Cubbies at the back door- This is where the kids literally drop their backpacks, jackets etc. It is also where I put anything of theirs that I find in the house throughout the day. They have to empty their cubby once a day. Obviously they have not been emptied today.
Shoe basket- by the back door. This is where all shoes go when the kids come inside. Then as we leave anywhere there is a pair of shoes to put on. I have them put all but one pair away once a week.
Wrapping Station- I am always putting together gifts, this little station Carter built me around Christmas time has been a lifesaver. I spray painted a rain gutter to hold the ribbon rolls, and the wrapping paper is stored on curtain rods. This ideas was from my friend Cathie.
Job boards- These save my life everyday.
Craft cupboard- I have done this for a long time. I put all crayons, markers, paints, stickers, stamps, pens and pencils, glue and craft stuff in their own Rubbermaid's, all our craft and art things are kept together here.
Baby toy basket- When I have a baby I keep a basket of toys in a cupboard in my family room, now that I don't have babies I still use it when we have little ones over.
Command Center Binder- I learned this from my Aunt Rosemary- This is a binder with dividers that read: Emergency numbers(poison control,doctors, neighbors etc), phone lists, school (class info, PTA info, lunch calenders), church(VT lists, home teaching lists, scout info, YW info), extracurricular(city team info, piano, book club), menus (menus for the week, menu ideas, shopping lists).
Game closet- Every game in our house is here. Rubbermaid's for card games, and electronic games. No games are allowed in anyone's closets or rooms.
Toy Organizer- I found this idea in Pottery Barn Kids, but who the heck can afford their stuff? Carter made this for me (I know I am lucky).The bottom has 3 large cubbies, a huge one in the middle for a TV (notice our huge TV) and video games,two small ones on each sides of the TV one, two more small ones on the top. I found the baskets on clearance at Shop Ko for next to nothing.
Book Shelves with window seat. Pretty self explanatory
Here is a quick tip from my friend Amber. 10 minute tidy. Before my kids go to bed they have to pick up the entire house for 10 minutes. I set the timer and you would not believe how quick the house gets clean. I love waking up to a straightened house.
I also have each of my kids wipe down a bathroom every day with Clorox wipes, that way the bathrooms never get disgusting and they are much easier to clean.
There are lots of other things I do, and I know that you all probably do all of these things already.
I try to run an efficient household, but after baby four came along I learned that in order to be sane and happy I had to let go of some of my obsessive compulsive tendencies, and I found that a lot of things just really do not matter. I am in the business of raising kids and I intend to enjoy the short moment I have with them, and not miss it because all of the laundry had to be done.
I would love to hear from you what you do to make your house more organized and run more efficiently.
9 comments:
Good grief Lori, what more can you do at your house? You make the rest of us look like basket cases...literally. You are so organized....when I grow up I want to be just like you. Really. I am trying. :) I finally just finished my boards and got them on the wall....the girls actually love it. :) so far so great! I love the 10 minute idea. Keep them coming, I need all the help I can get. :)
I love all of your ideas. I will be that organized one day when I actually have room, right now it is shoved under beds and in closets. Darling ideas! I definetly need to make Trae a job chart, that is so Great!!!!
You are my hero!! Someday I will get organized...as for now, well...
Plus, you're super lucky to have a hubby that can make some of those things for you. Kev wouldn't even attempt it!!! ;) Love the ideas! Thanks~
Hey.....do ya think you could come to my place and help me out?? I have been trying to get my lover to put some rods up for a long while. I'm so jealous. It even looks cute!!!
I LOVE the pics, Lori. It definitely inspires me ... I mean well, it did. You should see my pantry I organized ALL DAY long yesterday. I have to do it once a year whether it needs it or not (wink, wink). I love your organizational ideas. I would love to see what you do about laundry. that's my issue these days! If you have ideas, please post!
A friend from our ward and I were just talking about you today. We were talking about how well you manage. We thought that maybe your day had more hours in it. Now I know some of your secrets. Can Carter build us some cubbies too? j/k
Sorry it took me awhile to get here--now you're private, my onsite link is gone so I have to remember to check it out. Great ideas! I can't wait to implement some. I would love details on your job charts. Maybe another post? I can't seem to get a good system that we can stick with. (They're still little, I know). Yours are cute, but too little for me to tell how it works.
Loved the wrapping center ideas. Maybe if I ever get a house ...
Sweet, I made the blog! It does make a huge difference when everyone helps for a few minutes at night. I also have a basket of stuff I pick up from around the house when the kids leave for school. They have to put it away when they get home or it goes into the confiscation basket and they have to buy it back. I have told Jordan to put ceratin things away every day of his life and I am sick of being mad at him about it, so I just make some money! The other think I love is my cubbies from Ikea. I put them in the laundry/mud room, and recently in the girls room. So if people don't have Carter, they can go to Ikea You can see one of my blogs last year for a pic. Anyway, you are the queen of organization and I have stolen ideas from you all our adult lives, so I really have nothing to add!
Oh, you're one of those organized people! Someday I want to grow up to be like you. You must explain those job boards to me! I'm very curious!
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