Soccer Bag Tags...

It's hard to believe, but my family has already started the spring soccer rush.  In reality, my oldest never stopped playing as he's participated in two sessions of indoor soccer.  Spring and fall are always busy seasons for us as both boys and my husband play soccer.  My oldest plays for a club team and they started regular practice last week...fortunately they're practicing in a gym until the fields thaw!

Since spring sports are starting, it's time to get us all organized.  The boys need to have all their equipment in one spot, so that it's easy to get ready for practice and games.  My youngest son, wanted a new soccer bag just like his brothers for this season.  So I needed to come up with a tag to label their bags. 

I got this great idea from Karen, over at Sew Many Ways.  {I tried to find the actual post to link to but I couldn't track it down...sorry Karen!} 

I started with large washers, ball & chain key chains and my metal letter stamps...

...each letter gets stamped onto the washer individually...

...it's a bit hard to see the letters once you have them all on the washer...

...I used an antiquing gel and slathered it onto the washer, over the letters...

...and once the excess antiquing gel is rubbed off the letters are much easier to see.  I threaded the washers through the  ball & link key chain and attached them to the soccer bags.

It's a perfect way to tell the soccer bags apart and the boys loved their tags.  One bit of spring organization gets checked off the list!

How do you help your kids get organized for spring sports?

More Crafty Organization...

I have a kitchen drawer that's problematic...ok, I have a couple of those drawers but there's one in particular that needed some attention...

I do enjoy a glass of wine, and I have been tossing the corks into this drawer, planning to do something with them "someday".  Well, someday is today!

I turned to my lovely silhouette, and cut this quote and wine glass out of vinyl.  Using a glass canister I found at Walmart, I now have a solution to my wine cork problem...

I love this!  Now my drawer is clean and I have a cute new decoration for the top of the refrigerator.

What are your ideas for new crafty organization?

Getting Organized...

My good friend Tessa and I got crafty over the weekend and created this...

Not only do I love a good craft, but I also love getting organized!  This calendar is perfect for my office at school.  We were having so much fun crafting, and refereeing the kids, that we didn't take any pictures of the process.  This is an easy project though...

• We started with 16x20 frames and chose a background fabric.  I love this background because of the words..."Make Life Simple"..."Make Life Creative"..."Make Life Silly"..."Make Life Beautiful"...  Using ModPodge, we applied the fabric right to the back of the frame.
• While the fabric was drying we chose papers to coordinate.  I chose a minty green for the notes section, a teal for the month title and a coordinating minty green for the band under the days of the week.  I also trimmed the calendar page, which I found with the scrapbooking papers at Hobby Lobby.
• Once the glue was dry, we placed the paper elements with a bit of tape, and put the frame into the glass.
• Then it was time to get creative...Using my lovely Silhouette, we cut vinyl embellishments, the word "Notes" and the days of the week.
• All that was left was to hang it on the wall and fill out the calendar...

Isn't it great?  I love this calendar and it's already hanging on the wall in my office.

What is your favorite organization feature?

Fantastic Family Calendar...

I try to be vigilant about keeping a Family Calendar.  Especially during sports seasons when it feels like we moving in a hundred different directions, it helps to have things written down.  We have a calendar hanging on the wall in the kitchen that holds all the family appointments, sports schedules and routine maintenance checks.  Every Sunday evening, I sit down with my iPhone and make sure my personal calendar and the family calendar match.  This is important because I also have a calendar at work and I need to make sure that overlapping appointments are on all three.

Recently, I found a calendar that helps reduce all these steps.  The Cozi Family Calendar is fantastic!  You register online and build your family calendar...each family member is color-coordinated.  From the free online view, you can print a day, week or month.  I also downloaded the app for my iPhone and for my husband's.  Appointments and events can be added online or on either phone and will appear in all three locations.  Reminders can be scheduled to be sent via text or email also. 

This is the best family calendar I have seen in a long time.  I love that it was developed to be managed by both adults in the home and can be customized for all family members.  It's so easy to schedule a reminder as well...we've sent reminders to make dental appointments, to pick up ice for a party and even to make sure we remembered to pick up cash for the baby sitter.

My other favorite feature is in the iPhone app.  The app includes a shopping list and a to-do list.  I have previously downloaded apps for both that were cumbersome and required moving back and forth between the calendar app and the to-do list.  With Cozi everything is in one place and it's all easy to use.  You can also build your list on-line and access it on your phone.  For the busy families everywhere...this is perfect.

Disclaimer:  I have received nothing from Cozi...I read a post similar to mine in early December and started using Cozi on my own.  The online calendar is free and the iPhone app has a small charge.

How do you keep your busy family organized and on time?

Fresh Organization...

I have a craft cupboard that needed a little help.  Last summer I cleaned out my whole storage room, including all my crafting supplies, but I have to admit that I ran out of steam at the end of the project.  The final details are being added slowly but surely. 

I don't know about your kids, but it seems that every time I turn around, my kids need more school supplies.  This year I anticipated the need and over-purchased supplies in August (when they were practically free!)  They were just sort of tossed into the store room, but now they have a home where the boys can easily grab whatever they have run out of.  The sneaker balls are also a necessary school supply for sporty kids...they have these in their sports bags and Connar keeps one in his PE locker.

The school supplies now sit on top of a family hand-me-down chest of drawers.  I love this dresser...it was my dad's as a baby, mine as a baby and my baby - Aiden's - as a changing table.  When he moved into a "big boy" dresser, this cupboard moved into storage and became my craft storage.

I have wanted to label the drawers for a while, but I didn't want anything permanent.  I came up with the idea of making little gift tags with the label, tied to the drawer knob.

They worked out perfectly!

Little ideas, but I love organized corners of the house.  What little corners have you recently organized?

Key Chain Scrapbook...take 2...

Last summer, I shared this "Key Chain" scrapbook.  I have it displayed in my truck, and love the ability to shift the wooden pages for new pictures.  Recently, I updated the pages.

 I started with new wooden "pages" that I got at the craft store.  These are about 2 x 3".  I drilled a hole in the top of each one before I started.

 Then I went to the picture files on my computer and printed out some of my favorites from the summer.  I printed a couple of different sizes so that I would have flexibility in putting together the pages.

 I treated each wooden rectangle as a page and layered paper, stickers and pictures...just like I do for "real" scrapbooks. (Sorry for the blurry pictures...my camera was acting up!)

 When I finished one side of the page, I flipped them over and scrapbooked the other side. 

 I pulled a couple of my favorite wooden pages from the current Key Chain scrapbook, and put the others away (they'll probably recur in some other project)  Then I stacked all the pages up, and threaded the ball-and-link chain through the pre-drilled holes.

 

The finished Key Chain scrapbook is a bit larger than the old one, and I love having new pictures to show off. 

This fits perfectly in the center console of my truck and I can flip the pages whenever I need a glimpse of home!

Have a great weekend...Happy Crafting, Playing, Sporting, Baking or whatever life finds you doing :)

Time to Organize...

I needed a spot for quick phone number reference, kids school schedules and other bits of information.  I already had a calendar hanging in my kitchen so I took advantage of that wall space...

I had a small bulletin board, painted the same color as my wall. On the top two-thirds I added a piece of scrapbook paper. 

I added tabs for "Family", "Friends" and "Business" and created phone lists for each category.  Each of these lists were mounted on solid colored paper and the added to the board. 

I included a current school schedule for the boys and a reminder of PE & Library days for me!

I also added a spot to hang birthday invitations and a couple of extra tacks for other things we need to remember.

With a couple of fun stickers and a Pirates of the Carribbean pin, we were all set!

How do you organize your family?

Star Wars Spare Keys...

Our spare keys were out of control...

There was a hodge-podge of key rings, spare keys, lanyards and junk that needed a little TLC.

I went to the Lego store online, and ordered several Star Wars key chains...just for fun!  I also went to the hardware store and purchased an inexpensive box of key tags.  After an afternoon of trying to determine which key was which...and which ones we really needed to keep...

...we now have a more organized, and a more fun key rack!

How do you have fun with organization?

Mom Tips for Kids Packing...

It seems kids are always packing for something...here's some of the things I do to make life easier...

Packing for Sports Practice / Game: We've invested in several string-style backpacks.  These are lightweight, easy to wash and they aren't very expensive (so I'm not upset when they get lost).  Depending on the sport, I make a list of the items needed...shin guards, socks, shoes, water bottle, goalie gloves...and put the list into a small luggage tagb attached  to the backpack.  The boys are then responsible for checking their bag before leaving to make sure they have everything they'll need.

Packing for a Slumber Party:  Slumber parties are usually just an overnight and not far from home...so I let them pack for themselves.  Connar at 11, knows what he'll need and since he's not far away or gone for too long it's ok if he forgets something.  In fact, it's great when he forgets because he's more likely to remember the next time.  Aiden at 6, doesn't always think through what he'll need so I either give him a packing list or do a verbal check list when he's done.  Again, the string backpacks are just the right size.

Packing for Camp:  When the boys went to camp, the camp provided a great packing list.  I sat in the hallway between the boys rooms, with their duffel bags and read the items off the list.  This way I was able to help make sure they're getting what they need, but the boys were able to choose their own clothes, towels & swim suits.  It takes longer than if I were to just pack them myself, but eventually I want them to be able to pack on their own...teachable moments are worth the time they take!

Packing for Vacation:  This is similar to packing for camp, but I don't have a packing list.  I still sit in the hall between their rooms with the suitcase.  Connar will lay out everything he thinks he needs and I will help him edit.  With Aiden, I ask for ...5 pairs of shorts and t-shirts...2 pairs of jammies...one nice shirt and pants...and he'll fill the order.  They each have a carry-on bag for the airplane...those string back packs again!  I have a couple of new DS games and a card game for each boy that's new.  In addition, they are able to take whatever they want to play with...as long as it fits into the bag!

How do you help your kids pack?

The Big Garage Project...

I love our house!  It's our first (and maybe last) house and I love it!  But...it's small and in need of a storage makeover.  The first step of the makeover was THE GARAGE!

Our garage has become a collect-all with lots of stuff and no real organization.  We started by sketching a couple of large storage systems that we (Kyle) would build.  Then we piled everything into the driveway and headed to Home Depot!

 

Of course the project took longer than we estimated, and of course we took more trips to Home Depot than we thought we should...

 

...but at the end it turned out so fantastic! We were able to bring storage bins out of the basement store room and make more room for Storage Makeover Project #2.  All the tools, gardening materials, skateboard ramps and Christmas trees have a place they belong...

 

...and all the skateboards, skis, and golf bags are easily accessed!

What projects are you working on this summer?

A Mom at Work...

I have been involved in administering the MSP (Measurement of Student Progress...our state assessment) for the past two weeks.  That administration and organization is usually characterized by facilitating make-up tests and providing students a space for extended testing time otherwise known as...watching kids take tests.  We use the library or an empty classroom so, today was my first day in my office in several days.

One of the things I missed about my space is my digital frame -

Kyle gave me the frame for Christmas a couple of years ago.  I keep current pictures on the card and I have a slide show setting.  It just makes me smile to catch a photo of a great moment while I am in the midst of work.

And lest I get too caught up in the moment... my "To - Do" pile sits just in front of the frame!

How do you create space that is comfortable?

My Mom Bag...

Happy Mother's Day!

Do you remember the movie, "One Fine Day" with Michelle Pfieffer and George Clooney?  It was a day-in-the-life movie and one thing I loved about the mom character was her bag.  In every situation, for every problem, she pulled a solution out of her Mom Bag.  After watching the movie, I wanted a mom bag.

This is my favorite Mom Bag.  I saw this in an airport gift store, regretted not buying it, and ordered it online later.  I have several different Mom Bags, suited for different occasions...easy to carry in a park, dressier, will carry the kitchen sink...you get the picture.  This one though is my favorite.

Here's how I use my Mom Bag:

• 
  
  When we're packing for a day out, I let the boys know the parameters of what they need to bring and they load up the Mom Bag.  {I do not ever pack for my kids...I let them know what we're doing and what the weather is and they pack for themselves...even overnights!}
• 
  
  I like to carry snacks, water, sunscreen and a small first aid kit.  {The kids have food allergies and asthma, so I always have an inhaler and Benadryl} The Mom Bag is also an easy way to carry my camera, purse and sunglasses.
• 
  
  When we're out and about, the kids drop things into my bag that they don't want to lose or don't want to carry.  {I am willing to carry the bag, but I am not responsible for other stuff.  Of course the size of the bag-of-the-day dictates what I will carry!}
• 
  
  If our activities will shift during the day, if we need a change of clothes or gear, we pack up the Mom Bag.

Currently the Mom Bag is being used for soccer and trips to the skate board park.  Even in the park the kids are good about dropping toys close to the bag, so nothing gets lost.  It's a good landmark for them too.  I love my Mom Bag.

What's your favorite organizational strategy for when you're out and about with your kids?

It's the First of May...

When I was growing up, I used to take flowers to my Gram on the first of May!  Today I am getting my calendars aligned for the month ahead.  Here's some things for you to think about including on your May calendar:

Kids at School - As the end-of-the-year approaches kids will involved in concerts, field days and other events.  Make sure those are posted on the family calendar and all the details are taken care of. (Aiden's Kindergarten Family Night is on the 21st.) 

Teacher Appreciation - Make sure you remember your kids teachers this month.  Teachers work really hard all year for your kids.  There are tons of craft ideas out there, help your kids create something special for their teachers!

Kids Sports - Are your spring sports wrapping up?  Have you thought about a thank-you for your coach?  Do you need to register for summer sports or camps?  (Connar is trying out for two soccer clubs this month - wish him luck!)

Summer Camp - Are your kids going to camp?  Some camps have an early-bird discount.  We signed the boys up early and contributed the $20 off to their camp store account.  Also, plan for time to complete all the paper work and get medical releases signed off prior to camp.

Birthday Parties - Look ahead...if you have several birthday parties to attend you can take care of gifts in one trip rather than several.  (We'll be at my Gram's birthday on the 15th and Lukey's 5th birthday on the 22nd!)

Mother's Day - Do you need to leave a subtle hint or just circle the date on the calendar?  Either way, let your family pamper you a bit! (My father-in-law organizes a fantastic brunch where the moms sip mimosas on the deck and the guys do all the work...my boys are the cutest waiters!)

Other Stuff - I have a note on my calendar to take my ring into the jewelers to inspect in order to keep my warranty - don't want to forget that!  My husband and I get to go to a concert - yay, date night!   We also have another full month of soccer games and Shock Football games. 

What are you looking forward to in May?  Do you have your calendar ready-to-go?

A Mom at Work...

I love a well-organized notebook.  I can't help it...all those tabs neatly arranged, fresh holes punched, easy access to information.  Notebooks are my favorite!

As an Instructional Coach, I am frequently given, or find, articles of interest to read.  It's also great to be able to pass along new research or ideas to teachers I work with.  Over the past year I have amassed a huge collection of articles that were sitting in file folders.  The problem was that I could never find what I was looking for.  Today was the day to get organized!  I spread all the articles out on a table and sorted them into like groups. As I was working I realized I had duplicates of a few articles.  I also decided to create two notebooks rather than one.  I used sticky notes to keep track of topics while I was working.  Once I had all my groups, I made sure everything was hole punched, wrote on my divider tables and put it all together.

The whole project only took about an hour and now I can easily access and share the information.  Of course I made cover inserts and binding labels so that I can find the notebook on my shelves later.  It was a great Friday morning project...it's so nice to leave the office orderly and ready-to-go for Monday morning. 

 These are the shelves in my office...I love a well-organized notebook almost as much as I love being surrounded by books.  It's a happy work corner!