Guest article by Cathy Bates

The Simple Pleasures in Life Rediscovered

The recent downturn in the economy has created some very positive opportunities to live more simply. Families are eating at home more, finding creative ways to entertain themselves, and refocusing on the importance of relationships. Try some of these simple ideas:

• Get the family involved in planning and preparing meals. Each family member gets to pick a night, plan the menu, and help prepare the meal. You might even get an economics lesson in by setting a budget for the meal and letting them shop.
• Pack a picnic and head to your favorite hiking spot or to the beach.
• Plan a family game night. It can just be for your immediate family or invite another family.
• No vacation budget? Campout in the backyard or plan a mini-getaway.
• Do a service project together. You will create lasting memories together and the family will realize how blessed they are even in tough times.
• Need service a little closer to home? Do projects around the house together, like cleaning out the garage or organizing a room.
• Check your local newspaper, library, craft store, or home improvement store for free activities and events.

Cathy Bates is owner of Practical Solutions Professional Organizing and they can help you gain control of your surroundings and life, rediscovering the simple pleasures in life. Contact Practical Solutions for more information at 909.810.3719 or go online to www.psorganizing.com.

Introducing another real ‘Almost Always Orgnized mom’ Cheryl Phillips;

How do you keep your children’s schedules together ?
I don’t overload my children with activities. If there is an activity they want to join (dance, etc) then that is fine. However, my belief is that concentrating on doing well in school and creative play at home are the best way to raise a child. I’m probably not going to be popular in saying that, but I see too many children “overscheduled”.

I like to eat dinner together every night. If there are activities, parties and other events going on, I just keep everything up on the family calendar (right on the refrigerator) so everyone knows what’s going on.

Do you use a particular day planner ? I used to. Then I’d leave it in my car and fall asleep before I could go out and get it.

Do you own a blackberry? Yes! I’ve had a BB for three years now. I went two months without it to test my endurance. I won’t do that again.

What is you most used ‘time saving tip’ when it comes to running your house?
I believe in doing the same routine every day. My children actually help me save time. They all have to put their things away after school, set the table for dinner, clear the dishes, etc. So, the biggest time saving tip has been for me to teach my children to help out. I rarely have to tell anyone to put away shoes or throw their laundry in the hamper. It becomes routine when everything has a time and place.

Do you have a favourite quick meal for your family? Yes. It’s a really basic recipe and dinner is ready in 15 minutes. Home made macaroni and a wayyyyyy lot of cheese, salad and fruit.

Tell us the truth ? What would we find in your car right now ?
My car is always clean in the passenger area. I’m just a little uptight about that. I don’t allow food unless we’re on a road trip or it’s really early and we’re heading somewhere when breakfast at home is impossible. I don’t like a car that looks like a basement. However, check in my trunk and you’ll find a case of bottled water, 3 sand buckets, 4 shovels, a bottle of Febreze, baby wipes (I don’t have babies but these are great to have!), a box of trash bags (hey, you never know how handy they can be!), my last pair of crutches and four different knee braces. I’ve had three surgeries in the past 18 months. Life is unpredictable. I need to be prepared.

What advice would you give to other moms who feel the pressure of trying to be ‘super mom’?
It’s overrated. We are humans and we mess up. I didn’t get an instruction book and I have been a single Mom for the past eight years. I just wing it and when something works, I stick with it. I don’t pretend to be great at what I do. I just enjoy my children and have fun.

What is your number one goal for the year ? How do you plan to reach it ?

My initial thought was to tell you that I want to become a blogger on the Huffington Post. However, that’s a goal that is secondary to something far more important. I want to learn how to climb and descend stairs normally. I haven’t been able to do that since 2007. I am not positive how I am going to achieve the goal…more than likely a combination of more physical therapy and will power.
Cheryl Phillips is a single mother of five, freelance writer, blogger and social media addict who realized that Twitter was created so that she would stop being so long-winded. Her blog, The Daily Blonde, is a commentary of life without sugarcoating. Cheryl is passionate about combiningTwitter and other forms of social media to help grow small business.

Guest Post by Beverly Coggins

We all have big projects we must accomplish at different points in our lives. It may be a normal part of your job or a fund-raiser for your child’s sports team or doing a home improvement project. Whatever the case, if you plan ahead, you can eliminate much of the stress that could accompany a big project. Here are a few tips:

1. Break down your project into categories and then to specific tasks in each category.

2. Estimate the time it will take do each task. Err on the side of over-estimating rather than under-estimating.

3. Add up the time it will take to complete your project so you will know how much time will need to be devoted to the project.

4. Set a deadline for the completion of your project.

5. If your project allows, delegate. Assign tasks with clear instructions and deadlines. Plan to follow-up periodically.

6. Working backwards, schedule the specific tasks/deadlines and follow-ups, allowing some extra wiggle room for unexpected delays. Plan to finish your project a couple of days ahead of schedule to reduce your stress level.

7. Know your peak energy times and schedule your tough jobs then, if possible.

8. Do big projects during big chunks of time and small ones during small scraps of time.

9. Do projects that require concentration at times when you won’t be interrupted at a place where there are few distractions. If you work in an office, consider going in during an evening or weekend when no one else is there. Make sure to take some time off during the week to compensate yourself.

10. Inform others of times when you do not want to be interrupted and when you will be available. Record this information on your voice mail. Give polite, but firm reminders when you are interrupted during your no-interruption times.

11. If necessary, go to a location away from your office or home where you are unlikely to be disturbed.

12. CELEBRATE the completion of your project!! If others are involved in your project, make sure to involve them in the celebration.

Beverly Coggins is an organizing expert, speaker and author of the 1-2-3…Get Organized series - books, workbooks, and ebooks written for the organizationally overwhelmed. Her blog provides tips on organizing time, the office, and home.

She is also a Myers-Briggs facilitator and conducts retreats, seminars, training, and coaching for businesses and individuals on the topics of team building, conflict resolution, vision/mission, career satisfaction, time management and organization.

MomAudience.com, her latest venture, is a weekly email showcasing free listings of businesses, blogs, products, and more that appeal to moms.

I get calls from friends quite often being the resident computer geek in my inner circle of friends. Their computer is slow, its dragging, it’s freezing. So as my friendship duties require I stop in for a coffee and they pull out the lap top or lead me to the office.

Their computer is on, oh it has been for two weeks? The update icon has a ! and there are more icons on the desktop then I can count. When I ask them when they last defragged they look at me blankly.

Remember that’s the little icon I moved into your task bar so you could click it each week? OK you get the just.

I can’t drink any more coffee and think it would be nice to visit my friends just to visit and I bet your social groups ‘computer geek’ feels the same way as me.

So here’s my basic weekly computer maintenance check list to help your computer from hating you. (I know it’s a strong word.)

1) Updates, you NEED to stay on top of Microsoft critical updates. Yes you will need to restart your computer afterwards. Go to Windows Update and set up your computer to auto update.

2) You should only have ONE antivirus program. ONE yes ONE. It’s really not a case of the more antivirus software on your computer the better. If you are cheap (or broke) I suggest AVG Free. Be sure to download it to your desktop - then UNINSTALL the old antivirus software BEFORE you install AVG.

3) Run a FULL scan with AVG every week.

4) Clear your computer each week: (Programs-> Accessories->System tools)

* Run “Disk Cleanup” to delete unneeded files
* Run “Defrag” to defragment your files
* Delete your temporary Internet files & clear your Internet history.
* Back up your files and store them away from your computer
* Empty your Recycle bin (It’s not a storage folder)

One more quick tip:

Your computer is also not the place to store ALL your photos, videos, and music. By all means keep those you use often.

of?ten
[aw-fuhn, of-uhn; awf-tuhn, of-] S
–adverb
1. many times; frequently: He listens to his music as often as he can.
2. in many cases.

I am betting if you lost all your family photos you wouldn’t be too happy. That should be reason enough to make sure when you download the photos you zip the folder and upload them to MSN skydrive and burn them to a disk.

A few very simple tasks that will keep your computer happy and your computer geek friend sane.

Organized Families is excited to share tips with you from a real mom. Melinda blogs at Coming Clean: Confessions of an Imperfect Parent read on to learn how she keeps it all together as a busy mom.

How do you keep your children’s schedules together ?
I’m a big list maker. For my nine-year-old, I have a list of basic things for him to do when he comes home from school, including homework, putting away his laundry, putting his lunchbox on the counter (so I’m not searching for it frantically 10 minutes after we were supposed to leave) and setting the table if it’s his night.
For my daughter, who is 12, I’ve learned that rigidity with pre-teens just doesn’t work, so my requirements for her are a little more basic. (I have more important battles to fight!) Before she can be on the computer (her favorite thing), she has to finish homework, tidy her room and read a little bit from a devotional book.
I don’t give my kids a lot of time to unwind after they get home from school. It doesn’t work for us. They get off track and then it’s a homework battle at 9:30 at night when my patience and energy levels are on empty. Plus, they both have sports practices, so they really need to get homework and other responsibilities done right away.

Do you use a particular day planner ?
I use a planner called “Hot Chocolate.” I buy all their notebooks, too. They are so fun and funky that I’m more likely to make lists and keep on top of my schedule. I need all the incentive I can get!

Do you own a blackberry?
I don’t. Although my daughter told me today that I “need” to get one. She claims my current cell phone is “so lame.”

What is your most used ‘time saving tip’ when it comes to running your house?
I’d say, “Don’t procrastinate!” Leaving dishes in the sink, for example, makes them so much harder to clean the next day. The more you let things pile up, the longer it takes to dig out. I don’t always follow this, but when I do, it makes my life so much easier.

Do you have a favourite quick meal for your family?
I’m big into healthy. I buy Boboli Whole Wheat pizza crusts, use Organic Ragu, pile on the cheese (soy cheese is healthiest) and add our favorite toppings. Instead of regular Pepperoni, I use Turkey Pepperoni. It’s a crowd-pleaser every time. And my crowd isn’t so easy to please.

Tell us the truth ? What would we find in your car right now ?
Ooooo… You asked me this question at the right time! I just cleaned and vacuumed my van a few days ago. Right NOW, you’d only find a few Encyclopedia Brown books that my son likes to read when we’re on the road. LAST WEEK, you would have found a treasure trove of goodies, including a bag of rotten celery that somehow didn’t get brought in with the rest of the groceries. My house is always far more clean and organized than my van!

You seem like a mom who understands the importance of not expecting perfection. What advice would you give to other moms who feel the pressure of trying to be ‘super mom’?
I spent many years being crushed by that pressure. But, for the most part, I’m free now. Understanding God’s unconditional love for me helps me to remember to do the same with my children, which can be very difficult sometimes! When I was trying to be “supermom” I felt so isolated. But as I began to share my struggles and let my guard down, I found SO many moms who were having the same fears and struggles. I found community and support. That also made a huge difference.

What is your number one goal for the year ? How do you plan to reach it ?
From a professional standpoint, my number one goal is to write my first book. I’ve set aside 1-2 hours a day to work on this alone. I’m getting up earlier in the morning so I can be sure to keep up with all the other things that need to be done for the family. I’ve also shared my goal with others so that I can gain support and encouragement along the way. And, most importantly, I’m praying ALOT! ;0)

Melinda is a mother of two, ages 12 and 9, as well as a writer and speaker. She writes frequently on parenting topics, as her children and her experiences with them provide a great deal of meaty and humorous material. You can visit her blog “Coming Clean: Confessions of an Imperfect Parent” at http://www.parentingconfessions.com

Interested in being featured ? Contact US !

I was thinking about my childhood summers last night. Tomorrow I am off to be a kindergarten mom helper for a day at the beach and just one more day before schools out for my children.

This summer I plan on taking the kids for a few camping trips (OK not real camping but the resort type where you have real washrooms and a swimming pool), and I started looking online for some new game ideas. I was wondering if I could find some of the board games I use to play as a child. A way to relive my childhood summer memories while helping my children create new ones.

I found this great shopping site that lists classic toys . I had never seen a wikki list for toys like this. I shop on ebay and a lot of online stores but I have bookmarked this one for Christmas shopping. Especially the Skatboard section. Finding toys for my ‘in between’ son can be hard and his birthday is coming up. I refuse to buy anymore video games.   I hear  dolls and doll houses are a no fail Christmas gift for little girls. . . . . .

Speaking of skateboards, if you haven’t yet, consider getting a skateboard rack for your sons. This is a great way to get them up off the floor and display their boards on the wall.

So I have managed to go from planning for summer vacation to starting to plan for Christmas. I wonder if there is a date in which you must start Christmas shopping in order to be officially an ‘organized mom’ ? Mind you with the current economic state it would be a good idea to start spreading out my Christmas shopping to ensure I am not over extending my budget at Christmas.  I can not believe I just went from summer holidays to Christmas!

Come to think of it, I should go out and buy some of those summer toys, that would make a unique Christmas gift ! You don’t see them out at Christmas time.

Guest Article by: By Liz Rapelje

I’m a terrible procrastinator. Without a specific time management strategy, I think I’d put life itself off, while I play some Solitaire on my computer. Unfortunately, procrastination is a very real issue for many people, and it’s often responsible for the majority of your lost productivity.

Do You Have a Procrastination Problem?

• Do you feel like you work, but never get anything done?
• Do you plan to clean, but it never gets finished?
• Do you start projects, but never see them through to completion?

If you answered yes to these questions, you probably have an issue with procrastination.

There is good news: You can overcome procrastination by implementing some time management techniques into your everyday life. Once you beat the procrastination monster, you’ll become much more successful in all areas of your life. You’ll also have more time for doing things you enjoy. One of the first steps to avoiding procrastination is to have a plan for your day. Whether you make a formal schedule, or just use a simple checklist, it’s easier to stay on task when you have something to refer to.

Sometimes people procrastinate because they’re feeling overwhelmed by a big task that seems impossible to complete. Instead of dealing with it, they simply avoid the task, finding other ways of spending their time. If this sounds familiar to you, you can break this cycle by breaking the task into smaller pieces. It won’t seem as unmanageable, and you’ll feel a greater sense of accomplishment as you finish each piece.

Set Deadlines

You can also avoid procrastination by creating task deadlines for yourself. By setting your deadline a little earlier than the real deadline (or creating one when there isn’t a specific date for completion) you create a sense of urgency for getting the task done. You also set yourself up for success, as you’re building in “wiggle room” for the unexpected.

Treat Yourself with Rewards

Give yourself a reward when you’re effective at meeting your goals and staying on schedule. Sometimes, a simple reward is all the motivation you need to stay focused on the task at hand. By combining all of these methods in your fight against procrastination, you’ve got a better chance of getting those things that are important to you, in both business and personal life, completed. You’ll feel less stressed out, and better about yourself over all. You’ll also have more time to enjoy life.

Procrastination is one of the worst culprits in poor time management - Click here for a free report entitled 5 Quick Time Management Techniques.

There once was a time when I was the Organized mom and I actually had a menu plan. Well at least a dinner menu plan !

So this week I am determined to actually work with a dinner menu plan. I have narrowed it down to some easy, quick dinners based on whats in the cupboard meal ideas and tried to think about what I can double cook for later in the week.

I am also thinking I may start using someone elses menu plans for the following week (payday is next Wednesday which will allow me to shop based on the menu plans). So I have started looking for a few different menu plan groups and menu plan e books.

So onto sharing my menu plan for the week (I didn’t plan menus for lunches, as my children eat lunch at school and I eat left overs or just have cereal :) ! )

Monday:
Breakfast -  English muffins  cheese slices (melted on top)   oranges
Dinner - Spaghetti bread (bread machine dough) green salad *make extra ground beef for tomorrow

Tuesday:
Breakfast - Poached Eggs Whole wheat toast Melon
Dinner- Tacos - Mexican Rice (rice cooker do you have one yet ?)  - tomatoe/cuke salad

Wednesday:
Breakfast - Berry Oatmeal Muffins Milk creme cheese
Dinner- Mashed Potatoes Corn on the cob Pork Chops Apple sauce

Thursday:
Breakfast - Apple sauce - sausage - toast
Dinner- Tuna Casserole - Tossed Salad - dinner buns

Friday:
Breakfast - Oatmeal with real maple syrup and golden raisins
Dinner- Potato Salad Hambugers

Saturday:
Breakfast - Saturday is always pancakes and scrambled eggs :)
Dinner- Crock Pot Jambalaya

Sunday:
Breakfast - Toast, fruit, coffee ( I know but its my lazy morning …. )
Dinner- The Best Pasta Salad -  Grilled Barbque Chicken

There you go, maybe I will get inspired and take pictures !

I am not sure where to start when describing how incredibly busy I will be this week.

I am starting a series of mom interviews to feature bloggers and get some of their great tips for organizing and time management for their families this week. All of which will be posted here at Organized Families.

If you are interested in being interviewed please drop me a note through TWITTER.

I also have a client blog to complete, an aupair training manual to write for Rod’s new aupair (my boyfriend for those of you who are new to my crazy life blog), another client who needs help getting started on twitter to promote their blog, a fence to finish staining, invoicing, and you know the daily life of being a single mom with three children !

Of course I also have my ongoing To Do list to work through and a library book that I really WANT to read.  Reading is a guilty pleasure for this busy mom. One I rarely dip into, for this very reason.  I of course had to start a trilogy which could result in my nose in a book for a week straight ;)

Speaking of library books my tip for the day: Get a library bag. I keep mine next to the door on a hook and the children are told to KEEP their books in the bag not on their book shelf or under their book shelf, bed, or laundry hamper (all places they tend to disappear to). It keeps them handy to grab when I get time to stop by the library.

Well it arrived. My 35th year. For years I have been saying ‘35 will be the best year of my life’ and now I have to make sure it is.

To launch my 35th year, this almost always organized mom needs some inspiration, organization, and new goals. This week is all about inspiration  for a tired mom who needs to increase her energy and to that she needs some motivation!

Although I have made some great leaps organizing my children’s schedules, my personal space has suffered as a result. My yard is a tad overgrown, my room lacks an inviting feel and some days my ‘almost always organized’ feels like we may be on time but my home is no longer my respite.

When I tell others how to find my home my response for the last year has been ‘You can’t miss my home. Its the single mom home with the use to be brown picket fence and overgrown shrubbery.’

Standing by the Declutter Guide’s advice of letting go of perfectionism. I started painting that use to be brown fence yesterday. My mother arrived to help and I let my children get messy with me.

It was a great evening of ‘family time’ and even though only the first coat is done on the front of the yard this morning I have a sense of motivation to keep going knowing I accomplished that one to do task that hasn’t made it to the top of my list in four years !

I love paint. If you let go of ‘perfection’ painting is a quick and easy way to brighten up your home and make it feel new again. What could be a better motivator for positive changes ? Pick a room, pick a day, and paint. Or if the weather is nice pick something outside and make it new.