dating, and preserving postcards and photograph collections gathered from businesses and families that had lived in San Diego for the past 100 years.
As I handled hundreds of unidentified images and photos that were disintegrating from poor storage, I realized that we, as archivists, needed to teach the public about organizing their photos so that when we received them as donations several generations in the future, their value would not be lost. So I am here today to give you a quick lesson on photo preservation.
Why are photos so sensitive? Print photographs are made up of many layers that come together to form the image. Since photos are more complicated than pieces of paper, they tend to need a little more TLC if you want them to last more than a few years.
Preserving Photos
There are three main things to think about if you want your photos to be around to show the grandkids (especially the really embarrassing photos of their parents).
1. Treat your photos like a living thing. Photos are sensitive to heat, light, humidity, and even air pollution. All of these things can fade, warp, scratch, melt, and disintegrate your photos.
So how do you keep them in good health? Store them in conditions that humans like to hang out in: low humidity, steady in temperature (a bit on the cool side), absent of rodents and insects, and in an atmosphere low in pollution - no smoke, no cleaning solvents, and no paints or varnishes (this includes newly painted rooms or furniture).
Some basic Do’s and Don'ts:
If you ever want to see a demo of what can happen to your treasured objects depending on what room you store them in, visit the Image Permanence Institute website.
2. Store your photos like prized possessions. Now that I've impressed upon you how delicate photos are, let me show you great ways to preserve and organize your images.
First, some important Don’ts:
Now for what you’ve been waiting for: how DO you store photos? There are two levels of “armor” to consider:
1) Paper or plastic? Ideally, photos are stored in either a paper envelope or a plastic enclosure. Deciding which one to use will depend on how many times you will look at the photo, the state of the print (is the emulsion flaking off?) and how big the photograph is.
2) Box or album? After your photos and negatives are in their proper first enclosures, now you can do one of two things: store them in boxes or put them in albums.
I recognize that you can’t put your entire photograph collection into museum preservation order. At minimum, you really should group photos together in small stacks (say 36) and put into buffered folders or envelopes (as shown in this kit sold by Light Impressions).
3. Handle photos with care. Whenever you are going to sort, view, or handle your photographs, make sure that you are first working in a clean, uncluttered area, and have clean hands. (If you are sitting down to do a large project with treasured photos, you might want to even wear clean, white cotton gloves.)
If you are going to try to label your photos, do not use ink or felt-tip pens. You can either write lightly using a soft lead pencil or purchase a special blue photo marking pencil.
I hope you find it useful to preserve your most special photos for years to come!
Gabriela Burgman, owner of Claiming Space, holds a BA from Mount Holyoke College and a Masters Degree in Information Science from the University of Michigan. She has worked in colleges and universities for six years as an archivist and a records manager, assisting academic offices, administrators, and retiring academics sort through their files for preservation or disposal.
Bags are an excellent and inexpensive organizing tool:
How do you use bags in your home? Be sure to label the bags or use different colors/designs to quickly tell them apart. Then you can grab and go!
This was first published in The Neat Sheet newsletter. Sign up for the newsletter here.
Another post by guest blogger, Janna Lufkin. Read her insightful take on being "too organized." (Is there such a thing?)
We hear a lot these days about “getting organized”. I saw the topic on many New Year’s resolution lists in January. It’s true, once you get yourself organized you quickly realize how much smoother your entire life runs.
However, I’ve seen the other end too – believe it or not, too organized! So much so that it makes it difficult to actually “live” in a home comfortably.
I think at one time, I fell into that category: a place for everything, everything in it’s place “QUICKLY” kind of approach worked best for me. But for my family? Maybe not so much.
For example, my daughter would come through the back door from a day at school, kick off her shoes, dump her backpack, lunch, etc. and be so excited to tell me about her day. I would listen (sort of) while whisking shoes into a bin, hanging up her backpack and cleaning out her lunch bag all in record time. In a flash, I had it done and would move onto my next task – usually dinner.
Fortunately, it occurred to me one day (hopefully not too late) that I was wasting valuable face time with her. I realized I was missing out on the big stuff – the important stuff - the stuff that really mattered.
We live in a relatively small home – a little less than 1900 sq.ft. and while it is ample space for three of us, in no time it can feel messy and disorganized if things don’t quickly migrate to their ‘homes’.
But how quick is to quick? Seconds from landing is probably too quick.
My solution: I learned to get things in order before I turned in for the night. I’d spend a few minutes, usually not more than 20 or 30, picking up, looking over schoolwork, making lunches, etc. Things were quieter then too and I found the time less stressful and even enjoyable. I knew that when I got up the next morning, things were organized and I could go about getting my day started quickly and easily.
Whether it’s getting your paperwork in order, getting your kids out the door in the mornings, grocery shopping, getting dinner on the table or cleaning up your house, take a step back and remember to actually “live” in your home. Your family will love you for it too.
Happy Valentine’s Day.
-Janna
This month is the perfect time for a tune up, a toy tune up that is! After the holidays it can be overwhelming to integrate the new toys into the mix. I try to take it slow, and put out the things my daughter really wants to play with right away. I put other items away for a snowy/rainy day, and then try to find a place for the rest. Inevitably this means some purging of old items, which is OK.
Last weekend my six-year old daughter and I purged her dress up clothes and purses, and her box of art supplies. I let her take the lead as my "client" and decide what she wanted to keep, what could be given away to another child, and what should head to the trash. She didn't get rid of a ton, but we worked together to clear room for some of the new special things. For example, her art table was a mess of old half-done projects and worn out supplies, so I said that if she wanted to use the new sticker maker and stack of coloring books she had to make some space.
It was also a good opportunity for me to see what items she really liked and what see didn't. It is easy to forget that our kids' interest in their toys changes over time.
This may not work for all kids, but try to involve them in the process of what to keep and what to pass on/donate.
Set a timer for 20 minutes, pick one toy area, and see if a tune up helps you start the year off right!
My project is done: the artwork is sorted and stored! Though I recycled a lot, I still have folders full of my daughter’s masterpieces: one folder for each year to date. In addition, I kept some 3D sculptures, and a great scrapbook put together by her pre-school. All are stored in a plastic bin to protect them from water and dirt. This will be my archive in the attic. I have a small basket in the kitchen to catch the new things as they come in. I'll recycle what I can, and when that basket is full, I'll put what I want to save in my attic archive.
Actually, this project didn’t take as long as I had expected. Three or four nights after dinner working on it and I was done. The longest part was that it took me four weeks to feel comfortable enough to recycle the art that didn’t make the cut. Admittedly, I looked through the recycle bags a few more times before finally letting them go. I know that what I saved is really the “best” and that it is plenty for us to enjoy looking at in the future.
Inspired by Janna’s post, I pulled out some of the seasonal artwork to display at the holidays.
I was surprised to find a pumpkin very similar to the one made by Janna’s daughter. Here are the pumpkins created by our daughters…about 15 years apart!
That's Neat! Organizing Elizabeth Goodsell 617.905.7762
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