Bloggy Giveaway: $25 Target Card
POSTED BY Amy at 11:05 AM
School days are returning and who wouldn't love some money to put towards their children's school supplies? I am excited to participate again in the Bloggy Giveaways and would like to offer up a
$25 Target Gift Card to one lucky winner!
Please leave a comment by
Friday (08/01) at 7PM Eastern Time and tell me
one way that you keep your family or children organized for returning to school. I am looking for tips for getting your dinner on the table, keeping paperwork organized, managing your day, etc...
I can't wait to hear your ideas and please look around my site, especially if you haven't been here before. I specialize in sharing ideas on money management, home management, and ideas for creative parenting.
Don't forget to head over to the
Bloggy Giveaways Carnival and enter to win a whole bunch of cool prizes!
Labels: giveaway
707Comments:
Rachel
"When I was going back to school one way I helped keep us organized was to write down 4-5 dinner ideas. I didn't assign them a day but just having a short list to look thru always helped a bunch!"
BlondeMomBlog (Jamie)
"I pre-prep everything the night before and I do mean everything that can be done ahead of time down to making coffee and setting out our favorite coffee mugs by the coffee maker, selecting my daughters' school outfits, making lunches, and placing everything by the back door.
Also, with permission forms and money requests that come home with my daughter, I go ahead and fill them out and return them immediately, even if there is a two-week deadline. Otherwise they get lost in the shuffle."
Lori - Queen of Dirty Laundry
"When it's time for back-to-school, I have to get back to basics on organization.
Planning meals is my top priority, and participating in Menu Plan Monday at OrgJunkie helps."
Carolina Mama
"Love, love love folders. I could buy a store. Recipes, each child, etc. Hope it helps and Thanks!
I'm hosting as well. Come enter! ;)"
Mrs. Pear
"One thing that helps us (although we are just starting to homeschool) is to have a morning plan/schedule and have everything ready the night before."
Adventures In Babywearing
"Oh, I NEED organization!!
But, one thing that does help is that I have a nice wire basket near our "homework area" that also is near where their backpacks go when they get home from school. I empty out their backpacks into the wire basket and go through it as I can. We also use a nice looking three drawer stand that matches my dining room to house their school work and supplies (each child has their own drawer.) This has helped immensely with clutter!
Steph"
"Use a color coded calendar (google has one for free or iCal if you have a Mac) to keep everyone's activities straight."
Kim
"I don't go anywhere with out a pocket calendar in my purse. Keeping the family organized can't happen if *I* don't know what's going on. This way, I have my day, week, and month at a glance."
Julie
"We homeschool but during the school year I seperate all the books each kid will be using for the week into their basket. That way they are easy to find and they know what they have to do everday."
CP
"Two words, Franklin Covey! I carry my planner all over the place and it is the hub of all things Riggle (that's my last name);). We also have a calendar on the fridge which holds special weekend events, company, when library books need to be renewed and also major school projects. If that wasn't enough, we have a dry erase board that is updated daily with chores, what dinner will be that night, and anything else that is a daily reminder to the family. We also plan our dinners a month out, and go shopping once a month and gather a few staple items like bread and milk when needed throughout the month. We just pick a dinner each night before bed, so we know what to expect after school and work the next day!
I have two kids in school so a $25 gift card would be amazing, plus after looking for all the sale fliers, Target seemed to have the best deals on school supplies!"
Evan Pangburn
"Hey Great ideas!!
One way my wife and I have already talked and have used before is the first two hours home from work and school no TV, internet or any other distractions. You can either talk, do homework, or help out with getting dinner ready. Than after dinner you can carry on entertainment for the evening. Just a thing we have used to try to do more family time and get work that needs to be done around the house or schoolwork.
Thanks again,
Evan Pangburn
www.evanpangburn.com
sacredmpp at gmail dot com"
rachel
"I really haven't had much experience with kids and school yet but I can tell you that my mother always packed my lunch and put it in the fridge the night before school.
I love Target!"
momo3
"I write each of my boys their own little "to do list" each morning. When they get up they grab their list and cross off the things they have finished. They like taking charge of their own lists. I like that I don't have to be constantly telling them what to do . . .it's all right there for them to do on their own. Kristen :)
ryankristenwilson@msn.com"
"I'm a teacher....so getting my sons out the door as well as getting back into the routine myself is difficult after Summer! My best advice is to do as much as you can the night before and have a strict out-the-door routine in the morning. My boys have this routine: up, bathroom, teeth, dressed, breakfast, shoes....
HTH!
b.k.parr (at) netzero (dot) com"
Alyssa @ KeepingTheKingdomFirst
"This is my kind of giveaway!
I slowly adjust bedtimes about a week before school starts. My kids are so uses to sleeping in during the summer, it also helps to adjust their morning wake up time by a few minutes each day."
hayley
"one thing that helps with lunches, is to have the bread, peanut butter, honey, and sandwich baggies in a basket so you can just grab it to make the sandwiches. also, it saves time to make the lunches the night before."
Jane Marie
"The only way to manage your day is to start each day with a list. Try to list everything you need to do and even fun things you'd like to do and then do things in order of importance. Cross off each as you go to make you feel like your are successful. I write down the smallest things!
pianananna@gmail.com"
canearl
"Count me in!"
"My oldest is going to start his 2nd year in pre-school, but we are already up to our heads in art projects from last year, so before he starts we are going to pick his 10 favorite projects from last year and put them in his plastic school bin (we already have a bin for my 20 month old also!) and clear off the walls for the new stuff that will be coming in soon!"
Jen Clemmer
"I have been trying to keep all the school supplies all in the my son's bag so there in one place. Also, when school time comes, I try really hard to start my day at 5am . . . sounds crazy but it helps me get my ball running and also get a head start with the kids."
Kimbrah
"My back to school might look a little different than most because we are starting our homeschooling adventure with our oldest this year who is 5. Since we have a baby due around Thanksgiving time as well, I am trying to keep it simple by having a designated "work" spot for when we do our hands on stuff, instead of the kitchen table. That way, if a project takes longer than I thought it would, I don't have to clear it all away to set the table for meals. I have a book case that is specifically designated for our home schooling supplies, that is near our home schooling area. This has made it a lot easier (so far) to keep track of three little ones and still have everything we need for whatever project is going on at the time.
Thanks so much for hosting this great give away!
Kimbrah"
Jessica
"We try to lay out the clothes for the next day, before bed. That way, in the morning things aren't as hectic"
Mrs. Mordecai
"None of us are in school right now, but last year when my husband was, the best thing we ever did was to right down our schedule and post it on the fridge. That way, everyone knows when to get up, when dinner is, when extracurricular activities are, etc."
Marin...
"My kids aren't school-aged yet, but one idea I've heard that I love is having a basket near the door for each child that all their school related items go in."
Quilter Mom
"I find it helpful to transfer information about activities coming up to our central calendar, and then I can file away the paperwork that goes with it. Then when the event arrives, I know where to find the details, because I haven't had to keep track of innumerable pieces of paper."
Brandy
"I start with my menu plan every Monday using what I have on hand. Then I prep as much as I can ahead of time for quick dinners during the week. I save the weekend for "big dinners" since we're so busy.
In addition to my menu, I also have a calendar that is on my fridge so that I can list activities and see at a glance what we need to do each day. It's gets crazy at my house during marching season!
Brandy"
"My peanut is not in school yet, but with both mom and dad working, getting ready in the morning can be tricky. I lay out everything for the peanut and myself the night before. I also cook and freeze meals every other weekend. I spend 3 hours cooking one sunday afternoon and I can get seven meals to serve over the next 2-3 weeks."
Karen
"From August to the end of October I put everything(I mean everything)in my outlook calendar. That means meals, homework/study time and assignments, sports, workouts, school activities, work, chores... the list goes on and on. I sync this with my phone and I sync/share the schedule with my husbands and kids outlook calendars so that they have access and can add/change things, as well.It helps us all get back on a schedule and I don't have to answer endless questions of what time and where is..
Usually by the end of October things calm down and everyone is set in a schedule. I think September 1st should be "New Years Day" since so many changes and adjustments start at that time of the year.
I love your site I really enjoy Amy's Notebook. You have sent me to sites that I wouldn't have found and and have since added them to my RSS feeds list.
Thanks"
Keely
"I don't have kids in school yet, but when I get ready for work, daycare or anything else I make sure I have everything ready the night before (diaper bag, lunches, clothes, etc) so that the morning will be less hectic. I also plan out our meals on Sat. and grocery shop for the week."
Barb, sfo
"Thanks for hosting this contest!!
We have a bench near the front door. Schoolbags go on that bench. And the rule in my house is: homework isn't done until you pack it. I put the packed lunchboxes next to the schoolbags on the benches in the morning. This way, at bus time, the kids just grab their full schoolbags and go!"
Victorian Lady
"Hey there :)
After school, I have tea with my daughter. I started taking her when she was 18 months old and she loves it...she's 6 now. We pull out all the "good stuff" and it really only takes a muffin or two...not a full out tea. We go over her papers and she starts her homework. It also keeps her wind down.
Thanks!
Mere"
Jill
"Place a drop of point for each member of the family near the front door. I don't have school age children (yet) but I rely on this sort of management for diaper bags, stuff I need and such to make it to the car each day. I bring it in put it in baskets and at the end of the night once kids are in bed I fill the baskets with the needed stuff for our next trip out. This could work for school kids. You can go and find papers and notes and such while your kid is taking in an after school snack!"
Dawn
"We are just starting this year, but even to get me out the door for work in the morning, it helps TONS to have everything including breakfast ready to go. Just add milk! :)"
Chrissy
"I have 2 favorite organizational tools. One is my google calendar..can't live without it! My second is my coat rack, only I put "bags" there. We have individual bags for tumbling, gymnastics, soccer, etc. That way, when it is time to go, I just grab the appropriate bag and run out the door!
I love your blog, btw."
Nancy M.
"I have to make sure my son gets enough sleep so he's not ill when he gets up. I also tried to have everything for school in one place, so I wouldn't have to search for everything in the morning."
Mrs. Sprinkles
"My kids aren't old enough for school, but I imagine when they do go, I'll make their lunches the night before to save time."
"I guess my suggestion as a first time mother of a school-aged child is get clothes ready the night before. It should be interesting this year! :-)"
"We homeschool so you would think we were organized. We use a bookscase to organize books, two subjects per shelf. This year I will be using a plastic filing crate. Each days work will have its folder and there will be an extra folder at the end of the days of the week for completed work. Graded papers that are going back to be reviewed will also have their own folder. At the very back of the filing crate will be folders for each subject (we are in high school) and all papers will end up there by date. I have the crate, but not all the hanging files that I need or labels. I spend a bit of time each Sunday afternoon organizing the work for the week and this keeps us on track."
NeedANap2
"We've been painting and getting our house ready to sell so I've been trying to simplify meals. Thankfully the kids haven't rebelled against having baby carrots AGAIN today. I'm trying to plan easy dinner meals, using the crockpot and planning for leftovers. Last week Meijer had ground chuck chubs on sale so I plan to cook all of it and put it in the freezer, faster to defrost and get dinner ready! Great giveaway!! :)"
Heather
"I add the following chores to my daughter's chore-chart:
1. empty backpack
2. put away coat and shoes
3. homework"
The Gunters
"Making a weekly menu helps out a lot. I am the queen of making lists. Make lists according to stores and what you need at each store. Keep coupons in a folder labeled by store as well so you don't forget you have those coupons!"
Day by Day
"We have a bathroom schedule. We also use a timer so that the boys don't spend 20 minutes in the shower. We lay all our stuff out the night before."
Sareen
"I pre-make dinner meals and freeze them for the first 2 weeks of the school year. There is too much going on to worry about cooking something new. I also lay out the full weeks worth of clothes for every member of the family - no need to worry about finding what to wear for that first week. makes everything else go much smoother. japansara {at} hotmail"
Stephanie
"I love your blog and have been reading it for a while now. To keep organized I try to match the school calendar with the home calendar so I know what is coming up and what I need to prepare for."
Small Town Frugal Mom
"I use back to school time to get our craft supply re-organized and get new supplies where the old ones are no longer working and/or broken!! Thanks for the opportunity for the Target gift card!"
"We keep a color-coded dry-erase weekly calendar on the fridge so that when someone calls to schedule something new to our week we know what we can accept and what to politely decline. It also helps to only allow 1 or 2 extra-curriculars per child.
Thanks for participating!
Michelle"
Becky
"I make sure all the permission slips, checks (for lunches)and report cards are signed the night before. Then I have one less thing to remember before I go to work. My daughters help too by pulling all of the stuff that needs signing out of their backpacks and putting it in the designated spot. My email is beckngrls@aol.com."
Veggiemomof2
"I usually start with buying their backpack, then as I get school supplies on sale, I pack it into their bag & check it off the list."
"One visit to A Dinner A'Fare and I have an entire month's worth of meals! All I have to do is pull out a meal the night before to defrost in the fridge, and everything is already prepped - dinner on the table in 30 minutes!"
cupiedollie
"We pick out all clothes the night before and I pack all non-perishable lunch content the night before. We also make sure backpacks are packed, notes signed etc night before.I also get up and get myself ready to go before the kids so they are my one and only job in the a.m.!"
fullofboys
"I keep an excel sheet for the month with a list of lunches...I divide it by things like fruit, sandwich, etc. This helps me make sure I always have enough food for their lunches and snacks and makes sure I don't give them too much of the same thing in a row."
Dawn
"One thing I do to help with back to school is wait to buy clothes for my son. It's still summer here when he starts back so he just wears shorts and after the shopping crowds die down, I hit the stores!!!!"
Lola
"we get as much as possible done the night before. Packing lunches, laying out clothes, signing papers, filling backpacks. I know it's not a new idea, but it truly does work for us."
Alicia
"My hubby's in school right now so getting his lunch together the night before helps our mornings to go smoother. Planning for quick and easy weeknight meals is essential. I try to put something in the crockpot or do a casserole that I can throw together while the kids are napping."
Bloggin' Mama
"We are homeschooling, so I don't have to pack lunches or backpacks, but I do take about an hour on the weekend to make copies of any workbook pages and other projects we will be doing during the week (I save money by just copying the pages, rather than having my son write in the actual book - that way the books will last for all of our kids!).
I also participate in Menu Plan Monday and it helps tremendously."
Melissa
"I have a folder for each child that I keep in a basket on my kitchen island. I put everything in there that has to be returned to school or looked at a lot during the week--reading logs, spelling word sheets, etc. It has saved me so much time looking for loose papers among all of the other papers!"
sassy2
"I plan snacks for when they get home so I don't have to hear I'm hungry all of the time until dinner. They pick their choice at the grocery."
Gina
"I have a binder where I keep a copy of the school calendar, any other notes from teachers, forms that need to get filled out, etc.
The other thing I find helpful for the morning rush is laying out clothes (for my son AND me) the night before, and packing a lunch the night before."
Heather
"We always have everything ready to go the night before... including breakfast dishes, etc."
lisa
"We all have different schedules so we don't have to compete for bathroom time. We also have "drop zones" near the door where we put the stuff we need to take with us in the morning so we don't forget it"
Becky
"I always plan our dinner menu a week in advance. And, just this past year, to make things even easier, I started going to one of those dinner prep places (Dinner by Design). I always do 2 or 3 pre-made meals, 1 or 2 crock pot meals, and then a meal or two with family or at church and -voila- dinner is taken care of!"
Steph
"I don't have a child in school yet but I do have a husband that works outside the house and a 7 month old. I find its getting harder to get things done. So I make my husbands lunch the night before. I prep all meals during my daughter's nap time. That way all I have to do for dinner is put it in the oven or thow it in a pot."
Kristi
"I think the best way I am going to try to stay organized for school this year is to have a checklist of what needs to be done in the morning. This year I have to have two kids ready in the morning instead of one, and last year the one was late for school so often that I got a letter from the principal."
"Hi Amy!
Thanks for hosting this great give away and there are lots of good ideas already posted. My son is only 22 months, but we always have the diaper bag ready with diapers, coat, extra clothes, snacks, etc.. Also my husband and I have a color coded calendar on the fridge with neighborhood events, family gatherings, b-days, etc.. Also next to the computer I have all of the bills, invites, etc in color coded folders. We also pre-plan the menus for the week and plan out shopping trips. Also since my husband is a SAHD it helps to have all snacks, fruit, veggies, etc cut up and in the fridge ready to go.
Since my son is just getting into coloring we stocked up with markers, paper, stickers and I organized them all in old diaper wipe and baby food containers.
Hope this helps. Thanks!
~Nichole"
We are THAT Family
"We clean out all the closets and turn clothes from previous year to resale store. We use the money for backpacks and lunch boxes. This gc would help!"
LeeAnn
"I try to do meal planning once/wk to help ease the stress of making so many decisions each day. Works well when I do it!"
"I use a clothes organizer. It hangs in the closet and is labeled Monday-Friday. I pick out clothes for the week on Sunday and it cuts down on any racing around for clothes each morning"
Frugal Finds
"I make sure everything is ready for school the night before. We also try to stick to a strict routine so that everyone knows what to expect everyday and what they are to do to help.
Frugal Carol"
Reiza
"We homeschool, so it's a bit different for us.
For us, my biggest issue is getting papers put away quickly. I'm a slacker organizer. I have a drawer where I keep their papers immediately and when that gets full, we bust out the big box from the attic and move the papers there.
If I leave the papers out even for a day, chances are they're going to get trampled, torn, colored on by a little brother or lost entirely."
Misty
"i don't know if it counts as a tip. we have an book that houses everything from our cleaning schedule to our social calendar to our dinner plan...."
Joni
"We keep five colored wicker baskets in the girls closet. Each weekend, we get their clothes ready for the next week. We have a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday basket. We make sure to put their outfits, bows, shoes, and socks in the baskets so in the morning we can just grab the baskets and get ready!"
Richelle
"Mine isn't in school, yet, but I know when trying to get ready for other busy things, I try to do as much as possible the night before, so we are not running around at the last minute trying to get everything together."
prairiemama
"We are starting homeschooling this year and one thing I'm going to do is get a BIG whiteboard and put our daily schedule on there. My sister does that, she has 8 kids, it is a necessity!"
Amy
"I always make the kids pick out clothes and everything the night before. Lunches are packed for the next day while I'm making dinner - if not 2 or 3 days worth depending on what we have.
And if dinner has any prepping I can do ahead of time - I try to do that as well. Otherwise we do some of those meals in a box things on really busy nights."
Carol
"This year is going to be alittle different here. I'm starting college!! I am not the worlds most organized person at all but hopefully it'll all work out!
We always post a HUGE calendar on the wall and write every.single.thing. on it."
Sarah
"I pick out all of our clothes the night before, down to underwear and socks. I also get the backpacks ready the night before. We are slow movers in the morning, so anything that helps us there is good."
"Especially since your son wears a uniform, like my 3 boys; I have a closet organizer with 5 slots for the days of the week (it hangs from the closet rod). I have their outfits placed in them for the whole week. No more looking for a shirt or socks! And the children can be independent about getting themselves dressed and putting their clothes away."
Suzanne
"A firm yet flexible schedule and a spouse who helps out!"
"Get the next day's clothes out the night before. Instead of ironing, I lightly spray them with a spray bottle and by the morning they're dry and wrinkle free."
Tracy
"I make sure backpacks are packed (as well as diaper bags and my work bag for the days I'm in the office) and by the door with coats, shoes, etc. Those last few minutes of scrambling to get out on time go much better when the bags are packed!"
Aimee
"We do a lot of laying everything out the night before. We also try to stick to a meal plan each week, so that I only have to do shopping 1 day per week."
Momma Bear
"We're only in pre-school, but one way that I keep organized is to get everything into my son's backpack the night before. I also get his clothes out so that he can put them on right away, by himself."
"I make a main menu for 2 weeks and each day pick what I want to make for dinner. I get things prepped in the a.m. so getting out the door will be easier- milk poured, bkfast dishes ready, backpack, shoes all school necessities at the ready. nachuck2003@yahoo.com"
Christi
"Planning is everything. I plan meals one day, errands another, afternoon routines and before bed routines keep our house of 6 running smoothly. Keep the laundry going is huge here too. If I miss a day, I'm nearly to far behind to catch up."
ella'smom
"I am a list maker. I always make a list for the next day of what needs to be done and then I have a another running list of things I would like to get done."
"I plan a weekly menu and then I process all fruits and veggies as soon as we get home from the store on Sunday. Everything gets washed, lettuce prepped for salads, etc. Some of it gets portioned out for lunches/snacks.
Having chopped onion, garlic, etc makes dinner/lunch prep go a lot faster.
When I cook I make extra to freeze or send off as lunch too."
Stephanie Reed
"Can we slip in a little motivational tip? My daughter is now in college but hated to do summer reading for high school. You'll never believe this, but the promise of a simple sticker worked wonders. What it said to her was, "I know you don't like this, but I'm proud of you for sticking with it." Just having a Disney Princess sticker to show for the time she spent reading made the day more pleasant.
stef dot reed at gmail dot com"
Williams' Family
"Getting cloths out the night before.
Picking up toys and junk before going to bed. Waking up to a clean house helps me get going in the morning."
Toblerone @ Simple Mom
"Hi Amy!
I menu plan a month at a time, and I go through clothes and give away those that no longer fit.
Getting to bed on time is also a huge help!"
flmom
"We homeschool ... one thing I do is lesson plan. Everything that needs to be covered for the week is written down and all books are kept together. We also have a special box, kept in my bedroom, just for library books (so they don't get mixed into our bookshelves)."
Mrs. H
"School lunches... I open a can of fruit, applesauce, etc. and divide it into small tupperware containers for the week so they are ready to grab in the morning to add to lunches."
Mo
"I have a detailed menu plan posted on my fridge that lists breakfast, lunch, snack, and dinner for every day of the week. I never have to take time away from homeschooling my kids to plan a menu or search the cabinets for dinner ideas, since the list is already prepared. It really helps."
cshopmeyer
"We homeschool, so I make a schedule for all 6 of us (baby included) so everyone knows what to be doing at any given time in the day. It's a tool, not our master, so we're flexible to make changes as needed but it helps us to stay on task!"
fooemery
"I keep track of everything in my .mac calendar and it automatically emails me reminders the night before (to do things like get my son's karate outfit ready, etc). I also will mix up muffin batters, etc., the night before and make them in the a.m. The biggest thing I do is keep an inbox near my front door and all papers go there until I have a chance to look them over -this is a big timesaver!! Thanks for your blog!"
"My daughter gets homework every Monday and she has until Friday to turn it in. To keep from misplacing it she has a basket by her homework station that it goes in until she is finished. When she is done it goes into her backpack to be turned in."
Foxy5
"I have a master sheet of all of the meals I make. (as new recipes are tested they are added)
I make my menu plan a month at a time. It leaves out a lot of guess work when I realize it's 30 minutes till my husband gets home "What's for dinner?!" :)
I homeschool and I have a tote with hanging file folders that holds all of our school supplies. I love it.
We also have a HUGE dry erase board. I really like that thing."
Laura
"I love Target!! Thanks for the ccontest.
We have always tried to pick out outfits the night before for the next school day and that really helps. This year, I am taking it a step further. On Sunday evening, my girls will pick out 5 different outfits for the entire week. They will have the freedom to choose which day to wear which outfit, but they cannot deviate from those 5 outfits throughout the week. We'll see how it works!"
Niki
"We bought this awesome organizer to hang in the entryway, right by the door, to help keep us organized.
It came from IKEA and has a large chalkboard for writing reminders on, 2 slots (we'll keep mail in one and school papers in the other), and has 3 key hooks at the bottom.
There is a brand new catchall basket underneath that will hold backpack, lunch box, and anything else that needs to make it to school the following day all in one spot.
ndisilvio at gmail dot com"
Julie
"Menu planning is a must. And using the crock-pot a couple times a week really helps."
Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home
"Hmmm, well mine don't officially go to school (we homeschool and the oldest is only 3 1/2), however... I love my moms planner. I use the Polestar Family Planner and it is the best!"
forgetfulone
"At the end of the school year, we take out all their old school supplies, throw away what can't be recycled, and store what can be reused. Before school starts, we'll go through it and see what we have, which is usually a lot, and I will not make a duplicate purchase just so they can have something new. For example, we have perfectly good map pencils and markers in the closet, so I won't buy new ones. I also make them clean out their closets and make a pile of too-small clothes to donate. Then we see what still fits. And that's how we decide what they need in the way of school clothes.
Thanks for the chance to win a great prize."
Daphne
"one way I keep my son organized and prepared for school is staying up-to-date with a calendar, a corkboard & dry-erase board. I write down everything that he has going on with school, I keep a lunch menu up, etc."
SB
"I am #100. How cool is that!!
My tips are simple ones:
1) Use your crockpot.
2) Have a POSTER SIZE daily to-do list: Laminate a poster-board and use wipable markers.
3) Fill juice and water bottles and snacks the night before.
These 3 things help me run much smoother.....when I remember to actually DO them."
soha
"My best organization tool has been keeping a datebook. It absolutely saved my life when too many things started happening at the same time."
Lawanda
"When my kids went to school, I always started putting them in bed early about a week or two before school started. We always have such bad sleeping schedules when we aren't forced to have a good one. LOL
I homeschool now, but I may still do this. Because they act so horrible when they are tired! :-p"
Beth
"We homeschool, so we don't have to leave in the morning for school. But having all our stuff in the areas where we'll use it is the best way we've kept organized. It sounds so simple, but things do like to WANDER away from the school area. :)"
Pate Family
"Shoes, socks, coats, and backpacks are all hung up/in bins in the laundry room by the backdoor. That way it is the last stop to pick everything up on the way out, helps stop running back, looking for socks, etc."
Sarina
"I map out every school related event on the calender and color code based on each family member. We also have a hook for each of our school age children's for them to hang their backpacks and jackets."
Kristin
"picking out outfits the night before so there are no arguments the next morning :)"
Smilingsal
"Prepare lunches the night before - or - leave the correct amount of money if you want them to buy lunch.
smilingsal55[at]yahoo[dot]com"
Melissa
"Last year I just had one in school, this year I have another starting K. Space is at a premium, but I have a wall in kitchen, by basement door, that I am going to hang hooks at their level. That is where backpacks and lunchboxes will hang. That basement door is going to get a corkboard on it for school related "stuff" that I have a tendancy to misplace. I have a buffet in the dining room with lots of drawers (repurposed dresser), each child will have a designated drawer to keep homework/folders, etc that don't go back to school immediately.
At least that is the plan.
Now getting dinner together.... I would also like some ideas!"
"I am a "prep"ing queen. Lunches for the family are prepared the night before, often times leftovers. I plan at least three big meals that include items we like to reheat. (ie lasagna or chicken enchilada casserole) Then I work with those same ingredients for the other meals so that we use up what we have and save money.:-) Also, I lay out what each person needs for the next day so that I can grab the stuff in the morning on my way out the door and know that everything I need to get through the day will be with me (just in case I can't get home in between). It makes my evening a little busy but my days run smoother.
Traci"
Amy
"Take 2 days a month and make a bunch of meals that you can freeze, that way you can pull them out and you're all ready!"
School days are returning and who wouldn't love some money to put towards their children's school supplies? I am excited to participate again in the Bloggy Giveaways and would like to offer up a $25 Target Gift Card to one lucky winner!
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