Going to the grocery store and planning meals are my least favorite things to do. Here are a few ideas to make these events a little less painful.
Use a preprinted grocery list, like the one found at www.casorganize.com/files/grocery_list6.doc. Customize it, adding items you use and remove items your family doesn’t purchase. As you notice you are running low on an item, mark it on the grocery list. Before you go shopping, look through your cabinets or pantry and skim through your list to see what other items need to be added. Using a list with the items already sorted by category makes the grocery shopping go much faster. No more backtracking through the store for items missed the first time through.
As for meal planning, search your cookbooks to find 15-20 entrees that have common ingredients that you almost always have in your pantry. List the entrees by the main ingredient. Make a note of where to find each recipe (cookbook and page number) and the time it takes to prepare the entree. When you ask yourself, “What’s for dinner?” pull out the list and pick one.
What do you do to simplify meal preparation?
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Family Schedules
How do you keep track of everyone’s schedules? If you have school age children, in the last few weeks your home has been flooded with important dates to remember. Add scouts/brownies, sports, and/or clubs and you’ve got schedules coming out your ears!
Get a calendar to record all these events. Use a calendar that has enough space to record all the activities your family participates in. When a notice for an event is received, mark the date with the time and any pertinent information. Use a specific color pen or highlighter to designate each family member’s activities.
Keep the notices to refer to later. You may want to have a file to keep all events notices in. Another option would be to use a binder with page protectors. Each notice can be slipped into a page protector. Divide the binder into sections, marking each family member’s name on a tab. File schedules in the appropriate person’s section for easy reference.
Keep the calendar in a convenient spot where all family members can refer to it often.
Get a calendar to record all these events. Use a calendar that has enough space to record all the activities your family participates in. When a notice for an event is received, mark the date with the time and any pertinent information. Use a specific color pen or highlighter to designate each family member’s activities.
Keep the notices to refer to later. You may want to have a file to keep all events notices in. Another option would be to use a binder with page protectors. Each notice can be slipped into a page protector. Divide the binder into sections, marking each family member’s name on a tab. File schedules in the appropriate person’s section for easy reference.
Keep the calendar in a convenient spot where all family members can refer to it often.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Are Toys Taking Over?
Children tend to accumulate so much stuff! Between celebrations and loving grandparents they are showered with toys and clothes. Try adopting some give away routines to keep the toys from taking over.
- Celebrate an “unbirthday” or a “1/2 birthday”. The child picks a toy to give away. Then reward the child with cake and ice cream!
- Before or after gift-giving celebrations: get rid of toys that are broken or no longer used.
- When you notice child hasn’t played with a toy or hasn’t worn certain clothes, ask, “Can we give this away?”
- One in/One out rule: when a new shirt is received, get rid of an older shirt.
- “No empty hangers” signal: Use this as a sign that there are more clothes than needed in the closet. Have your child pick several items to give away.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Develop an Organizing Routine
I read that maintaining the average home requires 2-3 hours of organizing per day. That’s a lot of time! My thoughts on that:
One person can’t maintain a home – it’s a team effort. Get everyone involved. Give children responsibility for their belongings and give them reminders, until they develop the habit of putting things away. Set up a routine that includes a reward for organizing. For example: Once you've put the groceries away, you can read for 20 minutes.
Make organizing a part of your routine. What I mean by that is: when you are done using the cereal, put it back in the cabinet (unless it’s empty – then put it in the recycling!). When you are done brushing your teeth, put the toothbrush & toothpaste away. You get the picture. If you leave everything out that you use, the job of organizing becomes an overwhelming task. But, if you put everything back in its’ “home”, organizing becomes a habit.
One person can’t maintain a home – it’s a team effort. Get everyone involved. Give children responsibility for their belongings and give them reminders, until they develop the habit of putting things away. Set up a routine that includes a reward for organizing. For example: Once you've put the groceries away, you can read for 20 minutes.
Make organizing a part of your routine. What I mean by that is: when you are done using the cereal, put it back in the cabinet (unless it’s empty – then put it in the recycling!). When you are done brushing your teeth, put the toothbrush & toothpaste away. You get the picture. If you leave everything out that you use, the job of organizing becomes an overwhelming task. But, if you put everything back in its’ “home”, organizing becomes a habit.
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