Managing Morning Madness

Are your mornings rushed, chaotic and disorganized? Then it's time to get control and make morning a good start to a wonderful day! When your morning activities run smoothly, and you're out the door on time it can make your whole day feel better. To create a peaceful morning routine, follow these steps --->>> Managing Morning Madness

New Year's Resolutions

Have you set your New Year's Resolutions yet? The holidays are over, kids are back to school and it's time for a "do over". That's what the new year brings us, a chance to start fresh and resolve to do things differently. Whether it be that you want to lose weight, begin an exercise routine, organize your home, live more frugally, or just get a grasp on your budget, now's the time to start!

Here are some of our favorite articles that will help kick start your New Year's Resolutions!

Break Free From Your Sugar Habit
Food Combining
The Key to Serving Sizes
The Scale Is Not Your Friend
Exercises to Get You and Your Kids Awake in the Morning
Get Fit on a Shoestring Budget
The Benefits of Exercise: Weight Control and Beyond
The Key to Losing Fat May Not Be Aerobics Alone
30 Healthier Snack Ideas for Kids
5 Exercises Kids Should Never Do

30 Quick Cleaning Tips for a Tidier Home
Decluttering Your Home Office
How to Streamline Your Morning Routine
10-Hours (or 10-Days) To A Spotless and Organized Kitchen
An Organized Pantry
Developing a Price Book
Organized Dinner Planning and Grocery Shopping
13 Tips To Help Get Your Kids Organized

10 Steps to Improve Your Financial Situation
After Bankruptcy Blues
Budgeting for the New Year
Five Money Issues Couples Must Never Fight Over

You can find a large selection of helpful articles in the following categories on our website.

Finance
Frugal Living
Organizing
Cleaning
Fitness
Dieting

12 Days of Holiday Organizing

It's that wonderful time of year again: the holidays are almost upon us. We know it arrives at the same time every year, and yet it continues to sneak up on us. Your holiday preparations can be less stressful if you create a holiday countdown to halt the holiday madness.

Day 12 - BE PREPARED
Create a budget for your gift purchases and stick with it. This will determine who is on your gift list, and how what you will purchase. Then make a detailed gift list and keep it with you in your purse, briefcase, or planner for quick reference. Write down a few ideas for presents, based on the preferences of those on the list and hints they have given you throughout the year.

Day 11 - SLOW DOWN
Utilize slow times to run your errands so that you won't burn out. Shop for groceries in early mornings or late evenings (not during lunch hour or after work), visit the malls during your lunchbreak while others are at work or in the classroom, and try to avoid standing in line if at all possible. Take bottled water and a snack for quick energy.

Day 10 - TAKE STOCK
Start stocking the freezer for quick meals. Just double a recipe every day this week and you'll have instant leftovers. You'll thank yourself in the busy days to come.


Day 9 - LIMIT INTERRUPTIONS
Learn how to screen incoming interruptions to eliminate stress at work and at home. Use voicemail, caller i.d., and email filters to avoid chaos creators.

Day 8 - HELPING HANDS
Hire a babysitter or mother's helper to watch the kids while you shop, wrap gifts, or visit your favorite day spa.

Day 7 - DELEGATE
Delegate simple decorating and gift-wrapping tasks to others. Small children love to help by adding bows or gift tags to presents, while visiting grandparents can polish silver or press linens.


Day 6 - MULTI-TASKING
Multi-task whenever possible so that you can play and work at the same time. Watch tv while polishing silver, or listen to classical music while ironing table linens. Try to avoid isolating yourself from the rest of the fun while you're working on your to do's.

Day 5 - GAME PLAN?
Create a game plan for your holiday meal. Cook rolls, stuffing, desserts, and meats in smaller portions for easy heat&serve dinners on the big day. Focus your efforts on family time not kitchen duty.

Day 4 - CHECK IT OUT
Take an inventory of the linen closet so that there are no surprises as you serve the turkey. Is your best tablecloth stained, or did Uncle Bert's cigar burn a hole in one of your damask napkins? Maybe it's time to assemble paper and plastic ware for the big day instead. (Sometimes it's better to lower your expectations of a perfect tablescape than to spend all your time washing dishes in the kitchen. I doubt anyone will call the Entertainment Police!)

Day 3 - OPEN HEART, OPEN HOME
Consider having an open house rather than trying to squeeze in several parties. Invite everyone to visit one home at staggered times for some good cheer. This can work on the "big day", too, especially if all the in-laws live in town. It sure beats driving around all day from house to house to see those you love!

Day 2 - SPEEDY DELIVERY
Order take-out or pull a prepared meal from the freezer for a stress-free meal today. Let the oven rest for tomorrow's big feast.

Day 1 - THE MAIN EVENT
Start the morning with easy preparations in the kitchen, leaving other items for the last minute. Chop vegetables, mix dips, then assemble snack trays for munching. Put the turkey in the oven, set the table, and bake pies. Leave candles, music, and last minute preparations for later. Leave the house to take a stroll around the block, enjoy a bubblebath, or listen to some relaxing music before your family or friends arrive. Enjoy yourself-- you've earned it!

And the day AFTER Christmas, make next year's "to do" so that you won't have to work so hard again! Shop yearround for gifts, decorations, and cards for those you love. Keep a running list of things you need, should not do again, and tips for making things easier on you and your household. Getting organized for the holidays is truly a process, not a product, but with some effective planning you can enjoy the journey. Happy Holidays!

Getting Organized for Halloween: 10 Spooktacular Tips

Ghosts, witches, goblins and black cats... yes, it's Halloween once again. Here are 10 tips to ensure this holiday is a fun one for your and your family.

1. MAKE A LIST
Make a checklist of everything you'd like to do for Halloween--such as making/getting costumes, having a party, attending a festival, carving a pumpkin, getting some scary books or videos at the library and taking the kids trick-or-treating, safety precautions, and baking pumpkin pie.

2. DECORATE FOR THE SEASON
It's time to pull out your tried-and-true Halloween decorations from year's past. If they're not in one organized place this year, be sure you put them all in one organized place for next year when you're done with them.

3. FIND THE FESTIVITIES
Using the Web and your local newspapers, find out what Halloween festivities are happening in your area. Schedule some outings for your family and enjoy the season. Apple picking, pumpkin picking and hay rides are popular this time of the year.

4. SEARCH YOUR TV LISTINGS
Search through your TV listing and make a schedule of all Halloween programs and cartoons you wish to watch. If the family can't be together when a particular program is airing, video tape it and watch it together later on.

To see the rest of these tips, visit Getting Organized for Halloween: 10 Spooktacular Tips on FamilyCorner.com

Tornado Alley - The Children's Rooms

I love my children dearly, but I struggle with teaching them to be more orderly in their ways. They thrive on routine - on knowing when things will happen - but their rooms often look like a tornado has passed through. I could continue to pick up after them until they move out, but I don't think my future daughters-in-law (or son-in-law) would appreciate that. Instead, I've tried to organize their rooms in such a way that it is easy for them to keep things picked up.

Furniture

I've noticed that the younger the child, the more space they need. Cribs, toddler beds, dressers and other items work best against the wall so that there is an open space in the middle of the room. This open space works well for beginning walkers to get their "land legs" and also for playing with big toys (large connecting bricks, sorting cups and shapes, chunky people in playhouses, etc.) I asked a few friends how their children's rooms were set up and found some very similar answers.

Karen, from Georgia, is expecting her 10th child in December, and her three youngest (5, 4 & 2) share a room. Besides a bed each child also has a steamer trunk to hold clothes. Tammy, from Washington, has 7 children. In the baby's room, besides a crib and dresser, is a rocking chair and changing table. Cheryl, from Texas, has 7 children in three rooms. She has a child's bed and baby bed in one room along with two dressers. Corina, also in Texas, has 5 children. The oldest 3 share a room with a futon bunk bed (sleeps two on the bottom and one on the top,) a dresser and a chest of drawers.

As their toys get smaller (and fewer) other furniture can enter the room: shelving units, tables, vanities, sofas, bean bag chairs, etc. Older children can be quite creative with their room arrangements if given the chance. Beds can protrude into the middle of the room and desks or trunks can be placed at the foot. A bookcase can be placed at a 90 degree angle to a desk in a corner creating a nice work station. Remember Karen, the soon-to-be mother of 10? Her 6 oldest sons, ranging in age from 8 to 17, share a room (yes, a large one.) In this room you will find 3 bunk beds, 6 steamer trunks, a weight set, a sofa and chair, a stereo and a floor lamp. If her sons are anything like mine, you'll also probably find a couple of piles of books and school papers, Legoâ villages (which are not to be disturbed) and assorted plastic bins full of "collections" and various toys. (Okay, I'll admit, the bins are only half full - the other half is spread across the floor!)

To see the rest of these great organizing tips for kid's rooms visit FamilyCorner.com

13 Tips To Help Get Your Kids Organized

We all know that we want to be a good example to our kids.

What habits will they grow up with as they watch our organizational behaviors? If we don't respectfully put away our things, why should they? It's not difficult to get them involved. They want to improve the rooms they live in. Ask them if they would like a new paint color and watch how excited they get at the choices you just gave them. Choice is at the heart of it all. They want to be able to decide. They love being given that authority. Let's encourage that!

Let Them Help! Let them tell you what they are ready to get rid of. Often it is the adults that are more attached to the memory of the item than the child. Keep only those things that you both can't live without.

Sort, Toss, Donate. They should be a part of the organizing process. When purging items, have kids pick out their favorite toys and discard the old, out grown or broken ones. Give good used toys to a local charity. Kids love knowing they are helping someone else. Donate clothes too.

Use clear plastic containers with hinged lids, for storing small toys. Make the storage age appropriate using labels with pictures instead of words for young children. Let them help make the labels. Use filing boxes for awards, cards and reports. Make one file for each child.

One In / One Out. Utilize this important organizing rule. One in One out simply means, if you bring home one new toy or one new pair of shoes, you should be willing to give one of the same away.

See all 13 Tips to Help Get Your Kids Organized on FamilyCorner.com

Taking Control Of Your Clutter

We are all familiar with the old saying "There's a Place for everything and everything in it's place".

Everything you own must have a home. When you think about it you are probably about 95% there. Let's face it, when you come home with the groceries you don't just leave them sitting by the door (the way we do with shoes, books, newspapers, mail, etc.) You make a conscious effort to put the meat in the freezer, the milk in the fridge and the bread in the pantry. You must use that type of thinking for everything you bring into your home.

When you purchase something new, whether it be a new couch or just a pair of shoes it usually goes without saying that you have a pretty good idea where it is suppose to go.

Why not start that kind of thinking every time you consider a purchase. If you have to take the time to think about where something HAS to go chances are you might reconsider the purchase thus preventing more clutter.

Now I know you are probably thinking, that's great Paula, but what do I do with the clutter that is already in my home? Well I am here to tell you that there is a solution. However, depending on the amount of clutter you currently have that it might not be an easy undertaking, but keep in mind that the results are far more rewarding than the tangible and intangible costs of dealing with your clutter on a daily basis.

Please go to Taking Control Of Your Clutter on FamilyCorner.com to read the rest and to access a printer friendly version.

Homemade Organizer Shelf & Cubbies

Tired of the clutter laying around? Too many junk drawers? You don't have to spend $50.00 on an organizer shelf with pretty baskets, you can make your own from cardboard boxes, fabric and glue. Perfect for holding bills, small trinkets, car keys, crayons and more!

What you need

shoe shelf
small cardboard boxes
fabric or cardstock in pretty, colorful patterns
fabric or cardstock in solid colors to match
ribbon, twisted paper, and/or raffia
white craft glue
large paint brush
water
hot glue gun
acrylic sealer spray, matte

Please go to Homemade Organizer Shelf & Cubbies on FamilyCorner.com to get full instructions and to access a printer friendly version.