Amen!  This is a guest post from my friend and Clever Container team leader, Melissa Schmalenberger aka Ms. Simplicity. If you like this article, please tell her so!

So often when I work with client’s they are terrified to throw* anything of their child’s away. I am not sure where this fear comes from, but parents everywhere I give you permission to start to throw your kid’s stuff away. I am talking about gum wrappers, broken bracelets, one earring without a mate, torn books, pieces of half scribbled on paper and toys they no longer play with. I am not telling you to get rid of their prized possessions, simply the junk and clutter in their room that surround them.

Organizing your kids

This is my concern, if you don’t teach children now while you are living with them what is of value and what is not of value when will they learn it? Will you be visiting their first apartment and have to move the pile of clothes that they don’t wear off of the couch before you can sit down. Will you go into a bathroom filled with beauty products where only a handful are used?

Interesting enough when I have the children working with me, guess who is okay with getting rid of the stuff? It is true, it is the child. What I often hear is a mom saying, “but that this the stuffed animal that uncle Alan got you on your first birthday?” I hear the parent trying to talk the child into keeping the object. Who has the problem with clutter I wonder….the pack rat kids or the sentimental parent?

This lesson became laser focused on me when my husband and I were watching a YouTube video from one of my boys’ favorite videos when they were young. My husband and I were laughing and saying how we couldn’t believe how much our boys loved that video. Both of our older boys looked at us and said they didn’t remember it at all. Then it dawned on me…..it was my memory of the video and the good times we had while watching it….it was not their memory.

So ask yourself when helping your children declutter, whose memory is it anyway? Learn how to give with purpose and show your children that when they drop off a load of clothes and toys to a battered women’s shelter it is going to have a direct impact on a child. Chances are your kids will step up and do the right thing….will you?

*I use the term throw loosely here. Please know that I encourage recycling in every form and I encourage my clients to do so as well.

To Joyful, Simplified Living,

MS. Simplicity

MS. Simplicity, also known as Melissa Schmalenberger  operates her business as I Did it with MS. Simplicity.  She is a Professional Organizer based out of Fargo, ND and her website can be found at http://www.ididit-fargo.com/

In a forum for Professional Organizers, I saw a post asking about a timer that would help an ADD client. I quickly paid attention to that discussion thread as I often help ADD clients and parents of ADD children.  The tool that was suggested was the Time Timer.

So guess what? It’s today’s Tool Tuesday feature! I’ve done a little research and really think this is worth checking into – even if you don’t have ADD!

It comes in many shapes and sizes:

• In three sizes as a battery operated clock ($30-$40)

• It’s an iPhone app (1.99)

• It’s an iPad app ($6.99)

• It’s a wristwatch ($40)

What’s unique about it?

• It is a visual representation of time. The red area indicates the time remaining.

• It is quiet, no loud alarms.

How to use it:

• Stay on track in a meeting – everyone sees how much time is left.

• Finish projects more efficiently.  Saves you time and keep your clients happy.

• Use it to keep distractions to a minimum; set the timer and do the work!

• Teach children about time.

• Become better at estimating the time a job will take.

• Use to time tests, event speakers, breaks, and more.

• Help those with ADD stay on track.

• Help those who are chronically late get out the door on time for appointments.

Check it out for yourself! I’d love to hear your comments here on the blog to encourage others.

The slogan for Time Timer is “Whenever time needs to be managed or measured, you can count on the Time Timer to make every moment count.”

I think they are right on target!

I was on a mission earlier this summer to reduce the amount of memorabilia that I saved.  That was one of the reasons I put together the questions for memorabilia.  My husband and I have been married for 14 years and in that time we have moved 4 times.  Now I am used to moving, I was a military kid.  But what I noticed during the last move was how many boxes of memorabilia we were toting around.

So I set a goal – reduce our memorabilia by 50%.  That may sound a bit harsh to some of you but as the saying goes “to each his own”.  And I love a challenge – they motivate me to succeed! Let me start out by saying that at this point all of our children are adults and all but one is living on their own.

Here are some photos of what I started with.

A pink box with boy baby mementos, and a pink one for the girl baby mementos. 

As I started pulling out the little outfits, I took a trip down . After snapping myself back into the present, I also saw stains! Stains from baby vomit reappear after being laundered and squirreled away, I guess. Honestly, having those stains was a blessing, it made my decisions about what outfits to keep a lot easier.  I also cut back on the baby toys I saved; only keeping the favorite for each child.  I really struggled with what to do when I found the Children’s Bible. So, I left it out in plain sight for a month and let the options roll around in my head.  The final decision was to donate it.  All the children have other bibles and this one was not a special dedication or a rare addition.

After the kid’s boxes were my husband and my childhood memorabilia. I managed to organize the papers and Boy Scout and Girl Scout awards fairly well. And I hung onto Mr. Peanut, Danny O’Day (my ventriloquist dummy) and the Pipi Longstocking doll my mom made me.  Some decisions were hard, others easy; but in the end – I did it! I reduced our memorabilia by 50%! I packed things up very carefully and labeled the boxes.  The next time they are opened, I hope my children and grandchildren will be gathered around to hear the tantalizing tales that go with each piece of our family’s memorabilia.

I said all that to say – here are the steps for dealing with your memorabilia:

Set a goal

Eliminate anything that is ruined

Ask yourself questions abut what you truly want to keep

Organize what’s left

Pack it up and label it

 Found some really darling ways to display the art our little kids bring home. to learn how it’s done, just click the link below the photo. Enjoy!

 Painted frame shapes on a wall

 Sharing Our Kids Art Space.

Hung a board with clips

a little of this, a little of that: DIY: {Kids} Art Display.

Repurposed a large frame

Delightful Order: Child’s Art Board Tutorial.

Scanned the artwork

Get The Look: Children’s Artwork Collages | Apartment Therapy Ohdeedoh.

Hung a wire clothes line

*Random Thoughts of a SUPERMOM!*: Pillow and Art Wall Questions..

Awesome product- window like frames

www.dynamicframes.com/

Have you heard of Pinterest?  You can see the ideas I find there by following my pin boards.

“When shelf space is at a premium, these boxes go a long way in keeping a number of items neat. Tame your paper clutter or sort out any smaller items with these crisp, stackable boxes.”

Organizing with boxes… Okay that’s nothing new but I like these document boxes by Clever Container. Not only are they colorful, but their uniform size makes them perfect for many areas in your home or office. Here are a few ways I have recommended using them:

• One for each family member to be used as in-boxes

• One per child to store (and limit) the amount of school projects and artwork kept for the year

• One per project at work or home

• Containerize crafting tools

• Containerize small toys (barbie outfits, small cars, etc.)

• Holds the art supplies

• Holds vacation/travel memorabilia

• Teachers can carry back and forth with papers to be graded

• Store doilies, napkins, napkin rings in linen closet

• Containerize all small office supplies (extra staples, paper clips, tape, scissors, etc.)

• Give them as a gift to each adult child with their old report cards, sports ribbons, and memorabilia inside

And the list goes on. How would you use these versatile boxes?

If you want a set, you can order them online at my Clever container website – www.clevercontainer.com/Natalie.

For about a year now I have been putting something out there on the social media sites on Tuesdays.  So many people ask me  for recommendations of productivity and organizing tools. It occurred to me that I should be putting these tools here on the blog! So starting today…

Welcome to Tool Tuesdays!

Today’s tool spotlight is GripIt

GripIt is a flat organizer that has rubberized elastic bands designed to hold objects of all shapes and sizes in place.  Unlike a pencil case or accessory bag where your things get jumbled and you stab yourself trying to fumble around and find things, GripIt allows you easy access to your small objects.  Here are a few uses for the GripIt:

• Back to School – pens, pencils, highlighters, Post-Its, calculators, iPods, earbuds, chargers, hand sanitizer

• Diaper Bag – diaper ointment, nail clippers, thermometer, pacifier, bib, extra socks

• Purse – pens,mirror, checkbook, Bluetooth, charger, small notepad, hand sanitizer, chapstick

• Gaming – extra cords, chargers, small game cartridges, accessories, timer (so they don’t play too long!)

• Sewing Kit – thread, pins, scissors, seam ripper, measuring tape, safety pins, ruler

• Mobile Office – pens, highlighter, smart phone, earbuds, flash drive, charger,, business cards

• Beauty – makeup, brushes, lipsticks, liners, lotions

• Tools to Go – screwdriver, pliers, allen wrenches, flashlight, wrench, scissors, zip ties

If you’d like to try GripIt, you can order direct from my store at www.clevercontainer.com/Natalie.  Let me know how you use your Grip-It.

I recently discovered Pinterest. It’s a place where you can save visual ideas online. It really helps to spark creativity, let me tell ya! I love looking at other pinboards for ideas and things that make me laugh. In fact, that’s why I am posting today. Below, for your visual enjoyment, are some not-so-ordinary ideas for organizing things. May it help you to think outside your box!

 

Remember those soda can holders for the frig?

See through cosmetic bags can organize all the small stuff!

Perfect for bedside reading!

Finally.. a use for those hangers from the dry cleaners!

Old credit cards never die!

Easy solution for those cords that slip behind the desk!

Hang some planter baskets for toys & books!

Enjoy this guest post from fellow organizer, Ramona Creel. I could not have said it better myself!

Staying Organized Once School Lets Out

by Ramona Creel

School will be letting out soon for the summer and the kids will be home all day. That means re-arranging your schedule to accommodate summer camps and trips to the pool and family vacations –- it also means that your children will be having friends over and tearing your house up while you’re at work! How on earth will you stay organized once the wild rumpus begins?

Start Planning, Now

The only way to survive the warmer months of the year when you have kids is to be two steps ahead of the game — but you can go a long way toward guaranteeing a more enjoyable break for everyone if you are willing to a) plan ahead and b) draw some boundaries. Let’s start with the planning first. Don’t wait until the last bell rings before you plot out your schedule for the summer. Sit down together as a family and discuss all the activities that you want (and need) to fit in before classes start back — that includes out-of-town trips, incoming visitors, work projects, and kids’ programs (at the library, the YMCA, the local community center.) Put in your vacation request at work early, and don’t forget to factor in those long weekends like July Fourth or Labor Day. Then plot everything out on a calendar, and scan the horizon for time crunches and scheduling conflicts. Remember, compromise is the key to harmony in any family, so each person needs to be wiling to give a little to make the whole thing work.

However, even with advance planning, children will still run you ragged unless you set some limits. When unencumbered by classes and books and teachers’ dirty looks, kids are hit with a sudden rush of freedom — they want to do anything and everything (usually all at the same time) to make the most of their days off. But it just may not be feasible for your child to take swim lessons, play in the summer baseball league, spend two weeks visiting relatives, AND participate in that really cool kid’s science program at the university. It’s up to you as the parent to keep this year’s agenda under control — but let your child make the choice. Allow him to select maybe two weekly activities and one trip to take, making sure that nothing overlaps or conflicts. Remind your child that, if it won’t fit in the schedule this time, he can always do it next year. You’ll be helping him not only strengthen his decision-making muscle, but also start to decide what’s really important and what he could live without (powerful skills to have at any age!)

And while you want your kids to enjoy their time off, there’s no reason why children should be excused from a basic level of responsibility, just because they’re out of school. I remember summer vacations, when I had the house to myself while my parents worked. When I had friends over, we might pull out the paint and clay and get creative. Or decide to splatter an elaborate picnic lunch all over the kitchen. Or rearrange the furniture to build a fort. Or even set up an obstacle course using lawn chairs and step ladders in the yard (it’s a wonder I didn’t break my neck before the age of 18!) There was just one rule. I could make any kind of mess I wanted during the day — as long as it was gone by the time my mom got home. Just because your kids have a huge chunk of time off, that doesn’t mean that you do — nor are you required to spend your precious hours at home cleaning up after them (wouldn’t you rather be enjoying their company and making memories, instead of sweeping and putting their toys away?) I’m all for kids having adventures during their summer breaks, but there’s no reason they can’t also be made responsible for picking up after themselves at the same time!

Resource Box: Copyright Ramona Creel, all rights reserved. Ramona Creel is a modern Renaissance woman and guru of simplicity — traveling the country as a full-time RVer, sharing her story of radically downsizing, and inspiring others to regain control of their own lives. As a Professional Organizer and Accountability Coach, Ramona will help you create the time and space to focus on your true priorities — clearing away the clutter other obstacles and standing in the way of that life you’ve always wanted to be living. As a Professional Photographer, Ramona captures powerful images of places and people as she travels. And as a travel writer, social commentator, and blogger, she shares her experiences and insights about the world as we know it. You can see all these sides of Ramona — read her articles, browse through her photographs, and even hire her to help get your life in order — at www.RamonaCreel.com. And be sure to follow her on Twitter and on Facebook.

Kids say the cutest things, make the cutest things, and do the cutest things… well, up to a certain point, at least. the key is to not save everything they make. In today’s short post, I found this video from Kangaroom (I LOVE their products – great quality). It demonstrates exactly how to use their container to store your child’s school memorabilia and more.

This product is on sale right now through June 12th, 2011. Hurry up and get yours!

Many times when I speak to moms groups or have mothers in my audience, there are always these sort of  questions:

1. How do I get my child to keep their room organized?
2. How do I organize all the stuffed animals?
3. How do I get my ADD/ADHD child to stay organized?
4. How do I get my child to let go of some things?

Bottom line – Is organizing your kids possible? Yes.

Will they keep things organized the way you want them? Probably not.

Think about the things your mother suggested you do in your room.  Did you always do it as she suggested? If you say yes to this question, then I guess you were the perfect child so you can skip this blog post.  We’ll address perfectionism another time…..

Your children are individuals who are uniquely created, having their strengths and weaknesses that may differ from yours.  They will also have different ideas about what being organized looks like. There is no “one and only way” to organize. What you can do for your children is to set some boundaries as far as your minimum expectations for their room and possessions. Give them time to get used to these boundaries; give them tools that will help them be successful.  And most important, be a good role model.  My friend, Kevin Bracy, reminded me yesterday that children can’t hear what you are saying because your actions are speaking so loudly.

So how organized are you? What are your children seeing?