Tackling the Dreaded To Do List

Trying to get things done around the house, but feeling overwhelmed by your never-ending list of things-to-do?

Here’s a simple system that works.

Make a Master Task List of everything you have to, or want, to do. Don’t worry about the order right now.  You’re basically brain-dumping on paper all your To-Do’s to get the thoughts out of your head and onto paper. This exercise  creates a master laundry list of tasks.

Now, beside each task on your master list, assign a letter of priority:

A = Important / Urgent

B = Important, but Not Urgent

C = Would be nice to do

Each day, transfer no more than 4 items (3 is ideal) from the master list to your To Do List (two A Priorities, one B Priority, and one A, B or C Priority). Focus on completing only those items and forget the rest for now.  When you’ve completed the 4 items on your list, feel free to transfer 4 more items from your Master List to your To Do List.

The key to this system is that you’ve gotten all those pesky tasks that swim around in your head, onto paper. Then by moving to your To-Do list and focusing only 3-4 tasks per day, you’ve kept your list manageable and attainable, rather than setting yourself up for failure by a To Do list that not even Super-woman could accomplish.

By using this system every day, you’ll be amazed at all you can accomplish in less time and less stress!

Find this To Do list notepad at The Simplified Home.

Originally posted 2009-11-07 16:48:10. Republished by Old Post Promoter

The Organized Student – Kids, Backpacks and Papers, Oh My!

I’m a busy mom with school-aged kids, so it goes without saying that we experience hectic school day mornings. If your mornings are chaotic like ours, follow these get-organized tips to ensure a smooth to and from school routine.

• Make mornings flow smoothly by getting everything ready the night before.
• Have school bags packed and placed by the door and tomorrow’s outfits laid out.
• Organize your kid’s departure and arrival spot (I call this the launching and landing pad). Declare a home for backpacks close to the door they leave and arrive. Install hooks at a kid-friendly height. My kids have a square wicker basket close to the door that they enter and leave for school where their backpacks go and other school related items. We place everything that needs to go to school in that basket. When they get home, everything, including shoes get placed there so they don’t get strewn all over the house.
• Keep school shoes by the door to eliminate the mad morning rush to find two matching shoes (this also cuts down on cleaning since kids leave dirty shoes at the door when they come in)
• Pre-pack the non-perishable parts of school lunches, so you can simply pop in a sandwich in the morning. Prepare for breakfast the night before by getting out cereal bowls and cups.
• Create a Kids’ Morning Routine checklist so no essential task gets overlooked, like forgetting to brush teeth or comb hair, and post it on the fridge and/or bathroom mirror.
• Likewise, create an “Out the Door” list of items they need to take to school, and post it on or near the exit door. Include items like homework, lunch, library books, gym shoes, instruments.  Include the time they need to be downstairs for breakfast and when they need to exit the house to meet the bus. This builds their time management skills rather than just waiting for your yelling “the bus is coming” to prompt them. I’ve included a  sample checklist that I created for my oldest daughter when she entered first grade. This made a huge improvement in her ability to stay focused and on task in the morning.

Place a clock in strategic locations in your children’s morning routine , like the bathroom, kitchen and their bedroom. Both my daughters have missed the bus at least once through the year by losing track of time while primping in the bathroom when there was no clock in sight.

 

After we adopted these strategies in our home, our mornings were much less chaotic. And my kids haven’t missed the bus since and gone are the days of mid-morning phone calls from a frantic child begging me to bring their homework or packed lunch they left at home.

To learn more family management strategies like this, my Home Organization Secrets for Busy Moms ebook is now on sale for $9.99 and can be immediately downloaded.

My Daughter’s Morning Schedule (in 1st grade)

Upstairs: Wake up at 7:00am

        Get dressed …

• Put on clean underpants
• Shirt & pants
• Socks – to match outfit
• Shoes – to match outfit
• Brush teeth & tongue
• Comb hair

** 30-45 minutes to get dressed – be ready to come downstairs by 7:45am **

Downstairs: be downstairs by 7:45am

• Come downstairs to kitchen to eat breakfast
• Check backpack to be sure everything has been put in
• Put on coat, gloves, hat
• Walk out door for bus at 8:05am

Originally posted 2009-10-26 22:05:38. Republished by Old Post Promoter

Think in systems to organize your home and life

When I worked in the corporate world as a business analyst it wasn’t a stretch for me to think in systems.  In an office environment processes and procedures are established to create order and and establish habits.  Often office systems are documented in a Procedure Manual for all to follow.  We are also accustomed to having the supplies needed in our work space in order for us to perform our job and to follow the company’s systems. 

When I became a Professional Organizer in 2003, it occurred to me that we can transfer this same ’systems theory’ to managing our home. You manage your home in systems as well.

So what do I mean by a a home management system?  It is a set of procedures and processes, or a routine/habit that is put in place in your home to manage five key variables:

·   Space

·   Your stuff

·   Information flow

·   Your time

·   Relationships – with those for whom you share your space 

 

Develop systems to manage these variables and you have designed solutions to calm the chaos of your daily life. A system can be as simple as a labeled folder to a specific organizing product designed to hold all your personal information, like those available in our e-store The Simplified Home.  The important thing is that you establish a consistent routine or process for yourself and your family for the repetitive tasks you perform regularly. These routines/processes done consistently become habits.  One of my favorite quotes, by Ben Franklin, is …

 

 “To change a habit begin immediately and let no single exception to occur.”

 

Consistency is the key to establishing a habit.  

When I work personally with clients, I assess the systems they have in place and those that are missing. So what systems should you consider to simplify your home?  Here’s a list of home organization systems I suggest that my  clients consider.  

 

• System for keeping track of your daily schedule

• System for processing incoming mail – from the mailbox and from children’s bookbags

• System (or consistent home) for finding car keys, purse/wallet, cel-phone, laptop, etc.

• System for paying bills on time

• System for teaching and delegating household chores within the family

• System for food shopping (grocery list and organizing coupons)

• System for keeping track of daily and weekly To Dos (actions)

• System for regular decluttering / weeding

• System for tracking birthdays, anniversaries

• System for the home laundry process

• System (routine) for getting out of the house on time for work, appointments, meetings

• System for staying focused and productive (i.e., timer, alarm)

• System for processing children’s school papers

• System for keeping track of home information (warranties, operations manuals, room dimensions, carpet samples, etc.)

• System for family communication

• System for merchandise returns, errand-running

• System for weeding out no longer needed clothing

• System for filing and retrieving vital family records

 

I call this a ‘Home Systems Checklist’ and I give this checklist to new clients so they can evaluate and analyze their own household. 

 

So how about you? I invite you to use this list to do the same in your home. Also think about the supplies you need to establish these systems.

 

You too can get organized by thinking in systems.  I’d love to hear your feedback – please leave a comment about home systems that have worked well for you and if you can think of a system that I didn’t include. Also, if you’d like to hear more detail about any of these systems, leave a comment about your greatest challenge and I’ll do a future post about specific systems you want to learn more about.

 

I also invite you to visit The Simplified Home for many ready-made home organization systems and solutions so you don’t have to reinvent the wheel.

Originally posted 2008-10-24 21:27:45. Republished by Old Post Promoter

Form a family team with age-appropriate chores

What age do you think that kids should start contributing to household chores?
Kids of all ages can and should be taught by their parents the value of organizing and cleaning up after themselves. If parents teach them in an age-appropriate, structured way, it’s a value that will stick with them throughout their lives and help them to be successful.

Parents can teach their kids by establishing regular routines for other things, like bedtimes, meals and chores. Kids will soon learn what is expected of them and it won’t seem like work to them. If you have multiple kids, you can even assign tasks according to their ages. In my home, we use the “Mom Can I Help Around the House” chore system. The idea is really simple. Each of my kids has a personalized chore binder assigned to them. Each chore is clearly written so they understand what they need to do. They are expected to complete their chores between Friday after school through Sunday at noon. Each of my kids learns to manage their time, set goals, experiences the satisfaction of accomplishing a task and is praised for their efforts. All without my having to “nag” them!

Here are some chores your children can do for their specific age group:

Kids under 6 should be able to these chores:

• Pick up their toys.
• Hang up coats and put shoes away.
• Set the dinner table.

Kids over 6 can (and should) help with:

• Help with laundry
• Clear used dinner items after meals and help with washing dishes.
• Help with caring for pets.

As your children grow, add responsibilities to your children(s)’ chore folder that include more steps and instructions. Be sure to praise them along the way and give them every opportunity to succeed. Keep in mind that you’re not doing them any favors if you follow behind your children and correct their work. In the real world, this won’t be done for them. Give them real world exposure by providing feedback and have them correct less than acceptable work. This teaches them, above all else, a sense of responsibility and accomplishment for a job well done. You will be able to maintain a cleaner home and your children will have learned valuable skills that will last a lifetime.

Originally posted 2008-09-29 06:28:25. Republished by Old Post Promoter