One of the keys to academic success for your child is to provide them with a productive study area at home. You can turn any space within the child’s bedroom, playroom or dorm room into an efficient and organized study area with a little planning.

1. Pick an area and a desk.
   Find a smooth surface with room for your student to spread out study materials. Select a chair that is comfortable and that has good back support. And don’t forget to consider adequate lighting.
2. Limit potential distractions.
   Implement a phone and television-free zone to reduce temptation. Especially if the study zone is in a high traffic area of the home institute a firm study time where everyone in the family respects the student’s time to study.
3. Create a schedule.
   Establish a scheduling system at the beginning of the school year. Use a large monthly calendar and place it near the study area. Have your student list items such as due dates, exams and social events.
4. Set up a filing system.
   Develop a filing system that will go along with the calendar. Whether it is color-coded or not just make sure it is simple and easy to use. Example files would be project files, completed assignments, grades, reference materials, receipts, etc.
5. Keep the area clutter-free
   While you want to have supplies and references at hand clutter can cause distractions and can cost valuable study time if your student is constantly looking for items. Have enough room to adequately store books and supplies so they are accessible yet out of the way. Use baskets and bins to keep things tidy.

Implementing these tips can help provide a great atmosphere for studying.

As a new school year approaches and schedules become hectic, wouldn’t it be great to have a handle on healthy meals and snacks? Getting our children to eat healthy can be challenging. It is so convenient sometimes to pull through the fast food drive through when you are tired and the children are hungry.

By planning ahead and being organized you can consistently have healthy home-cooked meals for your family not only on weekends, but week nights as well. In a previous post, I suggested that weekly menus are the solution to healthy meals and they are a way to stay organized in the kitchen.

In addition, here are some tips for preparing for healthy brown bag lunches:

•  Use a cycle menu or rotate between 3 – 5 easy meals. Keep these staples on hand so you don’t have a reason to skip the brown bag and hand out lunch money instead.
• Shop in bulk for staples like juice boxes, plastic ware and other non-perishable.
• Prep vegetables right after grocery shopping and then pre-package items like cut up veggies in bags or containers.

For snack attacks try the following:

• Create a snack shelf in your pantry or cabinet and set house rules for the number of snacks each day per child. Children can then self-serve. Another idea is to use a snack jar and have children pre-select snacks for the next day.
• Have a fruit bowl on the counter.
• Save some of the pre-cut veggies for snack time. Have them and other kind approved snacks where they can be reached in the refrigerator.
• If you don’t want your children to eat it, don’t have it in the house.

The stress of packing lunch, preparint healthy meals and managing snacks for your children can be lighten with a little pre-planning, some house rules and organization.

I would love to hear your suggestions for organizing for healthy meals.

So you have a teen headed for college. ..If you read my previous post you already have created a checklist, taken inventory and started shopping. But what do you do to organize a college dorm room? Let’s face it dorm rooms are tiny. Here are a few tips to help your college-bound student set up an organized dorm room:

• Think in zones: study, hanging out, sleep and storage. Assist them in organizing so things are handy. Nothing will ever be put away if it is too difficult. This is why I love clear storage bins or containers.
• Use expandable storage items such as multi-tiered hangers and an extra closet rod.
• Think carts, crates, bins, baskets, bed risers (for under bed storage), modular and stacking.
• Use vertical spaces. Buy a hutch that they can place on an existing desk or add shelves above.
• Be aware of dorm rules for painting, nails, etc. You don’t want to be responsible for repairs at the end of the year so ask questions about what is allowed.
• If rooms are small, closets are even smaller. Don’t bring their whole wardrobe. Have them pack only one fancy dress and one or two heavy sweaters. They can always switch out items on their visit home for break or on a weekend.
• Label personal items so there is no confusion of ownership.
• Encourage your college-bound student to have a conversation with their roommate to develop a shared list of items to bring such as the stereo, microwave and television.
• Help them plan for laundry day and think about supplies needed for showering especially if there is a shared bath area. Encourage them to have a system for drying towels (think smelly wet towel. Yuk!).
• Think about emergency items such as batteries, flashlights and extra blankets. Also, a power strip, stain remover and a lint brush.
• Have them include items that will help the dorm feel like home like a poster, framed photo or favorite pillow. These will add a personal touch.

Most importantly wait to see the room before you help them buy that whole fuchsia room ensemble at the store. While it looks great in the store  there may not be room for it.

This is a great time to work as a team with your teen to make the transition from home to dorm organized and easy.

Whether you are sending your child off to their first day kindergarten or your teen to college. There are some tips to help get back to school organized:

For children of all ages:

• Start by creating a check list
• Obtain a list of supplies from the school. Many times the school will send a letter home or you can check out the school’s website.
• Create your own list of supplies and items to prepare.
• Start discussing school schedules or routines, lunches, time management (bedtimes for younger children) and budgets (for older children).
• Inventory what you have on hand, what can be repurposed or what new items are needed. Then schedule a shopping time.

For college students:

• They should make a list and so should the parents and then compare the two. There is a great on-line resource  for a checklist for college-bound students.
• Create an area as a landing for items gathered for school so they are in one spot. Or consider waiting to buy some things once on campus especially if the school is further away or items are too costly to ship.
• Use items such as crates or a foot locker to pack. These items can be used for storage or furniture in the dorm.
• Discuss things such a laundry, problem-solving, healthcare and how you will stay in touch (frequent emails or weekly calls) now.

For younger children:

• Make child-care arrangements for after school, if necessary. Also, think about how to handle sick and snow days now.
• Create a school storage supply area (shelf or drawer) to store bulk items so they are all in one place.
• Give each student at home a file drawer or bin to contain completed work and current assignments.
• Create a quiet study center for each child.

By planning ahead going back to school can be organized and stress-free. I would love to hear your ideas.

Here are a few tips for getting organized for good. These tips can be used in specific areas of the house or anywhere:

O – One in, one out. Use this rule to limit your stuff. If you bring something new in, something old must go.
R – Routines are crucial. Daily, weekly, monthly and yearly schedules for organizing, cleaning and maintaining will keep you clutter-free.
G – Get help. Enlist your family to stop chaos. If needed, get the help of a friend or professional organizer.
A – Assign a place for everything and put everything in its place. Store things where there are used so it is easier to put them away.
N – Note it. Create a book with critical information in one place. This is where schedulers, phone numbers, invitations and other important information can be found.
I – Institute a system for actions like paying bills, filing and follow up actions. Placing paper in action files can corral paper clutter and stop your piles from growing.
Z – Zip things into bags (mesh or plastic depending on the items). You can do this for lost items, the dry cleaning or small items.
E – Evaluate what is and isn’t working for you. Take a few minutes to identify one or two area of your home that are clutter and ask yourself what’s working or not and brainstorm some solutions.

Using these “organizing” tips can help tame chaos and keep you clutter-free. I would love to hear a tip or two from you.

Just because you can buy 20 pounds of chicken at a time or a 64 pack of paper towels, should you? Does it make sense for you to buy in bulk?

Buying in bulk can make sense, but keep these questions in mind:

• Do you the storage space for it?
• Will you use it within the next (you pick the time frame)?
• Is it the right size for your needs? A quart can of tomato paste, really?
• Will it end up costing your more in waste when you throw out an expired item?

I think that buying in bulk makes sense for some, just go with a plan and don’t impulse buy and you should be okay.

As I was organizing and sorting my magazines (I was a little behind), I came across a great article in January 2010 issue of Prevention magazine that shared several ideas from authors, readers and staff about what works for them.

Personally, I use two binders. One is small with page protector sheets that hold my handwritten or typed recipe cards that I started years ago and that used to be in a recipe box. The other is a letter size three-ring binder that also holds page protectors where I have inserted recipes (keepers) from various sources. It also has pockets in the front of each section for untried recipes (which I clean out every three to four months if they haven’t been used yet). I have used this binder system for several years now and was just questioning what about it was and wasn’t working for me when I came across the article I referenced above.

I was really intrigued by the suggestion of organizing recipes by seasons because I do cook that way (winter versus summer dishes) and then I also recently saw a cute recipe box and I do have all those 3”x5” recipe cards that are in the small binder and would a recipe box serve me better?

Yet another question is: do I really need to cut and keep recipes  from magazines or the newspaper any more since there are websites that have hundreds of recipes for all kinds of dishes and foods. And you can also use your computer to electroncially organize your recipes rather than have actual paper recipes.

Hmmm… Is it time to organize my recipes differently? Is it time that you organized yours?

I had the pleasure of recently conducting a clutter seminar at a local library. The question of organizing coupons came up.

The audience participated in brainstorming some ideas for coupon organization:

• Organize by category or expiration date. Use a small accordion file labeled 1 -12 and placing the coupons in the respective tab (7 for July) by the month of expiration. Or if have difficulty filing that specifically, just place in an envelope.
• Keep an envelope or your file in your purse or glove box and go through it matching your grocery list just before your shopping trip. This way you won’t leave your coupons at home.
• Set a reminder on your calendar to clear out expired coupons.

And, from me, if you routinely do not use the coupons you clip before they expire, give yourself permission to stop cutting coupons and adding to your clutter.

I am always amazed at what I learn from my audiences. Do you have a coupon tip to share? I would love to hear it.

As Independence Day quickly approaches, I wanted to share some thoughts about living a life of freedom and balance. Here are some essentials for leading a well-balanced life that flows:

• Hydrate your body with water. It quenches thirst and helps satisfy your appetite.
• Walk. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, park further away in the lot, take a stroll after work to unwind and take extra steps whenever possible to increase your activity level and lower your stress level.
• Meditate. Jut 10 -20 minutes each day actively doing nothing will center you, calm your mind and help you stay focused. It also counteracts stress and increases inner peace.
• Practice a yoga pose or stretch.
• Give Thanks. Take time to notice and be grateful for what is going right in your world. Appreciating the little things will help you be more satisfied with your life in general.

Sometimes it is the simple things that we do on a daily basis that can lead to a well-balanced life. What have you been leaving out and what is the first thing you will put back into your life today?

Yes. Children should have fun because they grow up fast yet it is also important for our children to share and learn responsibility. Chores play an important role in keeping your home organized and running smoothly. There are chores that are age appropriate even for toddlers.

Chores include children in family activities while teaching them the importance of following through and completing activities. This is where a chore chart can be a great tool because it helps children better understand their tasks and chart their daily progress. Tracking chore completion will help encourage responsibility and promote your child’s success and build confidence. In addition, children will feel instant pleasure when applauded for their efforts by placing a sticker or check mark by their name.

There are several types of chore charts ranging from ones drawn on a chalkboard to custom designed ones. I came across a website that has several free printable chore charts for you to try. Try one or try them all and see what works for your family.

I am curious to know if they helped or if you have a tip you would like to share.