Get Organized! Tips for Saving Your Sanity & Time

"For every minute spent organizing, an hour is earned."

                                                                             -Anonymous

School is officially back in session, and game on! Homework is picking up, after school activities are in full swing, and weekends end way too soon.  Amidst all the chaos, here are some simple ways to help your family stay on top of their priorities.

Family Calendar
In 2015, we all like to use our electronic calendars, so the idea of a dry erase board sounds archaic. While you can sync calendars, there is something to be said about the visual representation of your responsibilities.  When a large calendar is displayed in the kitchen, or other shared space,  your kids activities can be color coded. Allowing them to write on the calendar, adding and crossing of tasks, helps develop their executive functioning skills. It also allows the entire family to know who is available, and can help out!

Carpool
In the old days, neighbors and friends' parents, were always willing to pick up, drop off, or help out when there was a conflict. Today, most kids reside in single parent households, or one in which both parents work.  Instead of attempting to win an award for juggling the most balls in the air, ask for some assistance.  Most often, parents who stay at home, or have a different work schedule, are happy to assist, as they hope the favor will eventually be reciprocated.

Filing System
If you are the parent of an elementary or middle school student, there are a lot of completed assignments, permission slips, and tests that end up scattered around the house.  Setting up a filing system for each kid can be really helpful.  These can be baskets, shelves, or boxes labeled for specific things.  If that is too much work, just have one box per kid in which all paper can be stored, and then dumped at the end of each trimester or quarter.

Online Access
Let's be real, kids forget their books and assignments, a lot. Many books, and textbooks, are available online. Making sure you know all of the passwords, and having access to websites, can ease the burden of tracking down materials.  In addition, it always helps to have your child identify one student in class who would be a good resource if items are forgotten or the internet is down.  If all else fails, take to social media, like Facebook.