...Getting Organized...

Most of us would love being organized and having our houses stay tidy. We just don't want to feel like we're slaves to our homes! Here's a few tips to help us ALL out...

• Start one area at a time. Choose a small area like a drawer, to get started. This gives you time to have a life and feel successful (instead of feeling overwhelmed)!

• Decide on a time frame. Choose to organize one drawer per week-or one per day over the weekends!

• Include the whole family in getting organized, especially for the bigger jobs-then provide a "treat", like a family game night, as a reward! This might include cleaning things like: the garage, a closet, the gameroom...or under your child's bed!(LOL!!!)

• Get a cordless phone and then while you chat you can tidy the kitchen, do the dishes, or fold clothes,...and you get in a little free exercise, too!

• Train the kids (& your husband, too!) to pick up after themselves, otherwise you'll drive yourself crazy running in circles. This takes time and actually is a bit hard at first because it's sometimes easier to put things away ourselves than to remind our families! Remember, we have to retrain ourselves, too! You'll find yourself wanting to hurry things along by tidying them up yourself, but be patient-things WILL change.