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Spruce Up Your Home: A Guide to Budget-Friendly Decorating

by Jenny Morin and Sharon Wagner

attractive living room sofa with cushions

Spruce up Your Home: A Guide to Budget-friendly Decluttering & Decorating

Is your space lacking that spark? The atmosphere might need a spruce up, and the good news is it won’t break your budget.

We will dive into uncomplicated, effective ways to invigorate and energize your home.

Give Old Furniture a New Lease on Life

Before you discard that aging sofa or dining table, think about giving it a second life. By sanding down rough edges, applying a fresh coat of paint, or reupholstering the cushions, you not only save money, but also create a piece that’s uniquely yours.

This form of recycling is also environmentally friendly. Plus, the satisfaction of reviving something old can be deeply rewarding.

Delegate the Fix-it Jobs With a Home Maintenance App

Problems like a leaky faucet or a drafty window need attention but can often be time consuming. By outsourcing these tasks to a skilled handyman or repair service, you can free up your own time for activities that you enjoy.

See Jenny’s blog about outsourcing here. https://efficientspaces.org/how-much-does-a-professional-organizer-cost-anyway/

If you are a DIYer, utilizing a home repair app to is convenient, and can help eliminate repair-related stress. You can fix a problem while a trained professional skilled in general repairs walks you through the entire process.

Hire a Professional Organizer

A professional organizer can transform and declutter your space into an efficient, well-ordered home, making your life more productive and stress-free.

In her book, Get Organized Quick, Jenny talks about how to set up a mail zone that will eliminate the piles of unopened mail. Avoid late fees and the overwhelm created by visual clutter when you follow her tips!

Other areas that easily turn into dump zones are the kitchen counters and dining table. When you declutter your space, you’ll be able to invite people over without stress.

When you have clear kitchen surfaces, (and a home for food & tools) everything is faster. Meal preparation and sitting down to eat at a table together are important daily activities!

If you haven’t received Jenny’s Give it a home: 111 Ideas to find homes for your Stuff please check it out. Anyone who signs up for my blog gets it free!  

Play with Textiles and Materials

Having a singular texture or material throughout your home can make it look and feel bland. To spruce up your rooms, consider adding a blend of textiles and materials.

For example, a metal coffee table might pair well with a wooden bookshelf, while a velvet sofa can be spruced up with contrasting silk throw pillows. This creates tactile as well as visual richness.

Scan Papers to Declutter

Decluttering your space by digitizing papers not only saves physical space but also makes document management more efficient. Using a mobile scanning app to quickly scan a document, you can easily convert all your important documents into digital formats, making them accessible anytime, anywhere.

Scanning eliminates a huge amount of paper clutter. Jenny approves of scanning; just make sure to store any documents you’ve scanned in assigned folders so you can find them later!

Scanning paper with your phone camera is easy, and you can create folders in your phone’s digital ‘photo album’.

You can store them in the cloud as well, on Google drive, Box or Dropbox, for example, which is a huge step to declutter your space.

Some documents you do need to keep (deeds, titles, legal documents and other signed documents). However, most tax preparers accept and encourage digital supporting documents and expense receipts now.

Boost Comfort with Cushions

Boost Comfort with Cushions

A straightforward way to amplify both the comfort and appearance of your living room is through accent cushions. Bamboo fiber pillows are not just comfortable, but also have the added advantage of being durable. As for maintenance, it’s advisable to fluff them regularly and use washable pillowcases that can be easily cleaned.

If your furniture is neutral colors, choose cushions & accents with bold colors like reds and yellows to brighten up your living room. This will punch up the color & add variety.

Switch Up Window Dressings

The drapery or window blinds you choose can dramatically change the mood of a room. The right choice will serve as a beautiful backdrop, subtly elevating the entire space. Whether you opt for something light and airy, like sheers, or a solid color for privacy, make sure it meshes well with the existing color palette.

Streamline Your Living Areas

High-traffic areas in your home, like the kitchen and restroom, often end up being cluttered. Investing in some nifty organizational solutions such as spice racks, drawer dividers, or vanity trays can make a world of difference.

With everything in its designated place, your daily tasks become a breeze. Your quality of life is enhanced when we declutter your space.

Finding homes or enclosed spaces for the types of things that clutter up your surfaces is a key to living an uncluttered life. Things like keys, glasses, remotes, purses, wallets, etc. need a place to ‘live’.

Why Everything Needs a Home

  1. So you can find items when needed
  2. So clutter doesn’t take over your desk or dining table

I found a solution for my teenager leaving his wallet and keys scattered around the house. I gave him a 10-inch wide basket to hold his personal stuff and put it on a corner of the counter. (I don’t let people put their stuff on my kitchen desk.) This works great for him—as long as he puts his stuff there when he gets home, that is!

Conclusion

Ready to declutter your life and boost your productivity? Visit Efficient Spaces now and transform your space today!

You don’t have to go through a major renovation to bring zest and flair back to your home.

With straightforward solutions like digitizing your documents and hiring a professional organizer to declutter your space, your home will be transformed into a place of beauty, comfort, and efficiency. Make just a few key changes, and you’ll see your place re-energized!

Resources:

Thank you to guest blogger Sharon Wagner for contributing to our article!

Invite a friend to check out this great resource with pictures & links:

Jenny’s book Get Organized Quick: 15 Minutes a Day to Organize Your Life

vintage drawing of girl wrapping holiday presents

Cherished Holiday Traditions: 10 Fun Ideas to Bring Joy

Tradition is how the vitality of the past

enriches the life of the present.”

T.S. Eliot

I look forward to our Thanksgiving and Christmas traditions every year. I reminisce about childhood Christmases when my mother created a magical Christmas out of thin air.

            What family traditions do you look forward to for the holidays? What brings you the most joy? Is it the food, the fun, the family time, the parties, or the music?

“I love to experience the smells, sights and sounds of Christmas,” said Pat Berg, a grandmother of 19 from Grants Pass.

P.S. I saved my favorite family tradition for #10, in case you’re wondering.

10 Ideas to Bring More Fun to Your Holidays

One: Ask Grown Children what their family would like.

“What I don’t like is the stress of trying figure out what to buy. Did they already have that Lego set, is this the right size, will they like this? That’s what takes the joy out of Christmas giving for me,” Pat said.

Two: Bring Happiness to Others

Book "Christmas Jars" by Jason Wright

Reach out to someone lonely. Call them, take them to a Christmas bazaar or concert, invite them to dinner, or visit and sing them carols.

My friend Lynn Hopson invites friends to a cookie bazaar every year. Some of our friends bring food to the homeless. As a family, we put money in a Christmas jar all year, then anonymously give the money to someone.

The book Christmas Jars gave us this idea!

family decorating Christmas tree

This is my family in 2011 decorating our tree. We had such a great time! One of our fun traditions is a different child gets to put the angel on the tree each year.

Another fun holiday tradition is having one person play “Santa” each year and hand out presents.

Three. Stick to Your Budget

My friend Pat has a budget for each family. I do too. Going into debt for Christmas presents doesn’t make anyone happier. It just causes unnecessary stress.

This year, she told me, one of her sons asked for museum passes as their family gift. A simple, stress-free present to bring Christmas joy!

Four: Recreate Your Parents Traditions With Your Family

I loved putting on puppet shows with my brothers and sister as a kid. One year, my Mom made a puppet theater out of plywood, then sewed Muppet-like puppets for us to play with. I started writing plays and the 4 of us would perform them for our parents. I continued the tradition when my children were young.

Another fun tradition I’ve continued is to make a new ornament for the tree each year. Crafts are a great way to bond as a family and make memories.

Other Fun Holiday Traditions

Many families have the fun tradition of giving out matching PJ’s. My friends Donna and Mike Staker started this tradition when their kids were small. It sure produces cute pictures!

Taking a drive to look at the lights near your house is a great break. It’s always fun. On my street in Grants Pass, two houses have a running competition to see who can fit the most lights on their house each year. It’s pretty comical to see. Now they’ve added inflatables, so their lawns are even more crowded!

Remember this? My 2018 blog contained some creative family traditions. Click here for ‘Keep Calm & Prepare Early for the Holidays.’

Five: Cultivate Joy by Doing Activities that Make You Happy.

Does baking make you happy? When I called, my friend Pat was making rolls for Thanksgiving and listening to Christmas music. How inspiring!

Other holiday traditions for fun times:

  • Attending concerts
  • Watching Hallmark movies
  • Surprising a child and watching their face light up with joy
  • Call an old friend to catch up
Mother baking Christmas cookies with her two daughters.

Six: Focus on the Spiritual

Take time to read scripture, pray, sing and meditate. Spirit-filled Christmas activities help us all feel peace and more joy at this hectic time of year. For me personally, music brings Christmas joy.

I love the carols, cantatas, the Messiah, and other inspiring music that makes my heart light. When I sing, I get wrapped up in the music and feel joy.

Seven: Give experiences or time, not things.

Write a story, make some music together, give tickets to a show.

My friend Lynn wrote a story and gave it to her grandkids one Christmas. “When my daughter told me (grandson) Peyton fell asleep with it under his pillow, I just cried.” Tears of joy, she means!

Eight: Read a Christmas Book

One of my favorite holiday traditions is to read a short Christmas book. My favorite author is Debbie Macomber, who seems to come out with a charming, nostalgic story every year. Everyone has their favorite! If you think you don’t have time to read, then the answer is simple: listen to the book instead. It’s a great way to do something for yourself while doing dishes, making cookies, food shopping, etc. I know it makes me more cheerful!

Nine: Get Outside.

Another fun tradition I had as a child was going to cut the Christmas tree down with my Dad, a forester. (We lived in Maine.) Now, if we can, we get out into the mountains or woods of Oregon to find a tree. The tree permit is only $5.

It’s a lot of fun even if there isn’t snow. You get to see sweeping vistas on your way to the hills, and smell the wonderful forest. Just don’t do what we did one year. . . we walked downhill to find a tree and had to pull the heavy tree uphill to the truck.

Studies have shown that being in green spaces reduces stress and helps us to be happier!

Now, what you’ve all been waiting for. . . . Drumroll, please!

Ten

My all-time favorite tradition is the family treasure hunt!

When we still lived in Vermont and the kids were small, my husband Frank started writing riddles for the kids, then hiding them.

We turned to this after Frank’s sewing debut had disastrous results.

Frank has a great time giving clues when he stumps the kids with his riddles. The cool thing is, even if you’re not good at writing riddles, you can find some pretty funny Christmas verse online, which he uses to make the treasure hunt more fun.

And at the end of the treasure hunt the kids collect their prize. Usually, it is four pomegranates. The joy is not in the prize, but in the challenge of the hunt!

Remembering childhood Christmases through a haze of nostalgia brings joy to me, as does continuing the traditions I’ve started with my family. What brings me the most joy is sharing experiences and traditions with the people I care about. I have to be careful, as we all do, not to overspend on massive amounts of presents in an attempt to re-create the holiday magic.

I have learned it’s truly not about the stuff.

Christmas nativity statue
Bright living room with fireplace

Decluttering Living Room Tips Featured in Redfin Blog

One of my tips for decluttering living rooms is featured in the Redfin blog! 19 Must-Read Storage Hacks for a Cluttered Home. You’ll find my insights in Tip 17: Involve Your Family.

And here are some EXTRA tips to keep your living room looking neat!

1. The Clutter Buster

Here’s one creative idea I used in my family of 4 children. When the house started looking cluttered—which it often did—I would warn them ahead of time that we’d be doing a cleanup and give them some transition time. Then we started a 10 to 15-minute clutter buster. I asked everyone to stop what they were doing, pick up 10 things and put them away. It’s amazing how much better your house looks when 40 items of clutter get picked up! You can also use a timer so it’s a race against the clock.

2. Maintaining a tidy living room

In the living room especially, blankets, magazines, electronics (and cords) and gaming devices become an issue. One thing that bothers me is how messy the blankets look when strewn haphazardly over the couches.

An easy solution for a tidy living room is to get a large, attractive basket, then fold & put away the blankets every night. That way, at least the living room stays neat all day, until family time the next evening! It takes regular decluttering to keep up with the chaos.

3. Cords, Cords, Cords!

Cords are such an eyesore. I especially detest black cords cluttering my living room. So, I went to an organizing store and bought a small grey bin that fits a power strip, and a couple game controllers with room for coiled up cords. It works well and looks MUCH better.

Another solution is to get a cord “tube” (it looks like an old-fashioned spiral telephone cord) and channel all your cords through it. They come in a variety of colors, and you can hide them along the baseboard or under the couch. This is a great help in decluttering your living room and making it feel more orderly.

The Redfin blog has a lot of other great tips (besides my own), so I hope you find something that will help you work through your current organizational challenge! And don’t forget to check out my other blogs, which cover topics from holiday shopping to food storage strategies. You’ll find them all on my website, efficientspaces.org.

Woman with cluttered clothes closet

The Great Closet Edit

Clothes Closets, especially walk-in closets, are a problem area in many homes. If this is you, help is on the way!

Even though I am a professional organizer, I admit, purging my own clothes can be hard!

The problem with closets is they are out of sight, out of mind. No one else sees the master bedroom closet but you, your family, and maybe your cleaning person.

It’s all too easy to let clothes and accessories accumulate over time in your walk-in closet. And before you know it, you are having to shove the hangers in because your clothes are packed as tight as sardines!

One common result of this is that you cannot see or remember what you have.

So, you end up buying duplicate items because you cannot find what you’re looking for.

Which means you’re spending hard-earned money to buy duplicate items! This is especially true for people who have more than one closet where they store clothes and accessories–they forget what they have in the other clothes closet.

And yes, I have had several organizing clients who have 2 or even 3 closets or a room full of clothes!

Questions to Ask Yourself

Before you even get started, it’s a good idea to remind yourself of the WHY, why are you doing this?

(That way, you’ll be in the right mindset to let go.) Next, let’s look at this important  question:

What is your WHY?

What motivates you to organize your closet?

  • I want to get ready faster.
  • I am tired of not being able to find what I need.
  • I know half the stuff in there doesn’t fit.
  • I’d like to feel calm, not stressed, when I walk into my closet.
  • I want it to look pretty!

You are not alone! Thousands of women and men in the US want these things too. Did you know that clutter has a “negative impact on our subjective well-being”? It’s true.

messy walk-in closet

Did you know, messy homes leave us feeling anxious and overwhelmed?

Also, messy homes and workspaces leave us feeling anxious, helpless, and overwhelmed, according to a recent Huffington Post article.

If you’d like to feel better, purging and organizing your packed walk-in closet is the way to go!

The Great Closet Edit: Motivation

It’s time to dig deep and find the strength to let go. Purging your own clothes is hard! So, get yourself into a tough mindset by using the questions in the last section.

In addition, a loving heart can motivate you to purge your clothes. Here’s how.

I promise you’ll have an easier time giving away clothes by visualizing the look of joyful surprise on the face of the person who finds just what they needed at a thrift store (thanks to your generous clothing donation.)

Professional Organizer Jenny Morin with black coat from a thrift store, 1990

This is me on my mission, shoveling snow & wearing my warm thrift store find!

Circa 1990.

      I remember when I was a poor college student in Provo, Utah. I needed a warm dress coat for my upcoming mission. I browsed at TJ Maxx and the coats didn’t look very warm, so I decided to search some thrift stores to find a warm coat. (I had plenty of time, just not much money back then, so I didn’t mind combing the city for a coat!)

          I ended up finding a super-warm dress coat that buttoned all the way up and covered my neck—I was so happy! (Most women’s dress coats have a V-neck.) It was constructed of thick black wool, lined with thick black satin, and lasted many years!

So, it will help to picture all the poor or low-income working people who can use some of the clothes you never wear—especially if that motivates you to let go.

The Great Closet Edit: The Purging Phase

The purging phase is the most important part of the closet edit.

I’ve come up with some questions for you to make the process easier. My hope is these questions will help you make good decisions you’ll be happy with.

One caution: Do this when you are in a tough, not a lenient state of mind. If you under-purge, you’ll regret it because you’ll have to do this again in 6 months or live with a packed closet.

Helpful questions to ask as you purge your closet:

One: Does this fit?

That’s a simple yes or no. If it doesn’t fit right now, let it go. In some cases, I do allow a client to keep 1 small box of clothes which are too small. I call it the “skinny pants” box. 🙂

Two: Does it look good on me?

Definitely have a full-length mirror and some good lighting while you try clothing on! There will be some no-brainers here, but some clothes you are going to need to try on. Don’t be daunted. Do it!

Last time I did this with a client, she tried on a whole walk-in closet full of clothes in just two hours, with my help.

Don’t skip this step!

Piles of clothes during closet organization

A woman is never sexier than when she is comfortable in her clothes.” ~Vera Wang

Three: This _______ has a past with me, does it have a future?

You may have had some great times wearing that sequined dress, but if all your kids have married and you don’t go to swanky New Year’s parties, are you really going to wear it again?

Four: If I saw this in the store today, would I buy it?

If the answer is an emphatic YES, then keep it. If you’re waffling, or rationalizing why you should keep it, let it go, that’s a nope!

Five: Am I letting the original cost of this item get in the way of letting it go?

Be sure not to let the cost of the item keep you from letting it go. It won’t do you any good to let that fur coat sit in your walk-in closet taking up prime real estate for the next 10 years.

Sell it if that makes you feel better, but DO take it out of your closet and say goodbye!

The best thing to do, which takes the least amount of time, is to just let go.

boxes for decluttering and donating

I recommend just giving things away so you can move on.

Here’s a caution, though, take care not to make the donation process too difficult, or you won’t do it. For example, some people have 5 bags of stuff going to different friends. That is too complicated, too much work! Much better to take it to one thrift store so those bags don’t clutter up your house for months.

Make it easy on yourself and you’re much more likely to do it.

Six: Am I being honest about wearing this ____ again?

Be careful not to make up big, unrealistic scenarios for when you might use an item in the future. Example: “I’ll wear this one-piece hot-pink and yellow snowsuit from the 80s if I ever ski again.” See how silly that sounds?

Be brutally honest with yourself in this process of purging and organizing your closet.

As I like to say: be ruthless, not reckless when you purge.

Conclusion

Purging is a MUST to have the pretty, organized closet you desire.

And just think; once you purge all the stuff you never wear, it’s going to be so much easier to find what you want and get ready every morning. Not to mention, much faster!

Best of all, you can dress for work (or play) with a feeling of confidence now that you know everything in your closet makes you look and feel good.

Resources

“Why Clutter Can be So Bad for People With Anxiety (And What To Do About It,” Huffington Post, 4/8/2021

The dark side of home: Assessing possession ‘clutter’ on subjective well-being. March 2016, Journal of Environmental Psychology, 46.

10 back to school tips to save you time and energy

Back to School Tips for an Easy Transition

Can you believe it is almost September? It’s almost that time again, for kids, teens and college students to go back to school. If the thought of shopping for school supplies and clothing fills you with dread, I’ve got some pointers to save time and energy.

In the past, I have visited several stores to get the best deals for the long list of school supplies. I don’t do that anymore. It takes too much time. But I think it makes sense to find out which store has the lowest prices on the bulk of things you need, and purchase there.

One way I’ve found to make the back to school easier is to start preparing several weeks early.  Of course, being an organizer, I encourage you to take some inventory first. And that means LISTS!

10 Tips for Quick Back to School prep

  1. Inventory clothing: find out what still fits from last year.
  2. Inventory school supplies: doing a quick inventory of what is left over from last year will save you money, and you won’t end up with 20 pink erasers or 25 one subject notebooks filling up cabinet space.
  3. Make separate lists for clothing and school supplies needed. Does your child need any special sporting supplies, like running shoes or soccer cleats?
  4. Do your research: can you purchase some of your school supplies online and have it shipped, or have an order ready and waiting for you to pick up in the store?
  5. Start to get your kids (and yourself) up earlier to prep them for the earlier wake-up time. Experts recommend using 15-minute increments. Start a few weeks early. That way, you’ll have one week at the actual wake time to get everyone’s internal clocks acclimated. Less grumpiness all around!
  6. Practice your morning routine. Everybody gets up, eats breakfast, brushes, gets backpacks ready, etc.
  7. Speaking of backpacks, make sure and have them loaded with everything but the lunch 1 to 2 days before school starts.
  8. Lunch supplies: Make sure you have a good supply of your family’s favorite school snacks.
  9. Talk about after school routines. Are they going to walk, bike, take the bus or get picked up? This may be different from other years. And talk about getting rides, and checking in with Mom or Dad if after school plans change so s/he doesn’t freak out.
  10. Make a plan for yourself. With children going to school, you may have more time on your hands. Instead of just going with the flow, take time to think about what YOU want to do. Dust off the piano and start playing again? Take a class? Write or paint? Having a plan will keep your mind and spirit active and give you some much needed ME time.

      ~ Jenny

How to Train Your Kids to Work. Yes, Really!

“Your kids are like a well-oiled machine!” Michelle Wilber.

Our sitter told me this after Frank and I came back from a multi-day trip. Apparently, after dinner, our kids got up, did the dishes and put the food away. They cleaned the bathrooms and their rooms on Saturday, as was our routine. This impressed her so much, but honestly I hadn’t thought much of it before then. Doesn’t every family pitch in work together? They should, at least this is what I believe. And it works.

So, I’d like to give some tips for how we’ve gotten to this point in our home.

What I do

  1. Make helping an expectation but keep it FUN!

Pitching in is expected in our home. My mother delegated work to me when I was young on our small farm in Maine, and I do the same with my kids. Some of my jobs included weeding the garden, mopping the wood floors, and cleaning bathrooms.

Her philosophy went something like this: I am not a slave. All joking aside, why shouldn’t kids work to make their home a more inviting place? The Mom and Dad cannot do it all.

I have a friend who was an example of trying to do all the work. She never sat down. I remember visiting her once, and I think she was able to sit down all of 5 minutes in a 2 –hour period. That’s just crazy!

I read some great ideas for making housework fun when the kids were smaller. One idea that works great for competitive families; Have a housework Olympics, and see how fast (and how well) you can complete the Saturday jobs!! The fastest, most complete cleaners win. (Mom inspects each job site.)

  1. Train children from the time they are young

This includes SHOWING them how to do it first. Some easy jobs for younger children include emptying the dishwasher and cleaning toilets (we use a non-toxic cleaner, NOT bleach).

“If you are willing to spend the time with children to train them, to show them how to clean or stack wood, they will come to enjoy it. When the kids are young, they want to be like Mommy and Daddy. They see us doing dishes or using the vacuum, and they want to try it. Let them! Show them how to do simple jobs when their interest is piqued.” From the blog 10 Tips for better Family Time.  https://efficientspacesco.c.wpstage.net/?s=10+tips+for+better+family+time

Patience is required for training. They are not going to get it perfect, and it will not be up to your standards. Just remember their coordination and level of detail is not the same as yours!

Teach them to take pride in a sparkling-clean sink and spicket. Point out how good it looks when it’s clean.

I firmly believe that teaching children to work bolsters their confidence and self-esteem. They see they can do a job, do it well, and make a difference in the way their home looks and functions. This method is more effective than constant compliments.

  1. Lower the bar

As my organizing mentor Porter Knight used to say in one of her speeches: lower the bar. Set your expectations lower than you would for an older teen or adult.

Porter had her sons clean the bathrooms. Were they perfect? No. But they were the best her 11-yr old son could do, so it was good enough. Don’t be too picky of they will be discouraged and not want to help next time.

Instead, praise each child’s effort and bite your tongue!

  1. Encourage them

Note: I didn’t say PRAISE; I said encourage. First off, don’t be patronizing if they are older, be sincere and find something you liked about their work. If something needs to be re-done, use the sandwich technique.

I liked how you ——, could you scrub the orange ring by the sink drain a bit more? I am sure you can do it  if you put a little more time in.

But if you sense they are not giving it their full effort or doing their best, definitely ask them to try again. If they still aren’t’getting it, see if they understand what you asked them to do, and provide some more patient training.

Don’t bribe them, but definitely give them a reward or incentive. I have some special chocolate truffles I give the teens when they complete jobs they dislike. They also get paid each month for the work they do, but an immediate reward is quite effective. Everybody in my house likes chocolate. One time we motivated the kids for a big job of spreading mulch on all the flower beds by telling them we’d go to DQ afterward. My kids will do almost anything for ice cream!

  1. My kids are teens, is it too late?

When our kids were young, we lived in Vermont and heard about an amazing parenting program. It is called Parenting On Track by Vicki Hoefle. She insists you can still train teens to work.

“They might whine and complain for the first few minutes, but sit them down and explain:

“Your father and I have done you a disservice. We have been doing everything for you up until now. But if we continue like this, you won’t know what to do when you get on your own in __ years. It’s time to learn how to ______  and ______ so you aren’t helpless when you get your first apartment/ go to college/ get married.

Plus, is it really OK for the Mom or even both parents to do the lion’s share of work in the home? Parents today have less time than ever. It’s important to get the kids involved in keeping the home clean, the family fed, and the yard maintained. It’s the way life works. I don’t know any employers who would react well to the statement: “I’ve never done that, can you do it for me?” (from an earlier blog 10 Tips for Better Family Time.) https://efficientspacesco.c.wpstage.net/?s=10+tips+for+better+family+time

Vicki also has a great list of things kids need to be able to do on their own by the time they are 18. One night, when we went through that list with our kids, we realized one of our daughters had never mowed the lawn!  We soon started training her to do that. She was on board.

Also, one great thing about having older children who know how to work is: they can train their younger sibs to do certain jobs (if they have the right temperament and the two kids get along well). Otherwise, you may need to train the younger kids to make it a positive experience.

  1. Pick your battles

This is true for many things in parenting. If a child really doesn’t want to do a job, compromise and assign them a different job whenever possible. If it is something they have to do, like cleaning their room, find out what the issue is. Sometimes they may have no idea where to start, like many of my organizing clients. Just helping them with some ideas or talking about it can stave off a grumpy attitude.

  1. Keep their strengths and interests in mind when assigning tasks.

For example, my daughter Kate loves to polish wood. So she washes the cabinets with soapy water, then dries and polishes the kitchen cabinets with orange oil. Kate takes great pride in doing this job well and seeing the wood gleam when she is done. Some well-earned recognition from me goes a long way, too!

I discovered my daughter Emily likes dusting. This is a job I hate, so when I realized she liked it, she became my main duster! I got her a feather duster, which is fun, and she happily dusts furniture, bookshelves, etc.

Kyle likes to vacuum the stairs, and Jacob loves to clean the pool and do yardwork as long as he has company. We all have our strengths. Of course, my favorite job is organizing drawers, cabinets, the pantry and clearing off counters. J

The best advice I can give: start where you are. If your kids are older and you need help, start training them to do work they are suited to. If they are young, see what they are interested in helping you with, and let them (with supervision). This is a great investment in their future. You will never regret teaching your kids to work. They will contribute to your home, family AND become productive, independent adults.

     And that is important because everyone likes to feel needed.

Resources for parents:

https://www.vickihoefle.com/

Parenting with Love and Logic by Foster Kline and Jim Fay

Blog:  www.efficientspacesco.com/?s=10+tips+for+better+family+time

http://monicaswanson.com/category/parenting-and-family/

12 Days of Christmas Tips

12 New Tips to make Christmas Prep easier

An early present for you!

This song is all in good fun. When I work with clients, they purge all kinds of funky stuff, which I donate to thrift stores. So, once a year, I celebrate by having a little fun with the 12 days of Christmas poem.  This new and improved 12 days has 12 tips to make your holiday prep less stressful!

On the 1st day of Christmas, my client gave to me: a pre-lit ceramic tree.

Tip: Take out one decoration that really inspires you. For me, a homemade advent calendar does the trick. Each pocket has 1 simple activity and a small ornament inside. Keep it simple, silly!

On the 2nd day of Christmas, my client gave to me: 2 Kleenex boxes, and a pre-lit ceramic tree.

Tip: Do-ahead tip: take stock of your tape, wrapping paper and tag supplies. If you don’t have enough, put them on your shopping list!

On the 3rd day of Christmas, my client gave to me: 3 rubber chickens, 2 Kleenex boxes, and a pre-lit ceramic tree.

Tip: Remember the movie Christmas with the Kranks? Don’t get stuck doing last-minute food shopping like Mrs. Krank. Plan the main dishes and the type of meat you’ll have, then include them on your shopping list too!

On the 4th day of Christmas, my client gave to me:
4 Rolodexes, 3 rubber chickens, 2 Kleenex boxes, and a pre-lit ceramic tree.

Tip: Speaking of Rolodexes:  if you haven’t gotten cards out yet, it’s time to do it. One way I make this easier: Use Sendout cards. It’s a painless way to send out cards to the important people in your life. You make a card online, put in names and addresses, then they send it out. No licking envelopes! It costs about $1 per card & stamp. My Sendout cards contact: Teresa Ball: www.Sendoutcards.com/teresaball.

On the 5th day of Christmas, my client gave to me: 5 silly bands, 4 Rolodexes, 3 rubber chickens, 2 Kleenex boxes, and a pre-lit ceramic tree.

Tip: To keep Christmas a happy, not stressful time, do something for someone else! Notice the decorations still left in boxes. You haven’t used them for several years but they are in good shape. Bag them up and stick them in your car to drop off at a thrift store. Know that another family in town will save money and use them to make a festive home!

On the 6th day of Christmas, my client gave to me:6 sticky jelly beans, 5 silly bands, 4 Rolodexes, 3 rubber chickens, 2 Kleenex boxes, and a pre-lit ceramic tree.

Tip: Don’t forget the cleaning: we don’t want to find sticky jelly beans staining our couch cushions! Just like everything else, make a plan for when to clean certain areas of the house. If you’re having guests one night, remember don’t spend too much time on the floors, they’re just going to get dirty again! Do a quick clean before and a thorough clean after!

On the 7th day of Christmas, my client gave to me: 7 gift bags, 6 sticky jelly beans, 5 silly bands, 4 Rolodexes, 3 rubber chickens, 2 Kleenex boxes, and a pre-lit ceramic tree.

Tip: Remember to keep it simple, silly, to KISS. Don’t overbuy, and stick to your list! I avoid the mall as much as possible by ordering gifts online. I find I don’t impulse buy online.

On the 8th day of Christmas, my client gave to me: 8 singing fish, 7 gift bags, 6 sticky jelly beans, 5 silly bands, 4 Rolodexes, 3 rubber chickens, 2 Kleenex boxes, and a pre-lit ceramic tree.

Tip: If you’re planning to give cookie plates or simple gifts to friends, neighbors and teachers, order the supplies now. This year I’m keeping it simple and using an idea I found through Pinterest. Hint: Everyone, including teachers, loves chocolate. I literally KISS this Christmas with Hershey’s kisses. Here’s the link: https://www.pinterest.com/jennyrossomorin/christmas/

On the 9th day of Christmas, my client gave to me: 9 card boxes, 8 singing fish, 7 gift bags, 6 sticky jelly beans, 5 silly bands, 4 Rolodexes, 3 rubber chickens, 2 Kleenex boxes, and a pre-lit ceramic tree.
Tip: First you get a trickle, then you get a flood right before the 25th. I’m talking about cards! Some easy display ideas: A simple Christmassy clothesline hung over a doorway or on a beam works well. I created my own compact display by tying ribbons to a decorated clothes hanger and using mini clothespins to attach the cards!

On the 10th day of Christmas, my client gave to me: 10 pairs of glasses, 9 card boxes, 8 singing fish, 7 gift bags, 6 sticky jelly beans, 5 silly bands, 4 Rolodexes, 3 rubber chickens, 2 Kleenex boxes, and a pre-lit ceramic tree.

Tip: For glass ornaments, put delicate ornaments together, and use bubble wrap or brown packing paper to keep them safe (newsprint may rub off on ornaments). Or make your life even easier by investing in a nifty bulb storage container. Craft or home stores carry these.

On the 11th day of Christmas, my client gave to me: 11 Eighties albums, 10 pairs of glasses, 9 card boxes, 8 singing fish, 7 gift bags, 6 sticky jelly beans, 5 silly bands, 4 Rolodexes, 3 rubber chickens, 2 Kleenex boxes, and a pre-lit ceramic tree.

Tip: Don’t forget to make it fun—play music and movies! While you are wrapping or decorating, crank up the Christmas carols or The Messiah by the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square! A great way to store your holiday CD’s is a simple shoe box with a label. You can even store them with your Christmas decorations to save on shelf space during the year. (As long as the temperature doesn’t rise above 90 degrees in your storage area.)

On the 12th day of Christmas, my client gave to me: 12 fridge magnets, 11 Eighties albums, 10 pairs of glasses, 9 card boxes, 8 singing fish, 7 gift bags, 6 sticky jelly beans, 5 silly bands, 4 Rolodexes, 3 rubber chickens, 2 Kleenex boxes, and a pre-lit ceramic tree.

Tip: Christmas is 10 days away. If you’ve planned ahead and made your lists, purchased what you need and done some work, you are in a good place right now. If you are a procrastinator, you’ve waited to get started. Don’t panic. Just pare down your list of tasks as much as possible and outsource. Today is a great time to make some cookie dough, cook up a batch or two and freeze the remainder.

You can even deliver some to friends. I’m sure they will be thankful for you!

In the words of Tiny Tim: And God bless us, every one!

Ideas to make family time better

Tips for better family time

Are you interested in creating more enjoyable, rewarding family time? I just discovered a great resource for parents, with an emphasis on Dads: a website called All Pro Dad has 10 ideas for consciously creating better family time. As I read, I thought about things my parents did right. Neither one of them had ideal family situations growing up, but they made a happy home for me and my 3 siblings. I’ll get kinda personal and share 3 stories these tips reminded me of.

For those of you who did the quiz on my newsletter, the top 3 tips in order are: Eat together, Read often, and Do chores together.

For better family time:  1. Eat together

This was one of the traditions in my family growing up. My Dad, being Italian, insisted on this. I’m sure both my parents agreed it was important and they made it a priority. In my family now, we have continued this tradition, and it’s some of the best time (and sometimes the only time) we have together each day. Now that we have 2 teenagers, we don’t always manage to have everyone there every night, so it is challenging. A little advance planning goes a long way.

For example, 2 nights a week Emily has spring band practice. On Wednesday night, we eat dinner between the time she gets home and the time we have our 7 pm activity. It’s tight, but we make it work. Also, sometimes we have to eat earlier than normal to get everyone around the table. It’s worth the extra effort to get everyone around the table, talking and laughing together!

For better family time: 2. Read often.

I am a big believer in reading with children and frequent trips to the library, especially when they are young! Kids are naturally curious, and showing them a myriad of books will spark new interests and a love of learning. When my kids were little (and we had more time together) we’d make a weekly trip to the library. We all looked forward to it. And of course, sitting down to read together in the daytime and at bedtime is special time we enjoyed each night. I know one Dad who still reads to his teenagers every night. They’ve progressed way beyond picture books, but what a great tradition!

Story: When I was a teenager, my family would visit our the farm where my grandmother grew up in North Whitefield, Maine. It had no electricity, so at night my Mom (who came prepared) read to us for entertainment. I distinctly remember her reading a Tarzan novel to us one night by lamplight. The adventure, the drama. You’d think we were too old for that but we LOVED it! What a cherished memory.

It’s these kinds of moments that build better relationships with our children and teens. These activities that don’t cost any money, just time. Time is what we need to give, to whatever activity interests our kids the most.

For better family time: 3. Do chores together.

They might whine and complain for the first few minutes, but if you are willing to spend the time with children to train them, to show them how to clean or stack wood, they will come to enjoy it. When the kids are young, they want to be like Mommy and Daddy. They see us doing dishes or using the vacuum, and they want to try it. Let them! Show them how to do simple jobs when their interest is piqued.

And if your kids are already older, it is not too late. Sit them down and explain:

“Your father and I have done you a disservice. We have been doing everything for you up until now. But if we continue like this, you won’t know what to do when you get on your own in __ years. It’s time to learn how to ______  and _______ so you aren’t helpless when you get your first apartment/ go to college/ get married.

Plus, is it really OK for the Mom or even both parents to do the lion’s share of work in the home? Parents today have less time than ever. It’s important to get the kids involved in keeping the home clean, the family fed, and the yard maintained. It’s the way life works. I don’t know any employers who would react well to the statement:  “I’ve never done that, can you do it for me?”

Story: I mentioned stacking wood earlier. That brought back a memory for me. My Dad, a forester in Maine, loved to give service, especially to widows. One night, he informed us we would be going to split and stack firewood for a widow at church for our family night activity. At first, we whined and complained, (especially when we saw the mile-high stack of wood we had to stack!) but once we started working, we began to really enjoy it. My hyper younger brothers had something to keep them busy and focused. Best of all, we got our Dad’s undivided attention for several hours, which was rare during our childhood. That night we worked together remains one of my best childhood memories. In fact, it was our most memorable family night ever.

Lessons learned: serving and helping as a family is especially rewarding. Teaching kids how to work is important, and they learn while they are young that it’s just part of being a family.

Read the full article: http://www.allprodad.com/10-tips-to-better-family-time/

Tell me what YOU think! Is it ok for the Mom or even both parents to do the lion’s share of work in the home? What was the philosophy on pitching in while you were growing up in and how did it help/hurt your future family?   https://www.facebook.com/OrganizingAttics2Basements/?pnref=lhc

Did you like this article? Click Here to subscribe to my newsletter!  https://efficientspacesco.c.wpstage.net/660-2/

Also, on my Pinterest page, I’ve posted some creative ideas for chore reminders and rewards.  Click here to get great ideas: https://www.pinterest.com/jennyrossomorin/kids-and-parenting/

Until next time, bye!   Jenny

Resources:

http://www.allprodad.com/10-tips-to-better-family-time/

Another great resource is parent educator Vicki Hoefle.

http://vickihoefle.com/tools-success/

Art:Picture of boy with firewood courtesy VisualHunt.com

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