AJuff Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 In preparation for returning to school next week I've reorganised the back of the study door. Instead of the mountains of letters, invitations, school term dates, choir timetable etc hanging off the back it is now very organised. i printed off labels and everything has a place. It is so easy that when DDs and DS get rainbow, Guide or cub letters they know exactly where to put them!!!! It will stop them going missing as they have in the past!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 Well done - I am impressed because I live in chaos most of the time. Hope you manage to stick with it, it's a good idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperwife Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 excellent I would start with great intentions and then it would all turn pearshaped cathy x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 Well done! One of my 'goals' for this year was to be more organised, and I went out yesterday and spent an eye-watering amount on box-files and magazine holders. Obviously, actually getting round to putting things IN the box-files will take a bit longer. I am not good with paper. and maybe I should spend a bit less time on here and a bit more time actually doing the filing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chook n Boo Mum Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 Well done! One of my 'goals' for this year was to be more organised, and I went out yesterday and spent an eye-watering amount on box-files and magazine holders. Obviously, actually getting round to putting things IN the box-files will take a bit longer. I am not good with paper. and maybe I should spend a bit less time on here and a bit more time actually doing the filing! .....you could be describing me there Olly..... Sha x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 My fabric cupboard is looking neat now - just the s"Ooops, word censored!"s to be sorted. The rest of the house is a tip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJuff Posted September 2, 2009 Author Share Posted September 2, 2009 Well I've sorted and cleared the understairs cupboard and given each child their own box for hats, gloves and scarves. This will ensure there's no "I can't find!" at 8am. Each child now has their own peg too so coats and fleeces can be found easily. You wouldn't belive how many shoes and coats they had grown out of which were still there! The study organisation is to prevent the "Have you got my ballet/cubs/choir/violin letter?" at 8am. I got very stressed last term by missing letters, forgetting to pay subs and things. Not this term! Introducing household chores now refered to as the jolly jobs list is working very well. The children have taken to the responsibility very well and are amazed what we have had to do in the house. I have a kind of house cleaning plan too. That's quite flexible but then it needs to be. Main things like laundry, sheets, bathrooms and kids rooms work well. In the kitchen I have a very organised menu to select meals from each week. This makes writing the shopping list easier. Also in the holidays we add to our menu by trying out new meals when we have the time. So far so good. It's saved us heaps of money as we only buy what we need for the week. At last I feel I have taken control of my life and I am ORGANISED! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 Cor, there's no stopping you now! Woman on a mission. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubereglu Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 You have been busy! Your filing system on the back of the door reminds me of the letters wall we used to have at playgroup, where each child had a yellow bag pinned on the wall with their name on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluekarin Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 Well I've sorted and cleared the understairs cupboard and given each child their own box for hats, gloves and scarves. This will ensure there's no "I can't find!" at 8am. Each child now has their own peg too so coats and fleeces can be found easily. You wouldn't belive how many shoes and coats they had grown out of which were still there! The study organisation is to prevent the "Have you got my ballet/cubs/choir/violin letter?" at 8am. I got very stressed last term by missing letters, forgetting to pay subs and things. Not this term! Introducing household chores now refered to as the jolly jobs list is working very well. The children have taken to the responsibility very well and are amazed what we have had to do in the house. I have a kind of house cleaning plan too. That's quite flexible but then it needs to be. Main things like laundry, sheets, bathrooms and kids rooms work well. In the kitchen I have a very organised menu to select meals from each week. This makes writing the shopping list easier. Also in the holidays we add to our menu by trying out new meals when we have the time. So far so good. It's saved us heaps of money as we only buy what we need for the week. At last I feel I have taken control of my life and I am ORGANISED! do you hire yourself out as I need someone to come and take charge of things here. Then when everything is up and running I can take over It does seem to be that time of year for getting things into order. Like an late summer clean as opposed to a spring one. We've been doing that a lot recently in our house. Chucked so much stuff away that was being kept 'just in case' and you know what? Just in case never happened! It will now though. As the law of sod says once you chuck something away that might have come in useful, it suddenly becomes highly important. Ah well. I need to get the papers thing sorted out though. 3 kids, 2 schools and various notes means lots of 8.30am stressing. And thats not including the 'Where Are Your Shoes!!!!' one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJuff Posted September 2, 2009 Author Share Posted September 2, 2009 3 kids, 2 schools sounds very familiar!!! My older two start at a very high achieving school next week and I can feel the pressure already!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluekarin Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 My son is in year 6 and will be sitting the 11+ this November which we hope he'll pass and get offered a place at the local boys grammar school. We are feeling the pressure too as the alternative school doesn't bear thinking about We are not to putting that pressure onto him though as I think 4 test papers in a morning are enough pressure for him as it is. We've done this already for ED who passed and is in the girls grammar school. Only got YD to go next year. Then it'll be GCSE mocks and for real! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickendoodle Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 I know it can be a hassle organising kids with all of their various activities. I can remember being so tired trying to fit everything in and taking one child in the car to some activity or other and halfway there completely forgetting where I was going or why. Time will pass sooner than you know and it is so quiet once they have left home - sometimes blissfully so and sometimes not! Try not to get too stressed by it all and in a funny way try to treasure the manic-ness of life. My girls are 22 and 23 - lovely adult companions whch has definite compensations but I do miss the play doh sessions Roll on grandchildren (not just yet though) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 I know how you feel, my older 2 are at grammar schools, one boys one girls and YD is taking her 11+ this year and will feel so bad if se doesn't follow them. I don't want her to feel that she has failed if she doesn't get through and the local comp is ok but she so wants to follow in her older siblings footsteps. I have 3 children at 3 different schools at the moment so it would be nice to narrow that down to 2. I am just starting the post holiday sort out, YD went back today and the older 2 go tomorrow. So far I have sorted te recycling and got rid of some of it but the carton bank at the supermarket was full, so I have a car full of juice cartons still, but a start has been made. My house is a midden at the moment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helly Welly Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 I've started a menu planning thing too. I'm gradually collecting recipes and organising them into weeks. I'm also making shopping lists for them on the laptop, anything else i need can be written on the bottom. The actual recipes and menu are going into ziplock bags with "week 1" etc written on them. So now, all i have to do is pick a week. I've always planned my weekly menus to make shopping easier but i've always dreaded having to sort through recipes and write the damn list. I can't take credit for this idea, it was OH's. Most of the time he's infuriatingly organised about things but just occasionally he's right. Just don't tell him i said so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJuff Posted September 2, 2009 Author Share Posted September 2, 2009 Wow menus for the week!!! I wish i could do this but as OH is a shift worker there are some days I don't have time to prepare some meals before children are off to after school activities. So it's quick meals or freezer left overs on those nights. Aslo when I cook things like spag bol, chili, curry I cook double portions and freeze them for convenience nights when I'm on my own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 Well done! One of my 'goals' for this year was to be more organised, and I went out yesterday and spent an eye-watering amount on box-files and magazine holders. Obviously, actually getting round to putting things IN the box-files will take a bit longer. I am not good with paper. and maybe I should spend a bit less time on here and a bit more time actually doing the filing! I absolutely LOVE the stationers. So many pretty colours. I do my shopping at Viking online Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 Just a mo - got to look word up in dictionary OR-GANI-SED nah not something I recognise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 Mines all a bit last minute! YS starts school on Friday, MS tomorrow so today has been haircuts, plimsoll size checking, labelling uniforms (for my benefit - how am I going to cope with 2 sets of identical clothing on ironing day? ). I like the idea of noticeboards - one for each of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 Think someones been reading too many Fly Lady emails Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 I am really,really organised - disorder annoys me terribly Everything gets written on my family planner,which is in my office. I buy one in M&S every year (already have 2010 & have filled in term dates), & each person has their own column for appointments & so forth. On top of that I use Google calenders & each family member has their own colour which I can see really easily, as well as a separate on for hen holidays & birthdays. I have reminders of when to flea,worm & eprinex the pets on here too. Yearly reminders are on auto too, so I always know when something is due. This is also backed up onto my HTC Magic Smartphone, so its a triple whammy of reminders I have always done menu planners too, as I think it saves me money at the Supermarket, & helps me to remember what I have in the freezer. All my catalogues & brochures are alphabetical in stand up files....couldn't stand it otherwise! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJuff Posted September 2, 2009 Author Share Posted September 2, 2009 What's a magic smartphone? Do I need one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadietoo Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 I find I'm resonating with Chickendoodle here....with two children aged 19 and 16 I find now that the frantic busyness of organising the various school stuff/rainbows/brownies/guides/music centre/ drum lessons/dancing/ french lessons/sailing etc etc etc has passed and I'm enjoying the calm that's replaced it rather than being left with a "busy ness" void. Looking back, I am glad that I was mostly organised enough to spend maximum time with my little ones, but not so organised that I spent time organising instead of being with them if you see what I mean)....IMO some organisation is worthwhile because it adds value, and some is a waste of time because it interferes with daily life and enjoyment....on the plus side...anything that makes Monday mornings run smoother is worthwhile...ditto cooking and shopping (I wrote down a whole months menus so that I could look through it for inspiration on days that I couldn't think what to cook...). Time spent ironing sheets was wasted....as was trying to make the children conform to any really well organised filing system...the best I ever managed was an "in tray" into which I encouraged them to put anything I needed to sign or look at for school....after that it was down to me to make sure they took it back to school and I still occasionally had to frisk their school bags...(especially my DS whose letters from school were always squidged into the tiniest crumbiest corner of his bag!). Enjoy your families and don't get too stressed....it passes all too quickly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 Oh Cinnamon, I dream of being like you! although I do have a couple of really organised bits of my life. I moved everything around in the kitchen recently, and put all the herbs and spices in a drawer. I still don't see what was so funny about putting them in alphabetical order, it seems entirely logical to me! for some reason my friends found this hysterically funny, and still tease me about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chook n Boo Mum Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 I feel all inspired....so bought a book on decluttering .I may just make a start this evening once I've put all the clean chook pots back in the run & got DD off to bed in about 1/2 an hour........ Sha x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
