Organizing Children :: Mind over Clutter

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Moving students home – Make home life simple

Posted by Julie Stobbe

· Tuesday, April 17th, 2018

· 2 Comments

Each party in this living situation has different expectations so make a contract with each other…

Expectations

It is a big change in lifestyle when students move home for the summer, for the students and the parents. Sometimes students think

What are your expectations?

It will be just like before I left
I will have the same responsibilities as I did living away from home
I am on vacation for 4 months
and so on…

Sometimes parents think

they have lived on their own so they should have no problem contributing around the home without being asked
now I have someone to help with all the work
things have changed and we do things differently now
and so on…

Each party in this living situation has different expectations so make a contract with each other so it is clear what the expectation are. My daughter presented me with some rules when she moved back home for a few months. She asked me to look at them and see if they were suitable and to add any rules. It made things very easy and simple because there were less misunderstanding.

Your contract/ agreement might cover the following ideas.

May I have the car?

Car

Who pays for gas?
When can they use it?
Do they have to ask to use the car or can they just take it?

Food/ Groceries

Who buys the groceries?
Who pays for the groceries?
Do you buy everything on the list?
Do you buy only the things you need from the list when you go shopping?

Cooking

Who cooks?
Who plans the meals?
Do you cook for everyone or only yourself?
What needs to be cleaned?

Kitchen

Who cleans up the kitchen?
What needs to be cleaned, floors counters, stove, sink?
Who does the dishes?
Who empties the dishwasher?

Schedule

Do you record your activities in a specific place, electronic or paper?
Do you need to tell where you are going and when you will be back?
Are there any activities you are expected to attend?

Laundry

Who is responsible for laundry ?

Cleaning

Who does the cleaning, is it a shared task?

This checklist of ideas makes it seem like working out an agreement will be a lot of work. The agreement only needs to cover areas that cause conflict, tension or have changed since the student last lived with you.

Our agreement looked like this:

Food

Make a contract / agreement with everyone in the family to reduce stress and misunderstandings

Buy groceries: give Mom the bill, buy everything on the list
Weekday meals: First one home cooks, Mom will try to plan the meals for the week

Car

Mom will pay for gas

Kitchen:

Clean and wipe counter and island and stove
No dishes in sink or on the counter, put them in the dishwasher before going to bed

Schedule:

Record your evening activities and times when you won’t be home for supper on the calendar
Politely and conversational let us know where you are going and when you plan on returning. This for safety reason, if you don’t return we need to know where and when to start looking for you

Tell me what items you put on your contract in the comments below.

Julie Stobbe is a Trained Professional Organizer who brings happiness to homes and organization to offices, in person and virtually. She enjoys working with her clients to provide customized organizing solutions to suit their individual needs and situation. She reduces clutter, streamlines processes and manages time to help her clients be more effective in reaching their goals. Contact her at julie@mindoverclutter.ca

2 Comments

Categories : Home Routine Planning, Moving, Organizing Children, Organizing Students

Tags : Attitude, dorm room organizing, family, organizing with children

3 Tips to organize moving students back home easier?

Posted by Julie Stobbe

· Tuesday, April 10th, 2018

· 4 Comments

Moving back for the summer?

It is that time of year when college and university students are moving back home for 4 months. If you pack up their items in an organized way it will take some of the work out of moving them back to school in September.

1. Buy bins that stack inside each other when they are not in use.

It will make them easy to store. Most of us like to cut costs and use boxes to move students. Since moving is a ongoing process for the next number of years buy some bins. They will stack nicely in a truck/van and in a closet or storage area at home. You will only have to get them once where as with boxes they are usually recycled and you need to find more every time. Bins are waterproof.

2. Before the student begins packing, make a list of items they need at home.

Make sure those items are packed together. Label those bins, bedroom. Other items that they only needed for school can be left in the bins to be moved back to school in September. Label them basement, closet where ever they will be kept. You may need a bins or two labelled laundry. Some items may need to be washed before they are stored away for the summer, bedding, blankets, winter coats etc. This makes unloading quick and easy.

3. At home, designate an area where the bins will be stored over the summer.

Clean the area out before you go to pick up your students. If everything is kept close together or in a limited number of areas when September arrives, you know where everything is.

A little planning can make the move quick and easy. Next I will talk about how to making the living arrangement at home easy and enjoyable.

Don’t forget anything

What have you done to make moving your child back home easier? Share a comment below.

Twitter – Facebook –Facebook group Organizing Mind and Space

Learn more about what a professional organizer can do for you

4 Comments

Categories : Do-It-Yourself, Moving, Organizing Children, Organizing Students

Tags : Back to school, dorm room organizing, family, storage

Time management for children

Posted by Julie Stobbe

· Wednesday, January 17th, 2018

· 15 Comments

Time to schedule, words on blank board hold by a young girl in the outdoor.

Scheduling helps everyone to understand what needs to be done and when it needs to be completed.

Weekly Agenda Page

I like to develop a weekly agenda page for each child in the family. They have their own page posted on the refrigerator or bulletin board.

Record all Weekly Activities – School, Home and Extra Curricular

At the beginning of each week, I record all their activities, music lessons, group activities, sports, etc. I also record their special activities at school so they remember to bring library looks, physical education clothing, and musical instruments. It also includes any chores that they have to do around the house. If you prepare it on the computer, many things don’t change from week to week.

Record Additional Activities for the Week – Test, Projects, Parties

The children will add to the page, tests and projects that have been assigned at school. Before they can play, watch TV or have screen time they have to complete everything on their list. If you start this habit for them when they are young, it teaches them how to organize their time. You will be helping to instill in them a habit that will last them a life time.

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Library books	Physical education	Class trip		violin
Practice piano	Girl Guides	Collect garbage	Skating	Birthday Party at Susie’s
Set table	Empty dishwasher

Paper or an App

I like paper because I can see everyone’s week at a glace without switching between screens and accounts. But if you enjoy technology because you can access information from anywhere at anytime try Choice Works for scheduling with your children’s activities. It allows you to select activities and list them by picture for non reading children or in words.

A Students Guide to Effective Time Management

Thanks to Amy and Peyton for sending me this article for young adults entering college and university. This article has many helpful tips to help you be successful at school : A Students Guide to Effective Time Management

Time management is about finding a system that works for you and your children to make life easier. Please leave a comment about agendas, systems and apps that you use.

Twitter – @julieorganizer Facebook – http://facebook.com/mindoverclutter/

Facebook group Organizing Mind and Space https://www.facebook.com/groups/1881280812154271/

15 Comments

Categories : Organizing Children, Time Management

Tags : Attitude, office organizing, organizing with children, productivity, time management

Swoop Bags for Organizing Toys

Posted by Julie Stobbe

· Thursday, April 13th, 2017

· No Comments

Do you have children in your family with Lego laying allover the floor? Here is a fun organizing tool to make cleanup of toys easy and fun . Check out swoop bags.

Super Swoop Bag Berry with Lego Bricks

Need help getting toys and home routines organized? Contact Mind over Clutter for a free one hour assessment in person or virtually to get you on the road to success.

No Comments

Categories : Organizing Children, Organizing Products

Tags : containers, organizing with children, swoop bag, toys

A Cluttered Life – Middle Class Abundance

Posted by Julie Stobbe

· Friday, March 24th, 2017

· 4 Comments

Make your home perfect for you.

This 6 minute video is a great look at our society and our relationship with “stuff”. It is easy to collect “stuff” but it is hard to know how to get rid of things.

http://www.uctv.tv/shows/Stuff-A-Cluttered-Life-Middle-Class-Abundance-Ep-1-24699

Need help simplifying your life and home contact Mind over Clutter to work with you in person or virtually to help you meet your goals.

4 Comments

Categories : Organizing Children, Organizing Tips

Tags : decluttering, organizing, organizing with children

3 Tips for Organizing During A Divorce

Posted by Julie Stobbe

· Tuesday, January 10th, 2017

· 3 Comments

This is an excerpt from a great article by Autumn Leopold . Click on the link below to see the entire article

1) Give people the appropriate time and space they need to sort through items. If they need to stop and share some memories with you, let them. Do not judge or share your opinion just keep the process moving forward.

2) Be mindful of the children in the home. If they need to see or discuss some of the items you may be donating or throwing away, sit and let them get their feelings out. They may have some memories tied to those items that you aren’t aware of.

3) After the homes are separated, parents should do their best to create a new routine for children as quickly as possible. Do something new and change things up around the house. Get different bedding or a few decorative items to create a new environment for the healing to begin.

Organizing During A Divorce.

3 Comments

Categories : Organizing Children, Organizing Tips

Tags : divorce, family, organizing with children

10 Hacks to help Parents Organize Their Children’s Routines.

Posted by Julie Stobbe

· Thursday, September 22nd, 2016

· 2 Comments

You have successfully accomplished back to school organizing but the day to day chores are not getting done and you are feeling overwhelmed. Clutterbug has a great video, Organizing Hacks for Parents. Organizing your home to help your children become more independent means that they are able to complete tasks without your help. This will help daily routines and habits to be accomplished quickly leaving more time for family fun together.

Which hack worked best in your household?

Need some organizing help contact Mind over Clutter, julie@mindoverclutter, to help bring happiness to your home.

________________________________________________________________

Julie Stobbe is a Trained Professional Organizer who brings happiness to homes and organization to offices. She enjoys working with her clients to provide customized organizing solutions to suit their individual needs and situation. She reduces clutter, streamlines processes and manages time to help her clients be more effective in reaching their goals.

2 Comments

Categories : Organizing Children, Organizing Tips

Tags : Back to school, family, organizing, time management, video

Mother and child and after school homework

Back to School – Making Homework Easy

Posted by Julie Stobbe

· Sunday, August 28th, 2016

· 13 Comments

Helping your child to be successful with their homework is about planning. Plan a time when your child can concentrate and an adult is available to lend support to the task. Some children will be able to do homework right after they finish school other children will need time to do some physical activity before they can concentrate and yet other children will need to eat first.

Have a quiet area near an adult . Children may need support from an adult at times to be successful

You will need a spot that has limited distractions, minimize stimulation from video screens and phones and reduce loud conversations with other family members in the homework area.

Large projects take more than one night to complete. Help your child learn how to plan ahead. Look at the week and weekend and see what time is available to work on the project. Divide the project into smaller sections that can be completed a little at a time during the week and on the weekend. At first it takes a lot of discipline from the parent and the child but as the family gets used to planning ahead your child will tell you that they need your help with some homework and the only night you are both home is Wednesday. It will be great when they take over the time management of homework.

Large projects can be broken down into smaller sections and a little parts can be completed each day.

Teach your child management so they will have enough time to complete large projects.

Each child will be different, some will like quiet spaces and others will like to be around people. Some tasks will need large spaces and others will need hardly any space. Many families have shared custody of children between parents and some families are always on the move taking children to after school events where children need to do homework while they are waiting for siblings to finish an activity.

have supplies on hand that can be taken with you so your child can complete their homework on the move.

Help your child be able to complete their homework quickly

Help your child be prepared so they can complete their homework quickly

Have a portable homework station that can be taken anywhere

Taking into consideration all the variables, homework areas need to be portable. Children need have a container with all the pens pencils markers erasers ruler stapler tape glue paper calculator etc. they need. This container can be used in any room in the house allowing for flexibility. Let your child organize the container since they know what they need. This container can be put in the car and taken along to activities, babysitters, parent’s homes. It is important that children have the supplies they need and learn to take care of them so they can get their work done. If you choose to have one room or area for homework make sure to consult your child about what it should look like so they want to work in that area.

Join my Facebook group Organizing Mind and Space

13 Comments

Categories : Home Routine Planning, Organizing Children

Tags : Back to school

Tales from a Lunch Bag

Posted by Julie Stobbe

· Thursday, September 3rd, 2015

· 1 Comment

It is almost time for packing lunches for school. Are you dreading it? Children learn better when they are not hungry so the task is to pack food they will eat and not throw out, hide or trade.

1. You know what your child likes and doesn’t like.

Children will food jag, eat the same thing over and over and never get tired of it. If there is a lunch they like give it to them, a fruit, a vegetable, a protein and a carbohydrate. When I went to school I would eat a cold chicken sandwich, bread butter and chicken, an apple, a cookie and drink usually milk everyday for months. My mom couldn’t understand why I didn’t get bored but I just loved it. Life was easy she made it for me and I enjoyed it.

School lunches made easy

2. I hate sandwiches.

Some children don’t like sandwiches so give them leftovers. Heat up the leftovers and put them in a Thermos. I had child who hated sandwiches, I would heat up taco meat and send the shell and toppings cold, a baked potato with butter or cheese, soup, stew, home made macaroni and cheese. Pack warm chili with taco chips, cheese and salsa. When you are cooking make extra and freeze it in individual meals and then you have a supply of lunches in your freezer.

Send warm foods to school in an unbreakable thermos.

3. Get lunches packed after supper when the food is out.

As part of our evening routine, each child would pack the food for their lunch that didn’t need to be refrigerated. They packed, veggies, pickles, crackers cookies and in the morning I would add a sandwich or hot food to the lunch bag. If you have more than one child this really makes life easy because you don’t need to remember which child like what.

Pick a size and shape of lunch bag that makes it easy to pack and send the correct amount of food to school, not too much, not to little

4. Finger foods are great but you might want to send a fork

Some schools have schedules where children eat smaller meals a couple of times a day. Pack things that your child can eat a few items at a time. Cut up cheese, meat, bread into cubes . Send nuts, hard boiled egg, veggies or cut up fruit. If you have a container with lots of sections they can open one box and see all their choices. It makes it easier to pack and the child doesn’t have to struggle with lots of container and there is less to wash at the end of the day. Children are not good at washing their hands before every meal so encourage them to use a fork, send a plastic one in their favourite colour.

Send a variety of foods in small quantities for quick snacks throughout the day.

5. Leftovers lunches – plan differently

When your child brings their lunch home remember it has been unrefrigerated all day, 8 hours, and dirty hands have been in the container touching all the food. Compost the leftovers. Re-evaluate what you are sending and how much food you are putting in their lunch.

At the end of the day compost leftover to a prevent a mild case of food poisoning.

Don’t use school lunches as a time to introduce new foods or worry about variety in their diet. Use supper time or weekend meals to introduce them to new foods. You want them to eat a healthy lunch everyday and since you are not there to supervise them when they are eating, make a plan with your child so you can all be happy.

1 Comment

Categories : Home Routine Planning, Organizing Children

Tags : Back to school, lunch, meal planning, school lunches

5 Bathroom Organizing Tips

Posted by Julie Stobbe

· Thursday, June 11th, 2015

· 5 Comments

1. Have a drawer for each person who uses the bathroom to store his or her toiletries and cosmetics. If you don’t have the space to store items in the bathroom, give each person a basket to transport their things to the bathroom from his or her bedroom, where the basket is stored.

2. Purchase under-sink storage shelves or baskets to make good use of this under-utilized area.

Find a shelf or stacking baskets to use under the sink

3. If medications are stored in the bathroom, safely store them where small children can’t gain access.

4. Store cleaning supplies safely nearby so you can do bathroom quick cleans ups but out of the reach of children.

5. Add hooks or towel bars to the walls or over-the-door racks/hooks to hang and dry towels after use. Not enough room in the bathroom? Install hooks or bars in the bedrooms. This will keep towels off the floor, neat and clean.