I visited the folks at CBS2 Chicago on Saturday and shared some easy ways to get you and your kids more organized this fall. Here’s a little re-cap, and some information on where to find the cool products I shared.
1. The Ultimate Family Organizer and the Mom Essentials One Stop Organizer. These are two really useful and fun tools to help you keep track of all the stuff you have to do, people you have to see, and papers you have to keep.
2. Keep the stairways clear of clutter by using small, step-sized baskets for all the stuff that needs to be taken back upstairs. The ones I showed are the medium sized storage baskets from Pottery Barn Kids, and they fit perfectly on a step. They also come with cool chalkboard tags so you can label them...one for each kid.
3. Help your kids start to take some ownership of their own laundry with these cool collapsible laundry bags from The Container Store. Each kid gets their own, and sorts their clothes into it from the main laundry basket. Depending on the age of your kids, they can be responsible for folding or just putting away the stuff you’ve folded for them. Either way, when the bag is empty, they smash it down and get it back to you for the next fill-up.
4. If you don’t have built-in shoe cubbies for your kids, here's an easy system to create some for yourself. I found this great, very inexpensive cubby system at Bed Bath and Beyond that comes with four individual cubbies and two bins. And the best part is that they are completely washable and are as easy as pie to put together.
5. If your kids' dressers and nightstands are loaded with their little treasures like super balls, trading cards, rubber bands, and fast food toys, this idea is for you. Select a special “treasure box” in which only these little trinkets will be placed. I chose one that looked like a pirate treasure chest from Michaels craft store. The trick is that when the lid to the box no longer closes, it’s their signal that it's time to clean it out. Help your child decide what is garbage, what is a keeper, and what could be donated to the Trick-or-treaters this Halloween.
Click here to view the video on CBS2.