Keeping Organized

M. - Feel free to check out my website for free organizing tips. Look at www.cluttershrink.com and then go to the link that says The 'Shrink Rap! C.

i "bulk cook" food and store it in the freezer in meal sized portions. i make sure to label the contents of the bags and date them. dinner usually takes less than 30 minutes to make.

i'll do meats: cook 2 roasts at a time, marinade uncooked meat in single meal ziplocks, double the lasagna recipe (it just makes it taller) and cut it up after baking and freeze, this is a super quick meal, even if you forget to defrost it!

i use my crock pot alot too to make spagetti sauce in bulk, this is how i cook roasts, pork, sausage too.

when i buy ground meat i premake hamburgers, wrap them in wax paper and freeze them. i make meatloaf 4 at a time and cut each in half and that's a meal for our family. i brown 3 pounds of ground beef and freeze in 1 pound ziplocks, this makes adding meat to something soo easy cuz the browning is already done. i've also frozen taco flavored ground beef and it was super!

this method of cooking has saved me soooo much time, and it's great homemade food that your family is eating. it saves lots of money too cuz you can buy your stuff on sale and bulk cook accordingly. you don't have to make all the food at once, just make extra each time you make dinner and you'll have your freezer full in no time!!!

as for cleaning, i got my house to the cleanliness level that i was happy with, and every day i try to maintain one chore or one room. and each time i visit the bathroom in a day i do a chore in there so that room stays sparkling fresh. i've become addicted to the swiffer products and my house has gleamed in return. they are so easy to use!! i was using a mop and bucket and my house suffered because i couldn't just mop the floors real quick where with the swiffer it's done in no time.

i use large plastic see-thru storage totes as toyboxes. they come in a variety of sizes and are fairly cheap. i like them because you can easily see what's inside. i have one in the living room that collects the kid's toys when they leave them out and when we get around to it, the toys get emptied from there and go to their real homes.

i also feel like there isn't enough time in a day to do everything, and i'm a stay at home mom. i can't imagine having a job and going to school while trying to raise kids too!!! props to you! hope this helps a little, sorry it's so long!

Hi! Try looking at the website Flylady.net. It helps keep me organized. There is a great book that explains it all too called Sink Reflections. I'm not saying that you have to adopt EVERY recommendation but the woman is a miracle. Things so simple & obvious but her ways just make everything seem so clear. I will warn you though if you sign up for email, be ready for alot. In the beginning there are alot. It does decrease over time. She also has great links. One is to a menu website. It helps with meal planning on a budget and gives you the shopping list for the whole week. She breaks down holiday preparation too which is nice. Overall, I say just look it over. I was in your position busy life, 2 kids and fulltime work when I found out about her on another website. I am glad I looked. P.S. - There is no charge for all this wonderful information. She is just a great person.

M.,
I always kept my kids toys in their bedrooms, they were allowed to bring out one toy or activity each, but weren't allowed to bring out another toy until the frst was put back. (They thought)I threw out the first toy if they brought a second. I let them handle most of their own room responsibilities, but, I let them know, it's my living room and that I was allowing them to play in it,(that's where the tv was).
Also, I had/have a cleaning business in Glenside so, I know (outside of laundry) it takes me personally once a week, about 2.5-3 hours to clean a 3 br 1.5 bath, kitchen, living room, dining room and den. Doing dishes and laundry daily is very important, make your kids have assignments, like, make their bed, gather their laundry, take out the trash (for the husband:)), wipe down your shower while you are taking one...
Of course, you could hire a cleaning lady once a week for about $75.00, generally, they don't do laundry or windows, but they do all the major stuff most people don't have time for, so for some, it's worth it.
My house has 3 stories, 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, laundry room, kitchen floors, living room, dining room, hardwood, tile and vinyl, and I run a childcare facility out of my home, it does take me a little longer to clean up this place...
Good luck.
T.

M.,

I am a stay at home mom and I don't have everything cleaned and put away every night. But, here is what I try to do to keep up:

1. My husband takes the kids out of the house on one weekend morning to give me a chance to really clean the floors, bathrooms, etc.
2. I try to do at least one load of laundry per day, wash dry & put away.
3. I keep the kids inside one weekend afternoon, so my husband can mow the lawn, weedwack etc.
4. I put away some of the toys in our basement and rotate them back in to circulation about once every few weeks.
5. I have specific bins for balls, toys with wheels, toys that make noise, action figures. My son, age 2 1/2 knows which toys go in which bins. Even if I get lazy and throw something in the wrong bin, he will notice and move it to the right place.
6. Things with little pieces and parts are kept in bins with lids that my 2 1/2 year old cannot open without my help. This keeps them controlled any away from my 7 month old.
7. I try to encourage the older one to help clean up toys. Before naps, lunch, dinner, bed I ask him to clean up. Sometimes it is a struggle, but usually if I start, he will join in. I find that the more consistant I am with asking him to clean up before other activities, the more cooperative he becomes, he seems to like routine.
8. Ask for help! If I don't ask my husband to sweep the floor for me, or put the laundry in the dryer he won't think to do it. But if I ask, he usually always does it.

Good luck and I totally respect that you are a caring Mom, student and that you work full time. Good for you!!

I keep a basket in each room, so at the end of the day, all the toys go into the basket...then empty whenever i get a chance, or take it to my daughters room and have her put them away. the baskets look nicer and take up less space than a toy box.
Good luck!
M.

I always taught my children to clean up their things. If they get one toy out they must put it away before getting out another one. If they do not put the first toy away before getting out another, the first toy gets "grounded" put up for a week. Also, I had a rule, no toys in the living room, kitchen, or mommy's room!
Blessings!
A.