I was tempted to title this post "Help!" - I have been feeling a lot more overburdened recently with various things. I have found myself shouting and being grumpy. I am trying to make a concerted effort not to be so grouchy and not to shout but, you know what? It's hard somedays.
So here's what I have done to alleviate shouting...and get organised. So far. It's a work in progress.
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| "drawback???? Who is she calling a drawback? " |
Using a suggestion from the book "Organized Home" , I created a "launch pad"* for T and one for Little I. They are only plastic trugs but in them goes anything for school. At the end of the day they put their school bags in them. When there are letters to return, musical instruments, wellies, whatever I put them in the launch pad. This was partly clear the space in our hallway with stuff dropped anywhere and to stop having that awful panic at the last minute when something has been forgotten or misplaced. This worked well till we hit the drawback. The drawback is...a very cute drawback...but one who is now trying to pull herself up to standing and plastic trugs do not support that weight. She also is putting EVERYTHING in her mouth so I have to find a new home for the launch pads.
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| Random seaside illustration |
2. In the summer I bought a charity shop rack and used it as rack for shoes near the front door. No more shoes scattered across the house. No more shouting "I don't know where my shoes are" Result! A few weeks ao I just had to move the rack of baby's reach as she was pulling herself up on it and eating shoes (mmmm...tasty). So it has a new home by the kitchen back door.
3. I made weekly wall planners for T and Little I. T is a scatterbrain, a total scatterbrain and I am trying to train him for taking more responsibility before going up to senior school in two years time. I looked online for a weekely planner template then was struck by the idea of just drawing out my own. T was so happy because I drew Yoshi on his. "You were born to draw Yoshi, Mum" (I have now found the reason for my existence....to draw Yoshi. I am soooooo glad I have cleared up that question).
* Try telling a logical thinking five year old that l'aunch pad' is a metaphor for launching them into their day, "no, it's not for a rocket, no, really nothing to do with rockets"....she looked at me as if I were insane.
Any more organisational tips? Or shall I just quit now and lie down in my own chaos?
Sounds like you're fighting back well! I can't think of anything particularly useful right now but I wish you luck and fortitude :)
ReplyDeleteAhhhhhh, thank you:)Think luck and fortitude is what I need. xx
DeleteI so know what you are going through! Our little one climbs on everything, almost nothing is out of his reach anymore. I'm happy he is past the put everything in the mouth -phase though! I have no tips since I'm so very bad at this organising thing, except acceptance...which I'm not any good at either. But it did help me to get over the darkest time when all I could think of was three more years and they are all at school (and feeling very guilty for thinking that...)
ReplyDeleteHow great to get past that everyting in mouth phase! I am unable to just accept the chaos....I have to fight back little. But I do accept some of it and try to enjoy the unexpected.
DeleteAs long as everyone is fed and fairly clean you're doing fine. Much better to be disorganised and having fun than be a neat freak!
ReplyDeleteI agree - I don't want the children to remember only nagging and cleanliness when they are grown up!
DeleteI love the idea of launch pads. The problem is that we have to go into such different orbits that I would need several. But I do try to keep most of that stuff right by the door. The one thing that does work for us is 7 or 5 or even 3 minutes of organizing at the end of the day. If we all do it then the morning is much smoother.
ReplyDeleteThe few minutes organsing at the end of the day sounds like such a good tip. There are rare times when I complete the washing up and leave the kitchen tidy for the mornings and those mornings start off so much better!
DeleteOh my gosh, I don't know how you manage any organization at all! I can't keep up and I don't have tiny tots making messes all day long! The best thing I ever did was put up a shelf with hooks and a built-in jar to hold stuff-- it finally put an end to my daily morning rampages when I couldn't find my keys/wallet/jacket/sunglasses/etc. Now I'm trained to automatically empty out my pockets as I come in the door and to pick everything up on the way out.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing that's helped me is to only handle mail or emails once. Don't check it if you don't have a moment to go through it, and when you open an envelope, immediately respond to it. Otherwise I tend to have piles and piles of paperwork that requires action or junk mail that needs to be tossed. :(
Grea tip about paperwork and emails. I think my problem is that I am organising five people not just one, so five peoples' shoes, gloves, etc etc. I have twice "lost" my car keys at 8.30am this week so really need a dedicated high up pout of reach key spot. xx
DeleteYour launchpads sound wonderful. And I think gingermakes' idea about opening up the envelope and immediately responding. I have many piles of letters waiting to be 'dealt with.' I think staying organized is a constant battle though; the little daily actions make all the difference.
ReplyDeleteI am pleased with my launch pads! I agree a little daily action really helps. :) xx
DeleteI think you're more in control than you think! And sometimes reaching new levels of organisation takes such extra amounts of effort that its harder than the comfortable chaos....( I think you've caught me struggling, and needing a holiday too!!). If you're like me, you react to the chaos reaching a tipping point, implement a new solution that makes you feel back in control, then find it works ....until something else interferes and upsets the balance again. I think it's a constant struggle, and with three small children....you're doing great! :-)
ReplyDeleteThe tipping point...oh, yes. I recognise that. I really do seem to need to feel in control, I have friends who are much more relaxed and friends who are much more organised...I think I fall n the middle somewhere. xx
DeleteWhew! What swirling chaos ... it would overcome anybody! I agree, doing all this with 3 children, wow! Like the sounds of your systems though. Getting organzied is such an ongoing struggle, I always love hearing about other people's solutions because they give me new ideas to try :-). Like that launch pad ... perhaps not just for the young ones ... cough ...
ReplyDeleteI also love hearing other peoples' solutions. I am sure the launch pad would work for a grown up too and you could make it look much more interesting and pretty. xx
DeleteWhat fab ideas, although I have to admit I did giggle when you said the littlest was eating everything!
ReplyDeleteShe especially likes to eat cardboard, paper, dead leaves, my glasses, car keys, remote control and gets furious when I take these things away from her. xx
ReplyDeleteThat's a great idea, hope its going well! xx
ReplyDeleteThe launch pad sounds like a great idea! In theory, I have a "landing strip" for the dog on rainy /snowy days when he bursts through the front door and spreads mud everywhere. He is supposed to be caught with an old towel just inside the front door, and made to lie on it until he dries off. The only problem is that Someone Else has piled an unmentionable heap of stuff just inside the door, on top of the towel. Systems only work if the whole household buys in to the plan!
ReplyDelete(Unmentionable? At the last look there was: a giant mallet, a bucket full of potatoes, an umbrella, a golf-buggy battery, the back shelf of a car, several single gloves... you get the idea. Sigh.)