» Organization

How to Get Kids to Help with Chores

Carol — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 13:17:01 +0000

I am the mother of three sons…three sons that I did NOT want to grow up dependant on a woman, whether it be a mother or future wife, to cook and clean for them. I was a stay-at-home mom, but that shouldn’t make a difference in teaching kids responsibility. So at a fairly young age, I had them learn various life lessons for themselves. They made their own breakfast, did their own laundry, learned to sew on a button, and had basic cooking lessons. At age 15, they got their own checking account and learned just how fast money can disappear, or accumulate, depending on their spending habits. And of course, they all had required chores to help around the house.

Chores help instill pride in your work, good work habits, responsibility, and a sense of belonging to a family…at least that’s what I told them! Kidding aside, it did instill all of those things and more, and certainly helped me maintain a house of rambunctious boys. My guys are now college aged, and they thank me for teaching them valuable skills that they can see their friends lacking.

Here are some suggestions that I used, and some that I found on the internet from other savvy people, to get your kids to help with chores. I especially like the last idea of tickets; it reminds me of my time in Vacation Bible School where you got to spend your tickets at the end of the week. That was the best! With the new year upon us, this would be a perfect time to start a New Year’s resolution to begin a similar program. Let me know how it goes!

Using A Chore Calendar and Other Tidbits

In our family, we used a whiteboard chore calendar. We would have basic weekly assignments such as picking up their rooms, and rotate other standard chores such as collecting the garbage, cleaning the litterbox, and helping make dinner. It all was written on the whiteboard with a checkbox that they marked when completed. Even the youngest of kids feel a sense of pride when they pick up that marker and check that box…DONE! With 3 boys, they only needed to rotate these chores once every three weeks, so not too bad for them. As they grew older, they helped with more complex tasks such as snow shoveling, sweeping out the garage, and vacuuming.

From an early age, I cleaned out one of the bottom drawers in the kitchen and put the kids’ plastic dishes in there. They had cereal bowls, cups, plastic wear, and plates, all easy to locate and get on their own. In the pantry was their cereal, kept low for easy reach and in easy-to-pour containers or portion-controlled baggies. I put milk in small, kid friendly containers so I wouldn’t find a mess to clean up in the morning.

This worked well for our family, but here are other great ideas that I found.

From the Thrify Tips website…

Use A Job Jar For Chores

As a working parent of 6 kids (the oldest 4 are in a 5 1/2 year age span), the kids helping with chores was a given. Our system was the job jar. All household chores were written down and put into a job jar. Pink paper for the under 6 set, and yellow paper for those school age and above. Every Friday, we all sat down and everyone, including parents, drew their jobs for the following week. We had a chart hanging on the wall that had everyone’s name, their jobs for the week, and a space for Mom (or Mamaw) to sign off when the job was done satisfactorily (without more than one reminder) and finished each day of the week.

On Saturday, anyone that had their assigned chores done at least 6 out of the 7 days participated in a “treat day”. We took turns choosing the treat for the week, from a list provided by Mom (depended on time and money available). The treat might be a picnic, a trip to the pool, a movie, a trip to the zoo, or a Baskin Robbins ice cream treat, etc. Anyone not completing their assigned chores was left at home with grandmother, with no TV or phone privileges for the weekend.

We do not give our kids enough credit. Even a 2 year old can empty a waste paper basket or pick up toys, and put them away. It is not just a case of helping out Mom. Everyone lives there, eats the food, and wears clothing. Everyone needs to feel a sense of ownership and responsibility for their home. When we don’t teach our kids to clean their homes, wash their clothes, cook a decent meal, manage their time, manage their money, and accept their responsibilities, we do them a grave disservice because someday they are going to have their own homes and families to manage. You can’t teach those things by starting the week before they leave for college.

Tickets for Chores

When my kids (and fosters) were young, I bought a roll of tickets (like those at a carnival). They are available at places like WalMart. I made lists of chores, age appropriate for each child. Each chore was assessed as to how many tickets it was worth. (I also included personal hygiene things like brushing teeth, etc.). Some of the chores were really simple - hanging up your towel or putting clothes away. I watched clearance racks for prizes, such as: toys, stuffed animals, fancy pencils, new notebooks, art supplies, and so on. Other prizes might be things like 1:1 time with mom for an evening or choice of video for family night. Each prize was assessed an amount of tickets. Then as the kids accumulated tickets, they could “buy” their prizes. Some kids couldn’t wait to spend their tickets, and would buy the trinket prizes, but soon realized that by saving them, they could get better prizes.

So, chores got done and the kids learned the lessons of earning and saving. This tends to work best with younger kids from little to maybe age 10 or so.

Don’t Let Your Coupons Expire

Geri — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 12:14:31 +0000

Thank you for following me as I redesign my new home office, but this week I am taking a little break to tackle a virus. So instead I am sharing with you my frustration over expired coupons.

I am not talking about grocery store coupons this time, but instead about all those valuable restaurant, store and service coupons that I keep separate from my grocery coupons and with me no matter where I go. My coupon organizer was bulging over and I needed to weed them out.

By the time I had finished checking expiration dates, I had thrown away more than half of my “collection”. I realized all the coupons that I coulda, woulda and shoulda used if only I had remembered they were there. I don’t always take the time to go through all the coupons when I enter a store, restaurant or service establishment, which is my first mistake. My second mistake is not cutting out those coupons that I think I have no use for and then later have to kick my fanny when I realize I really could have used them after all. Carol asked me the other day if I had a coupon to one of her favorite restaurants. I remember tossing it because I didn’t think I had any use for a coupon to a sushi restaurant—yuck!! Share your coupons with family and friends, they may have a coupon to one of your favorite places.

So in my frustration, I started a simple list of all the coupons in my coupon organizer with the expiration dates. Now with a quick look at my list I will know exactly what I have. It only took me a few minutes to put it together and now I feel a little better organized, but in need of a nap! See you next week!

Carol’s Top 15 Tips to Simplify your Life

Carol — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 11:37:59 +0000

Work, kids, spouses, friends, volunteering…it can become overwhelming at times. We all have our little tricks for handling our busy lives. Here are my top 15 tricks that I use every day to simplify my sometimes-crazy life! What’s your favorite tip to simplify your life?

Get ready the night before: Put out your clothing and jewelry; put all paperwork by the door, pack your lunch bag.
Create a honey-do list: Even if you’re the “honey”, make a list of 5-7 things you are going to do the next day or on the weekend. It feels good crossing them off.
30-second rule: Spend 30 seconds putting something away. It is easier to put away the dog toys or hang up one outfit at the end of the day than it is to pick up a week’s worth.
Rule of 80/20: You use 20% of your stuff 80% of the time – your favorite outfit for example. We all have stuff we don’t use or need; getting rid of it is the hard part. Box it, tape it, date it, and dump or donate it.
Recycle it: Go through your mail every day. Immediately read it, recycle it, toss it, file bills to pay, and add important reminders in your calendar.
Start small: Break large tasks down into small to-do items. Clean one shelf of your refrigerator a week, for example. Or, set a timer for 20 minutes and stop cleaning when the bell rings.
Write it down: Need laundry soap? A friend has a new address? Write it down and include the details because, believe me, you’ll pick up that nameless phone number later and wonder who the heck it belongs to.
Say no gracefully: and don’t feeling guilty. Have a simple sincere sentence ready. “I’m sorry I only do two volunteer projects a year and I’ve already done mine for this year.”
Multitask: Waiting for the 3-minute microwave popcorn to pop? Add dishes to the dishwasher. Brush your teeth while showering. Or use that used, soft facial cleansing pad to wipe down the sink before throwing it away.
Simplify errands: Find a shopping center that has most everything you need. Or only visit stores in one part of town instead of wasting time and money driving all over town.
Simplify your finances: Sign up for free online bill pay. Set up automatic monthly payments for credit cards so you’re never late on payments. Enter bills with future pay dates so you’ll never forget that electric bill.
Delegate to others: Have a task calendar with husband and kids’ names and chores. Don’t forget to reward them for jobs done. A word of praise or a hug goes a long way.
Cook extra: Make a double batch and freeze it for a later date. Chop extra onion and vegetables, baggie them, and freeze. Turn leftovers into new dishes by just using your creativity.
Deal with paper clutter: Rip out the interesting articles, or cancel those magazine subscriptions that you never read. File away important papers; toss the ones that are past their retention date.
Organize your drawers and cabinets: Simple boxes can organize supplies, toiletries, and personal items. Put like items together. Not only will you know where to find something but you won’t waste money buying items you already had.

Is Your Stuff Taking Over Your Life?

Carol — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 12:14:57 +0000

I just read a great article about how clutter, whether it be from stuff in your house or the stuff in your head, can take over your life. We’ve all seen Hoarders and listened to the Doomsayers on TV. Don’t become one of them…even a fraction of one of them.

This article particularly resonated with me because of my recent, downsizing move to a much smaller home. I had to release a lot of emotion surrounding giving up my long-collected treasured things. Not that they were all that valuable, but they were mine, mine, mine! Lovingly acquired over years of marriage.

But surprisingly, I found a freedom from the confines of consumerism. I’m happy now that I’m more organized and pared down. Read the article below, and tell me how you feel.

Every single person I have met tells me not only about their own clutter problems but about those of a family member, or those of a friend. Nobody seems immune. The stories are not dissimilar—papers and magazines run amok, garages overflow with unopened boxes, kids’ toys fill rooms, and closets are so stuffed that it looks like the clothing department of a major retailer is having a fire sale.

The epidemic of clutter, the seeming inability to get organized, and the sense that “the stuff” is taking over affects us all. We are at the center of an orgy of consumption, and many are now seeing that this need to own so much comes with a heavy price: kids so overstimulated by the sheer volume of stuff in their home that they lose the ability to concentrate and focus. Financial strain caused by misplaced bills or overpurchasing. Constant fighting because neither partner is prepared to let go of their possessions. The embarrassment of living in a house that long ago became more of a storage facility than a home.

This clutter doesn’t come just in the form of the physical items that crowd our homes. We are bombarded every day with dire predictions of disaster and face many uncertainties—some real and many manufactured. Think about the perils that we’ve been warned about in the last decade alone—killer bees, Y2K, SARS, anthrax, mad cow disease, avian flu, flesh-eating bacteria…the list goes on and on. We are also faced daily with reports of war, an unstable economy and global terrorism coming very close to home.

Surprisingly, this endless barrage (its own kind of clutter) inspires many of the families with whom I work to finally take control of their own clutter. In an unpredictable, dangerous world that is out of their control, they look to their homes for stability—to get some degree of organization back into their closets, their garages, their home offices, their lives. This quest for organization is a deeply personal response to the feeling that the rest of the world is out of control. –Peter Walsh

Our Visit to IKEA

Geri — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 14:12:58 +0000

All I can say is “WOW”!! From everything I have heard about IKEA, I knew that Carol and I would have fun shopping at our new IKEA store. We left early Saturday morning while our families were still asleep with directions in hand and our tummies ready for the 99 cent breakfast. We got there with plenty of time to enjoy our breakfast before the store opened. The cafeteria was beautiful, but a little overwhelming. We had planned on the 99 cent breakfast of eggs, hash browns, bacon and free coffee, but quickly realized that there was so much more—cinnamon rolls!!! We enjoyed our breakfast in anticipation of getting to the real reason we were there. And we were off!!

The store is idiot proof with little arrows directing us through the store. Dare to venture off and you might get lost or worse, miss something! Poor Carol is probably nursing a bruised arm from me smacking it with every new discovery. “Did you see that?” “Did you see that price?” “How can they do that?” I was impressed with their careful approach to setting up entire rooms full of ideas including all the accessories. No imagination needed, it is all there for you. I felt like a kid in a candy store, every corner a new surprise–Disneyland for shoppers.

We were there for 5 hours and still did not see everything. So, we are planning a trip back very soon. But this time we go with a strategy, a list and a little money earmarked just for IKEA. At the end of the day I realized it is similar to becoming a new Mom—you know you are going to love that new baby until it gets here and then you are flooded with emotions you didn’t know you had. Well it was kind of like that! I am in love—with a store! Don’t judge until you have experienced IKEA for yourself, which we highly recommend.