To Begin with

Write down what types of activities your child/ren are interested in to weigh up the positives and negatives – including what your budget and time will allow.

Activities Ideas to Explore

Archery, Athletics, Football, Soccer, Baseball, Basketball, Cycling, BMX, 10 pin or Lawn Bowling, Boxing, Fencing, Bushwalking, Callisthenics, Cricket, Croquet, Dance – (Jazz, Tap, Ballet, Rock) Golf, Gem stones/ Lapidary, Golf, Gymnastic, Hockey, Water skiing, Motor bikes riding, Netball, Tennis, Photographic clubs, Astronomy Club, Canoeing, Rowing, Rugby, Diving, Scuba Diving, Swimming, Radio and electronics, Book clubs, Church social groups, girl guides, Scouts, softball, table tennis, squash, Volleyball, astronomy, Electronics, Computer, Sailing, Fishing, Sewing, Rock climbing, Caving, Abseiling, marathon, surf lifesaver, music, drama, debate teams, painting, drawing, singing, surfing – the list goes on!

Your Child’s Age

Kids Activities are broken up into age groups and children must be a certain age before joining and often upon reaching another age group they have to move on.

Activity Fees

Do you have to pay to join? What do the fees cover? How much? Do the fees cover any outings, uniforms, costumes, or are they additional? Are the fees paid by the term, week or monthly? Do they rely on help with any fundraising or running of the program? If so do you have time to commit to this?
Health Issues

If your child has any health issues the coach needs to be aware of be sure to explain everything they need to know in case of an emergency. Having this in writing is always better than a conversation which can be forgotten.

Time Commitment

Before signing up for anything find out how many training sessions there are per week, what time, how long for and where they will be. Is there any the penalties if your child isn’t able participate in all trainings or is late to training? Are there any expectations of the parents? What is the time needed for this?

Joint informed decisions

Getting the Answers to all these Questions up front helps you to make an informed decision. If your child has been with you and heard all the game rules, and times, they will understand why, if the answer is no for now. It’s a good way to teach kids about parent time-constraints and what is realistic and why.

Your Budget

Age dependant, if money is a bit tight your child may be happy to contribute to more to family chores and take on an extra job to contribute and show how serious they are about the activity.

Be Supportive without being overbearing

Once chosen, be sure to schedule in time to go watch them at practice and at the games. Kids really love their parents support – even though some would deny this until they’re blue kin the face!  Enjoy this precious family time as the years will fly by all too quickly and take lots of photos for some great memories.

Ideas for Joining up to Children’s After School Activities is a post from: Organize Your Life

1. Write a List of course! Most of us need to stick to a budget so simply
work out what you need rather than want and set a limit and stick to it.
Take the list with you and remember to be specific. For those of you that
do not need a budget perhaps it’s time you imposed one just to spend
wisely and even consider donating what you would have spent otherwise
on a charity that speaks to you.

2. Dress Appropriately – Just like doing your food shopping on an empty
stomach is a BAD, BAD idea so too, is shopping when not dressed for it.
You want to be comfortable but also look smart. There’s nothing worse
than shopping for good clothes and you have only just slapped on a bit of
makeup and not done your hair. Also take the a few clothes that you would
wear with the new purchases to make sure they are a match. If you don’t
spend a bit of extra time beforehand it’s a sure way to dent your ego and
who needs that!!

3. Find a Clothes ‘Shopping Buddy’ – As well meaning as many Clothes
shop assistants are you will never really know if they are giving you their
honest advice about ”Whether this looks good” A great way around this is
to go shopping with a friend with good fashion sense to get their opinion.
Treat them to lunch as a way of saying thanks and they will hopefully
come along next time!

4. Double Check at the Register: I often make a short list of items I need
after trying them on without making this definite in any way shape or form.
When I get to the checkout I then say to the checkout person. I’m not
definite on all of these items so just bare with me as I go through them
before you swipe them. This is never a problem and even better still there
is often an item or two (this includes buying for my children as well,) that I
change my mind about when I have had time to perhaps remember
something else we already have that is close enough and would therefore
be a waste –even if it is a bit nicer and is on sale.

5. Ask Yourself these Basic Questions – Before buying any item of
clothing ask yourself, “Does this match the rest of my clothes? Do I really
need it? How versatile is it? Can I dress it up and/or down? Is it good
value? Will it outlast Fashion trends and last the test of time?

6. Does it need Dry-cleaning or God Forbid constant Ironing?! – my
pet hate is Ironing. It seems to me to be such a time waster – especially in
this day and age of most women needing to work and therefore not having
the time to do it like our mothers did – (jeans, undies and all!) I purposely
avoid anything that looks like it may need ironing every time you wash it
regardless of how nice it is. I save a huge amount of time by not ironing –
Sure my husband’s friends sometimes ‘hang it’ on him (sorry to our non-
Australian readers if this term is unfamiliar – it means tease) – for rarely
having a freshly ironed shirt on, but he’s secure enough in himself to prefer
quality time with me instead. Besides which he knows at the end of the
day, if he wants an ironed shirt he needs to do it himself and clearly it
doesn’t bother him either.

7. The world is your Oyster – It’s not just the chain stores that can get
cheap clothes by buying in bulk. Smaller store seem to be able to source
low cost but good quality clothes; “Who wants to be slave to fashion
anyway?”. All it says to me is that you’re a copycat and who wants to be
one of those. Be an individual its way more interesting and a hell of a lot
cheaper! It is good to be aware of the buying practices of the places you
frequent and check whether or not they ensure the clothing they purchase
it not made in sweat shops – effectively slave labour in developing
countries.

“Organize your Clothes Shopping… to look your best and spend less!” is a post from: Organize Your Life

1. Pick a maximum of five areas your would like to work on in your life, be it
at home/in the garden/at work/to do with the children/your partner etc
and write them down on an action sheet with the New Year boldly written
at the top.

2. Get a piece of paper for each statement with its own heading and break
it down into several steps of what you need to do to make it happen.
Prioritize which items you would like to/need to address first – this can
change but just so you don’t do bits and pieces of each one. You need to
focus on one job at a time or you risk losing focus and putting it in the
‘too hard’ basket.

3. Put these pieces of paper into the appropriate section of your Organizer.
If you do not have one it’s a must to invest in a folder that you can house
such lists. Without one you will end up with scraps of paper all over the
place and this will surely stress you out so prevent this from happening.
Refer to your list/s weekly or monthly (the aim is not to make you feel
guilty so do whatever works best for you), ticking off what you do as you go.  Order
your Organizer system today.

4. Once you make a start try to break down the task at hand into smaller
steps that will be more easily achievable once you get stuck into it. The
more ticks on the page the better!

5. If you find the page is becoming a bit of a mess, simply transfer the
incomplete jobs onto the other side of the page or onto a fresh page until
all the jobs have been marked off.

6. Be realistic about your timeline – (to be written at the top of each page
also). Estimate how long you think it will take you to complete and then
double it! This will be more accurate and the good thing is if you do
happen to get the job/so done before your timeline is up you will feel
even better about tackling the next job!

How To Start The New Year Afresh! is a post from: Organize Your Life

Considering what a busy time of year January is, that is what I have decided to do this
year. So why don’t you try this strategy as well. That way you can relax, and enjoy
some time with family and friends without feeling guilty about it. This will also help
prevent you from feeling like you’re behind before you have even started.
Below is some more tips on how to help you stick to your resolutions, so that they
become a reality, not just a thought in you head or a couple of words on paper, without
any action plan. Remember breaking it all down is the key.

1. Pick a maximum of five areas you would like to work on in your life, be it at home/in
the garden/at work/to do with the children/your partner etc, and write them down on an
action sheet for the year.

2. Get a piece of paper for each statement with its own heading and break it down into
several steps of what you need to do to make it happen. Prioritize which items you
need to address first. Remember you need to focus on one job at a time, or you risk
losing focus and putting it in the ‘too hard’ basket.

3. Put these pieces of paper into the appropriate section of your organizer/Diary. If you
do not have one, it’s a must to invest in something that can house such lists. Without
one you will end up with scraps of paper all over the place, and this will stress you out
and prevent you from reaching your goals.

To Order An Organizer Today Click Here

4. Refer to your list/s regularly, (daily/weekly/monthly/ – what ever suits you
best), ticking off what you do as you go. The more ticks on the page the better!

5. If you find the page is becoming a bit of a mess, simply transfer the incomplete jobs
onto the other side of the page or onto a fresh page until all the jobs have been marked
off.

6. Be realistic about your timeline – (to be written at the top of each page also).
Estimate how long you think it will take you to complete and then double it! This will be
more accurate and the good thing is if you do happen to get the job/so done before
your timeline is up, you will feel even better about tackling the next job!

“NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS’’How To Avoid Disappointment Before You Have Even Started. is a post from: Organize Your Life

It certainly works a treat for me each year. I seem to improve slightly each year I do it,
possibly because the rest of the family have observed the routine so many times now;
that the part they play has improved as well. Below are a few new things I tried this
year that have worked really well that you may want to try. Good luck!!

1. I purchased a dozen or so very large, clear plastic containers with lids. These were
from Bunning’s but you might be able to shop around for some cheaper ones. I
previously kept all the items out there in various boxes, but decided it was time to
invest in a more long term, user-friendly alternative. My hubby wasn’t so sure about the
idea due to the cost, but considering he’s the reason my half of the garage gets
messed up, (because he gets lazy and starts putting his tools (yep, he’s a builder!) on
my side), he didn’t have much choice!

2. Before you start to empty and re-pack, decide what categories you want to have.
You may need to merge a couple of groups. For example, I previously had videos and
tapes in separate boxes, but they are now all together due to the bigger container.

3. Here are the categories I decided on. Some have a little explanation, saying why
they are helpful to me, and therefore why they may be to you if you haven’t already
thought of them.

1/ Children’s Toys Box

Kids seems to have so many toys given to them these days, so it is a good idea to

rotate them, so the house isn’t overflowing with them, and also for the kids to make

better use of them.

2/ Keep Sakes Box

For both my husband and my older items that we have kept from our childhood, also  for our children’s thus far as well.

3/ Photo Albums Box

4/ Christmas box

5/ Camping/Travelling Box

6/ Kitchen box

7/ Bathroom Box

8/ Gift Box for kids and Gift Box for adults

I live in a fairly small town that doesn’t have a huge range of shops for when friends
birthdays etc come around month after month. So whenever I go into town for a big
shop, I pick up a few presents here and there, and cards as well, so that I’m never
caught out without the right present for the right person. And also so that I don’t end up
paying way more because I don’t have a choice. This saves me heaps of time and
stress.

9/ Old Uni/Old Job Box

10/ Children’s Books Box

11/ Adult Books Box

12/ Adult Clothes Box and Children’s Clothes Box

I’m definitely not encouraging you to keep all your old clothes, that should really be
thrown out or given to the op shop. More so clothes that you are a bit sick of wearing,
but you know that you will enjoy wearing again next summer or winter. Also, if you have
friends that give you their children’s good quality clothes for your children, then this is
the perfect storage solution.

13/ Miscellaneous Items Box

This box is an absolute must, as there will always be a zillion items that don’t really
have a home but have to go somewhere!

“Claire’s Tips On How To Tackle This Year’s is a post from: Organize Your Life

Below are some tips on how to tackle this problem, and some common items we hoard
that you may need to address.

Bathroom items would have to rate highly; with the sort of items you think you will use
one day, but basically never do. Scented and coloured soaps/mini shampoos &
conditioners/special trial packets of creams and lotions/left over favourite lipsticks etc.

I used to keep these sorts of things, thinking I would use the soaps when visitors came
to stay. Or that I would take the mini shampoos away on holiday to save space, but of
course whenever these occasions arose I completely forgot and they silently
accumulated.

My Tips to Tackle

1. I got sick of all these items just sitting there, and decided one day to use them all one
by one. I stopped buying soap for a while, so that I was forced to use the assorted
ones, which were doing nothing but taking up valuable space. Now I only have a few
left, because I am actually at the stage where I do remember to put them out when
guest come to stay! It’s amazing what de-cluttering can do to improve your memory as
there is less weighing you down. But you already know that by now don’t you!!

2. I kept an old shampoo and conditioner bottle and tipped all the mini ones into
it. Thankfully the combination of aromas smelt great (!!) It felt great throwing away all
those little bottles that had been taking up so much room for so long.

3. I do the same sort of thing now with left over lip sticks. I emptied all the left over
lipsticks into a couple of empty lip gloss containers, and use a little lip brush to apply
them.

It helps to remember when de-cluttering, that sometimes we have to accept that close
enough is good enough. We can not be perfect and keep on top of everything all the
time. Life can get pretty crazy at times, and you have to make allowances for that.

We also have to realise that sometimes in the de-cluttering process, we may get rid of
something that we later realise we need. Although this is frustrating, the alternative is
much more frightening, and that is, to have to deal with never-ending junk surrounding
you.

I have donated a few items I later could have made use of, but interestingly within a
short period of needing the particular items again; they have come my way through
friends. These things often have a way of working themselves out!

Now that you have read this article, go straight to the offending cupboard/drawer and
do what you have to do!!!

“Use It Or Let It Go!!” is a post from: Organize Your Life

If you are guilty of being an indiscriminate list maker, you may use this as an
excuse to justify putting off getting organized. Others tell themselves that
writing lists is for rigid people, who has their life mapped out day-by-day, hourfor-
hour. The truth is that the opposite is actually true – keeping lists can
actually makes you a less structured and more spontaneous person, because
it enables you to free up energy drains, as you get all those little jobs done,
and finally get on top of your home affairs!!

I have a lot of customers whose husbands make fun of their ‘list’ making, who
do not see the need for doing it. What they do not understand, is that it is
different for them, who, by and large work full time, and don’t have to worry
about the zillion and one things you have to do to manage your own affairs,
your children’s, and your households. Multi tasking can be darn hard work!!! I
don’t mean to generalise, I know there are also many men out there who are
more organized than their partners!!

You need to be aware that there is different sorts of information that we need
to be able to access frequently, while other information we may only need to
review every now and again. Therefore, it is best to have different lists for
different purposes.

The trick is to keep all the lists in the one place – so that you know where to
find them when you do need them. For those of you who don’t have a
household organizer, (housed in a folder, so you can add to it as you need to,)
then get one ASAP! Make your own if you have time or buy one; it’s one of the
best investments you’ll ever make in yourself.

Below is a selection of lists for you to think about keeping if you don’t already,
and how they might help you.

1. Back up email addresses – for when your computer crashes, which
happens to all of us at some stage or another. You will curse yourself if you
don’t have some sort of back up when this happens!

2. Items on loan – for all those things you lend people and vice versa. So that
a year down the track you don’t think, ‘Now who did I lend that CD to?’ and
have no idea, and never get it back! This is also great for all the kiddie related
items lent to and fro between friends.

3. Personal Development – what you would like to do if you ever find the
time!! Don’t forget your needs in amongst everything else going on in your life.
Remember that by writing this sort of thing down, statistically you will be 80%
more likely to actually do it. Thinking about it now and again just isn’t enough!

4. To do list – for jobs you expect to get done with in a week, and another ‘job
action’ sheet for other things that you expect to take a little longer.
There are many more where these came from, but I don’t want to bombard
you with too much. For those of you with an Organizer that you haven’t filled
in for a while, this is a good opportunity to go and grab it, and fill in a few more
bits and pieces, and transfer any paperwork into it that doesn’t have a home
but needs one!
Happy Organizing

“Dispelling list making myths!” is a post from: Organize Your Life

I know most of you use a ‘to do’ list, but have you ever thought of writing a
separate list, specifically for jobs you can do at night when the kids (if you have
them) are in bed. I used to rely on my memory to get little jobs done at night, but
found that unfortunately my brain just wasn’t up to the task! Now that I write
these sorts of jobs down on their own special list, I quickly refer to it of a night
time before I sit down to watch a show or the like, grab what I need and get a few
odd jobs out of the way at the same time.
Some of the odd jobs you may find useful to do at night include -

-Putting photos in albums Great to do while the kids aren’t around!

-Darning socks or anything else that needs mending.

-De-pilling jumpers – One of those boring jobs that should only be done when
there’s nothing else to do except watch TV!

-Cutting & Filing nails a great job to do in front of the TV. I also do the kids nails
while they are watching a favourite program, so that they are distracted and are
less likely to protest, (or notice that their feet are ticklish!)

-Updating an old to do list. Something that is easily forgotten, which then makes
us avoid looking at the messy list, and therefore not getting the jobs done.

-Personal phone calls – Hard to do at the end of a long day, but if you look at
your reminder list and see a friend’s name staring back at you, you’re more likely
to pick up the phone and just do it. They will appreciate the effort, and you will
be glad you did too!

-Sending emails via lap top/or your PC If phoning friends at night is too hard for
you to do, then keeping in touch via email is a great idea instead. If I don’t do
this at night I find it’s always the thing that comes last during the day, when
work/kids etc come first. But I can hoon through several emails in one night time
sitting focusing.

-Doing any internet research Again either on a lap top, (so you can do it out of
the office/study), or on your PC. You may have wanted to look into something
crafty or to do with gardening. This quieter time is perfect for personal interest
jobs that you usually don’t get a chance to do.

-Going through your kitchen/phone drawer it never ceases to amaze me how
quickly my kitchen paperwork drawer fills up, since the last time I went through it.
I just get a rubbish bag, pull the whole drawer out, put it on the coffee table and
sort through it putting everything in one of three piles – Rubbish, Filing Cabinet,
and My Organizer. www.organizeyourlife.com.au

Although some of you may thing that these jobs may sound too small and insignificant
and not necessary to write a ‘to list’ for, as I’ve said before and I’ll say again
“The weakest pen is better than the strongest memory” Anon

Try doing a Night Time ‘To Do’ List is a post from: Organize Your Life

When it comes to young kids –there has to be a degree of flexibility
considering that they have the sometimes infuriating ability to trash a
room that has taken you two hours to re-organize. But due to their age
and development stage there needs to be free play and exploration for
optimum learning within the home environment. The trick when it comes
to keeping your kids areas organized, which is No 1 to include them in
the process and No 2 for it not to be a ‘big clean up every time you
tackle it but rather a system you follow where everything has a home
and you all now exactly where that is.
——————————————————————————————————-
Have a Talk – Firstly ask your children what their favorite activities are so that
if any re-arranging needs to occur you do it as a joint decision together and
they feel part of the process and are more likely to take care keeping the area
tidy.

Sort into related groups – relative to the activity they are used for such as
music materials; arts and crafts; dress up clothes; games & puzzles, toys,
computer games; books DVD’s etc.

Break it down further: Big piles can be broken down even further for
example: puzzles can be broken into large floor puzzles as opposed to small
table top puzzles; similarly big blocks should be kept apart from small blocks;
cars separate from trains etc

Assess -Ask your children about the toys as you go thorugh them, discussing
how much they have; how often they use it all and how much they actually
enjoy them all. They may well have grown out of some of the toys; board
games or arts and crafts; some books and esp. to the inordinate amount of
stuffed animals our children seem to accumulate

Charity Benefits: discussing with your children the numerous benefits of
passing along items they no longer need (as opposed to want) is crucial to
have a happy partnership with them when choosing what stays and what
goes. You can do mini culls when they are younger without their input as this
admittedly can take a little adusting too. Giving away something perfectly
good just because they haven’t looked at let alone played with it for over 12
months!! A concept that grows on them with age and maturity.

Like wallpaper: I remember reading once that if you have all your children’s
toys out all the time they all just become like the wall paper, not really even
being seen and therefore certainly not being used to their full potential. With
this in mind it is a good idea to rotate some toys to make best use of them.

Create different ‘play zones’: Explain the reason for doing this so your
children understand the reasoning behind it namely to not end up with one big
mosh pit of toys all mixed up again. Reminding; and initially helping your
children pack up one activity before starting to play with another is necessary
for it to become a habit. Just as with us adults it takes time to become
automatic kids need time for the habit to sink in too. You may need to create a
reward system for them with a sticker for each time they put something away
before getting out something new.

Storage Options – Saving for a built-in storage system may well be worth it
as it will co-ordinate with the room and be a sturdier option than the inevitable
mismatched plastic containers/ boxes/ and wooden baskets we tend to
accumulate. A word of caution before you get out the paintbrush – a splash of
color will look great but trust me before you know it the kids are teenages and
have well and truly outgrown bright coloured décor –stick with neutrals.

Make sure it Matches darling – If you do buy matching containers to store
your childs belongings just make sure they are durable and compliment what
you already have in the house. It will look so much nicer and you will feel
better for it.
**Note that this is number eight in a 10 step process. Many people mistakenly
buy products prematurely in the organizing process because they are
attracted by the adorable containers promising instant order. I strongly caution
against giving in to this urge or you will waste your money. Wait until you
know exactly what you have to organize — and the shelf, cabinet or space it
is intended for. Measure then purchase the right product at the right time in
the process.

Maintain. Now that you’ve tackled the backlog and established new systems,
review the revitalized room with your delighted children, and vest them with
the responsibility of putting things away at the end of each day! Immediately
establish a protocol for how the room will be maintained (ie: everything picked
up and put away at the end of each afternoon)

We all benefit – Keeping a child’s room Organized is for everyone in the
household. Explaining the positives as you go directly and indirectly will help
instil good organizational skills in your children. Here, here to that!! The
obvious benefits are saving time when looking for things but also the
intangible plus of having a clearer mind when you have a de-cluttered room.
This can not be downplayed, as there is a lot of merit to it believe me; I know!!

Over stacking Warning – Keep in mind that if your child’s toys are hidden
behind each other then the likelihood of a huge mess being made and an
unhappy camper who has to clean it up by just looking for something not even
playing with them no less. So don’t over store and stack toys or this could turn
into a problem for you. Whatever is preventable in my book –prevent!!

Organizing doesn’t have to be a chore! – keeping things organized no
matter whose they are and where they belong doesn’t have to feel like a
chore. It’s all about attitude and this can be taught to anyone of any age. The
earlier the better of course! Clean fun. Have a race between you or a sibling
to see who can clean up the quickest.

Organize my kid’s room – are you kidding!? is a post from: Organize Your Life

“Do’s”
Pay off your card in Full
It goes without saying that everyone should make their credit card payments by the due date and in full if
possible, to avoid paying any interest.

Always pay At Least the Minimum Amount
If you don’t you’ll be charged non-payment fees as well as interest. If you always only pay the minimum
amount however, it’s a sure sign that you are living beyond your means.

Pay your credit card automatically
Organize to pay monthly without having to think about it. Arrange this with your bank if your cash flow
permits, so you never miss a payment.

Tick, Tick, Tick
Keep all of your receipts together and tick them off your credit card statements each month.

Make notes on your statements
Write short descriptions of your purchases on your credit card statements and highlight items for tax. Don’t
leave this too long – it’s too hard to remember later.

Try a low limit
Consider reducing the limit on your credit card if you don’t need it. Not only will it take away the temptation
but it will improve your financial position if you’re applying for a loan.

Choose a card to suit your spending habits
If you plan to pay off your balance each month look at things like fees and rewards programs. Otherwise, just
focus on getting a good interest rate.

“Don’ts”
Don’t go over your limit
You will be hit with large fees for this as soon as you do.

Don’t have too many credit cards
Reduce the number of credit cards you have to reduce the amount you pay in annual fees and the amount of
time you have to spend managing them.

Don’t accept offers to increase your limit
If you don’t really need the extra credit, say thanks but no thanks. Be honest with yourself – could you really
resist spending extra?

Don’t keep using a credit card if you can’t resist spending
If you can’t stop yourself from spending up to your limit do yourself and your family a favour and cut your
credit card up! It’s not worth the emotional and financial stress.

Don’t use Cash Advances!
Most banks will charge a fee for a cash advance, as well as charge interest from the day you get the cash.
There is no interest free period like there is for normal purchases.

Don’t be sucked in by Rewards
If you don’t think you’ll be able to pay off a credit card in full every month don’t sign up. The interest you will pay will outweigh any rewards you may get.

Organize Your Credit Cards – Do’s and Don’ts is a post from: Organize Your Life