Early to Bed Early to Rise!!!

Those of you that know me know that I am a big time SLEEP ADVICIT!!!! I have always felt that, kids need their sleep…of course so do ADULTS!!

The amount of sleep a child needs varies depending on the individual and the age of the child.

Following are some general guidelines:

1-4 Months Old: 14 - 15 hours per day
4-12 Months Old: 14 - 15 hours per day
1-3 Years Old: 12 - 14 hours per day
3-6 Years Old: 10 - 12 hours per day
7-12 Years Old: 10 - 11 hours per day
12-18 Years Old: 8 - 9 hours per day

In order for your children to get enough sleep, you need to…YES!!! BE ORGANIZED!! Have your days planned out. For example my family has always gotten up at 6:00am. So my 2 littlest ducklings go to bed between 6 and 6:30pm. My 10 year old is in bed by 7:30 and my 15 year old is in bed by 9:30.

Here is the trick to getting kids to sleep at a reasonable hour…

Consistency – This is the most important part. If you want them to be tired at a certain time, you need to get them to go to sleep at that same time EVERY NIGHT. Otherwise they won’t be tired at that time.

Have a Routine – If you are going to be putting your younger children to bed without a fight, you need to have a set routine that you do every night. For example, they know that when you read stories, and put on the same music, it means bed time. Just completing the steps of this bedtime routine will help them start to shut down their body and get sleepy.

Leave before they are asleep – This will help them learn that when they are in their bed or in their crib, they can always put themselves to sleep and back to sleep by themselves just fine.
PLEASE, for your kids sake… put them to sleep early so they aren’t tired and cranky during the day. This is a bonus for you...A NICE QUIET RELAXING EVENING FOR YOU!!! Or better yet some more free time to get MORE ORGANIZED!!!!

BOOK ORGANIZATION!!!

I love to read, I love to read to my kids, I love BOOKS!!! However I sometimes have a hard time storing books.

My 2 littlest ducklings share a room; they are 3 years apart so they share a book case with there books. Avery’s shelf is on the bottom and Finley’s shelf is on top. We go to the library once every 3 weeks. I keep the library books separate in a basket away from all the other books. It works FANTASTIC!!! That way when it is time to return the books, I just have to grab them from the basket throw them in the bag, and take off to the library. ***I also only check out 20 books at a time, that way I always know how many I have and how many need to be returned.

We also have a book shelf in our hall closet where we keep all the rest of the family’s books. I must say that I love the library, and always have. *** I love the fact that you can borrow a book to read and then give it back, so you don’t have to store them.

An easy way to organize your books is to sort them by age groups. Also make a pile for the books you love and a pile for the ones you didn’t care much for, and find out which ones you would like to read and which to give away. Once you have minimized your book collection, you can organize the remaining books in alphabetical order and/or categorically.

Here are 6 great ideas to help you give your books away…

* Find out the books which no longer inspire you and donate them.
* Donate magazines to local schools; these magazines can be used for art and projects by students.
* Donate them to local charities, libraries and rehabilitation center.
* Do a book swap? Tell your neighbors they can have them. Try to find someone who will benefit from the book and can appreciate such a gift.
* You can donate academic books to high school, university and college libraries.
* Have a garage sale

Hope you have a great and organized WEEK!!! Homework: Read a good book!!!

Get back on track with your organizational strategies!! Post #3

Okay the last 2 tips are…

3. Storing Holiday Decorations

Labels are a key element of decoration storage. You know how frustrating it is to go sorting through boxes and tubs, searching in vain for one particular Christmas ornament or part of the nativity. To prevent this in the future and to help you pack up your decorations once the holiday season is over this year; plan your storage options in advance. You can use a label maker, tape down handmade labels, or even write on your boxes, as long as you include a detailed description of what’s inside. It’s also helpful to group items of the same type together, such as ornaments, the nativity scene, other decorations according to which room they’re usually displayed in, or however you’re most comfortable with organizing your decorations. By pre-labeling and planning your decoration storage, you’ll have less work to do both at the end of this season and at the beginning of the next.

4. Making Post-Holiday Space

No matter how hard you try to prevent the pile-up of more material gifts at the end of the holiday season, you’re almost always left with a mountain of new stuff to deal with. This year, plan ahead by getting rid of clutter before the holidays add more to the mix. Ask your kids to donate five toys to a local charity or make some Operation Christmas Child boxes with items that you already have in your house. This is a great way to help your kids recognize and enjoy the true meaning of Christmas: the joy of giving. It also helps you keep your house organized by getting rid of things that aren’t absolutely necessary. You can even go through everyone’s wardrobes and find a local clothing and shoe drop-off center for items you no longer use, try to give your kids nonmaterial gifts, and empty your stash of “re-gift” items by giving them all away this season.
In addition to getting rid of existing clutter, you can plan space for the inevitable wave of new stuff that hits after the holidays. To create more space in your kids’ rooms, give colorful storage cubes as Christmas gifts. If you have new furniture on your wish list, make sure you get some with built-in storage capacity – this is especially easy to find in tables, and many even include hidden storage space. Maximizing your space efficiency is a great way to help keep your post-holiday life organized and relaxed.

I loved these 4 tips, THANKS LAUREL for sending me this great article. I hope it will come in handy this year and of course all the ones to come!!

HOMEWORK: This week plan 5 days of meals, and STICK TO IT!!!!! Have a great and ORGANIZED WEEKEND!!!

Get back on track with your organizational strategies!! Post #2

Great!!! You came back for tip #2!!

2. Organizing Meals in Advance

It’s easy to get a bad case of kitchen burn-out after the holidays, but your family still needs you to plan and prepare meals – even in January. Try making an effort to include foods that you haven’t eaten during the holiday months to help prevent your picky eaters from getting tired of certain meals. Sure, you’ll probably have leftovers to use up, but try to give them clever disguises. For example, if you’ve got Christmas ham sitting in your refrigerator, bring in some of the unexpected with Caribbean ham and pineapple sandwiches. Add cilantro, green peppers, fresh chopped pineapple, and Caribbean jerk to your typical ham sandwich to spice things up and keep variety in the mix. By planning meals like these in advance, you’ll be able to worry about one less thing in the New Year, allowing you to stay focused on keeping the unexpected organized.

I love this one, my Mom has always been a great example of this tip…Growing up she always had a menu. I try really hard to do the same, but sometimes life just gets in the way. I know it is truly important, I know it will save you time, money, and from unhealthy foods!!!

Friday is the day to see the last 2 tips!!! Don’t forget to come back!!

Get back on track with your organizational strategies!! Post #1

The holiday season can be crazy and stressful. So it’s important to be prepared to reorganize your life. Once you’re back to your regular routine, which I must say, is more difficult to take the time to organize the post-holiday craziness that’s been left thrown around your house. So, before the real world gets in the way, try organizing your post-holiday schedule. Sounds overwhelming? YES I know…but I have some advice from, The Crafting Chicks. Try some of the following tips to help you make your way through the post-holiday crunch.

Here is tip #1!

1. Scheduling Events
Don’t let the first few events of the New Year catch you off-guard. Keep your family calendar updated and, even more importantly, maintain updates in your personal planner as you receive notice of future engagements. By keeping your planner in your purse or near you at all times, you’ll be able to pencil in new events without double-booking or getting too overwhelmed. You can easily find a small planner that’s well suited to your needs at an office supply or local craft store, and November and December are great months to find planners for the New Year. To supplement your organized schedule, try using sticky notes in places that will get your attention at the appropriate times. For example, if you know you have to get to a PTA meeting right after dinner on Tuesday, put a sticky note reminder on the refrigerator or above the sink to remind you while you make and clean up the evening meal.

Come back on Wednesday for tip #2!

How to Keep Your New Year's Resolutions Last 2 steps!!!

Okay here are the last 2 step on how to make New Years resolutions…

3. Tell everyone you know. Some say that New Year's resolutions are best kept to oneself, but look at it this way: the more people to who you announce your resolution (say, to get more organized by spring), the more people will help remind you if you fall behind. There's no shame in seeking help if you can't accomplish your resolution on your own.

4. Reward yourself. Following through on a New Year's resolution is rarely easy, so a reward for doing your best never hurt…for example, maybe you can reward yourself with a new pair of shoes for organizing all your closets in your house. WHY NOT… THERE SHOULD BE ROOM!!!! RIGHT?????

I feel it is important to always set goals for your self. It shows that you always want to be a better person.

Homework: Write down at least 2 goals and tell someone you know. Have a great and organized weekend!!!

Okay here are my 2 NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS…YES I AM TELLING LITERALLY EVERYONE!!!

-Have more one on one with the kids.
-Have prayer every night with Justin.

How to Keep Your New Year's Resolutions

Well, I have missed writing in my blog…My sister from Utah came to visit, with her kids, and with Christmas my life got real hectic!! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year!!! Mine was great but very busy!! I am excited to get back to my normal schedule, even if I do have to wake up at 5 am again!!

I remember every year in grade school, the first day back, all of my teachers would make us write our New Year’s resolutions down…WELL IT IS that time of year again to set some goals and make New Year’s resolutions.

Here are the 1st 2 tips on making New Year’s resolutions…

1. Aim low. It goes without saying that most New Year's resolutions are easier announced (or written) than done-but if you set the bar too high, you're doomed from the start. Instead of saying I am going to write in my blog daily, say I will at least write in it 2 times a week. That way you are not setting yourself up for failure!!!

2. Don't overload yourself. It's difficult enough for the average person to follow through on one New Year's resolution; why would you make a long list of 20!!! Pick 2 or 3 and really concentrate on those.

Come back on Friday for the last 2 tips!!!!