I also like lists, and try to clean as I go. I try to make sure to have a home for everything and put things back as we are done. My Mother taught me to clean the kitchen while cooking. This makes cleanup faster in the end. hmmm, and get rid of clutter

I keep a calendar, lists, and am also a FlyBaby so that helps a lot even though some days I don't feel like one at all. I try to clean up after myself (and the kids) thoughtout the day and that helps.

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My best tool is a trash bag! LOL! My family hates when I go on a cleaning spree.. If it doesn't belong there, it goes!

My computer is my best tool. I use a calendar on my Mac, and it even rings when I have something I have to do. It cuts down on the paper that I seem to accumulate. I can put everyone's chores or schoolwork in their own calendar and even cleaning schedules (once a month clean the... etc.) It syncs with my ipod too so I can see my schedule when I'm out and about.

So many of you are so organized!! I am extremely jealous.

It is funny. I can organize dinners or functions to the t and others comment on how organized I am, but I just have a problem doing this at home. We inherited a 5,000 square foot 120+ year old home. My husband's parents lived here until the seventies. My father-in-law saved everything!! He took a lot with him, but his new wife did put a limit on it. Of course, they were moving to a much smaller home and merging two households. I just feel like I play musical chairs, rotate stuff from room to room and never really accomplish anything. I think my husband has finally realized that we are going to have to get rid of things even if they are Great-aunt whoever's. We updated wiring, plumbing, heat/cool,etc. We have lots of painting, papering, etc. to do and we have things in boxes and tubs to decorate with that were here at the house. Eventually, it will all come together, but I still get depressed.

I am going to try to utilize many of your suggestions.
Things I do To be organized:

*I am also a great fan of over the door shoe hangers for bathrooms and my sewing room closet doors. I put one of these with the clear pockets on my daughter's door and have hair barrettes, ponytails, ribbon,etc. organized by color so we just go to the pocket of the color of her outfit and there is something to match. I also put one of those in the pantry for things like batteries, flashlights, tools, shoe polish, etc.
* I recently bought from Lillian Vernon, an over the door organizer for wrapping paper. I realized that I do not have that many rolls of wrapping paper, I use more gift bags, so I put this on another door in my sewing room to hang ribbon, contact paper, white paper, and other things on rolls.
* In my sewing room, I have a board (you all know what I am talking about, it just skips my mind right now) on one wall that I can insert hangers in different positions. I use this for all kinds of things, wreaths, wire, hot glue gun, scissors, bags of things, ongoing projects.
*We had a real problem with DVD's stacked all over the TV, so I got a basket with a lid that we put our most watched DVD's in and then replace after we have watched.
*I put one of the sweater organizers that hangs from the curtain rod in my husband's closet. Instead of sweaters, I put underwear, t-shirts, and socks so that he can go in his closet and get completely dressed. This just seems to save a step early in the morning.
*I always try to get clothes together the night or day before. This makes the morning go so smoothly.
*I teach Bible class (this would also work for homeschoolers). I use binders with clear page protectors inside. I label the binders. For example, I have a binder for Genesis, then I would start through and put all of creation in one page protector, Adam and Eve in the next, etc. So easy to find, when you need to teach a certain lesson or topic.
* I have a bag with sitting work or handwork, coupons to cut out books or magazines. Then, when I am going somewhere that I will have time on my hands, I take this bag.

This is long, but maybe it will help someone.

Hello Ladies,
Thank you so much for these tips. I recently made a post on "I need a routine" and I think alot of these tips will help me better structure my day. I think I do need to check out the fly lady!!

Question for you--do you take the lead in organizing the home? Do you have trouble having your DH keep to the organization with you or do you notice he often needs "direction". How do you encourage him to join in on keep up the organization? Thanks!

I am not completely organized, but I am working on it. I am not one to take one system and run with it. I take bits and pieces from several systems. The ones I know that will work in my home. Here are a few.

Fly lady is awesome FlyLady.net: Your personal online coach to help you gain control of your house and home

cozi central is a free program. You can keep your calendar(color coded) and your grocery list on there. You can access it from any device that has internet capabilities. I really like it. I just print my grocery list and go. CozyStyle

I also like some of the tools and concepts from the clean team. I checked out the video from the library. Hopefully you can utilize some of the bits. The Clean Team. - Efficient Housecleaning and Environmentally Friendly Cleaners

You all have entered great tips! I like the binder idea. I use microsoft outlook's calendar feature and then I sync it with my phone. That way when I am out, I can enter or change the calendar and then sync it back up with the calendar on my computer. I feel like I spend 24/7 cleaning and that bugs me. My children are small so I have to sort of go where they go. I try to clean whatever room we are in at the moment and not stress about the others. It usually works out that everything gets picked up eventually that way.

LOVE these tips - I've been taking notes...

For those of you who sync up your computer & phones or ipods, what type of programs do you use to do this??

Thanks!

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Stay at home mom to my 3 boys... ages 5, 3 & 1!

I can do all things through CHRIST who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13

OMG! When I announce that I'm going to purge the old stuff from their rooms, my dds (8 & 10) go tearing down the hall ahead of me to reach their rooms first, shouting, "She's on a Search and Destroy mission again!" lol I swear it's so much easier to do when they're not home!

I use a lot of the tips mentioned, and plan on trying some new ones now. I keep a Franklin Covey Daytimer with me all the time, bulky as it can get. When I worked full-time, my corporation had all new hires take a one day class on how to use the FC system. (before electronic organizers!). I still utilize many of the ideas, but one I find unique, is after making my to-do list for a day, I go back and prioritize what should be done first (A, B,C, etc.) and stick to it. Otherwise, my natural tendency is to do what's easiest, or least unpleasant. Really, getting the less-than-fun stuff out of the way first makes for a better day.

Another thing that works for us is having a huge "Family Calendar" hanging on the side of the fridge. You know those desktop calendars with the big squares that you can get at Officemax for under $5? . . . one of those! I LOVE it when dh writes down his dates/times on it, and references it to know what's going on with everyone in the family. That way, he doesn't have to ask me

I have a stacked organizer on the end of my kitchen counter with an IN slot for stuff that the kids bring home and I have to look at/sign, an OUT slot for those same things they need to return to school, and a PAPA slot for all the junk my dh dumps from his pockets when he gets home from work (keys, wallet, crinkled notes, etc.) All of this used to end up covering the kitchen counter and drove me nuts!