Let’s face it, as an organizer I have a natural affinity for charts.  Over the years I’ve made all kinds of charts to track various parts of family life…job charts, reward charts, cleaning charts, homework charts…I’ve made them all.

This year, as I face another school year (and all the chaos that comes with it) I’ve decided to try a new approach.  Instead of making loads of different charts to keep track of my kid’s jobs, schedules and misc. details, I’ve opted for a more streamlined approach.  We’re calling it the “Big Board.”

To create it, I purchased a big, magnetic dry erase board and divided it into three sections (one for each of my school-age kids) with adhesive ribbon.  Within each section I created general categories with clear alphabet stickers (you could also use a label maker or write them with a dry erase marker).  At the moment, my categories are Jobs, ToDo, Bank and Notes.  Each of my kids have three main jobs, one post-dinner kitchen job, one house job, and one big Saturday job - I keep track of all of those in the Jobs area.  The To Do category is pretty self explanatory - all the non cleaning jobs go here.  For example, you might see ”write thank you note to Grandma” or “20 min piano practice” in this area.  The Bank area keeps track of their current balance (click here to read my family bank post) and keeps track of any savings goals.  The Notes category offers reminders for everything else like “give talk in Primary on Sunday” or “bring class snack on Thursday”. 

Unlike a standard chart that confines you to specific details, the big board is easily adaptable by simply changing the categories.  For example, as the school year begins I will probably add a homework category to keep track of things like reading minutes as well as a calendar category to replace their weekly fridge planners (click here to read the kid planner post).

I posted ours in the kitchen right next to the back door so it would be impossible to ignore or neglect.  I also added two clear file boxes below it.  The inbox holds papers that come home in backpacks as well as a temporary stash spot for the mail.  The outbox is used for anything that needs to go out - like signed permission slips, lunch money, movie rentals and library books.

The entire project took me about two hours to create and cost me less than $50.  I purchased the white board at Target for $17.  The in and out boxes were $8 each at Staples.  The colorful sticker letters I used for the names, the tiny black letter stickers, and the adhesive ribbon were all purchased from Michael’s for about $10.  Just thought I’d pass it on.

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Ahh the lovely sounds of the dog days of summer… sprinklers spraying, lawn mowers chopping, and a veritable chorus of moms shouting “Kids, shut the door!”.  Why is it our kids have such a hard time with this concept?  We’ve only lived in this house a few weeks and I can’t count the number of times I’ve walked downstairs only to find the basement door wide open - welcoming in the muggy Midwest heat and all the creepy critters that come with it. Sound familiar?

If your kids tend to invite the outdoors into your house, try this cheap and easy solution. Instead of bellowing from the next room each time your kids head out for some sunshine, just add one of these little adhesive-backed alarms to your door. Place one side of the alarm on the edge of the door and the other side on the wall or moulding (they don’t have to be perfectly flush - just within 1/2 inch of each other). When the door is opened and the two parts are separated, the alarm will sound.

Each alarm is equipped with two settings: alarm and chime. If your kids just need a little reminder now and then, you’ll want to set it to chime so it will beep twice each time the door is opened. The beep is pretty loud so in addition to helping your kids keep the door closed; the chime feature is a great way to know when your kids are going in and out. If your kids are like mine and need more than a reminder, you might want to change the setting to alarm.  That way, when the door is opened, the beeping will continue until the door is closed again.

You should be able to find alarms like these at most major retailers like Target, Lowes and Home Depot. I found mine in the lighting section of WalMart. I paid $10 for a pack of two. If you consider how much it’s saving me in air conditioning and extermination costs, it’s well worth the price. Just thought I’d pass it on.

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There’s nothing quite like sitting down at the kitchen table to play a great card game as a family.  If your family loves the classics like UNO, Old Maid and Go Fish, you might want to give a few of these newer games a try.  Generally you can find them at Target and Wal Mart for between $5 and $10 or you can click the game names below for direct links to Amazon.

Wig Out
For some reason, my kids - especially my girls - always beg for this game.  They think the hairstyles are hilarious and they love finding matches of their favorites.   All of the players play simultaneously in this game so the pace is pretty quick.  That being said, it’s mostly a game of chance and doesn’t require any reading so it’s just as easily won by my 5 year-old as it is by my 8 year-old.

Monster Maker
My 6 year-old son has always had a thing for monsters so when I saw this game at Target I just had to try it.  Essentially the goal is to use the ‘Parts’ cards to build your own monster and thwart the progress of your opponents.  It involves a tiny bit of strategy but is still easy enough for all my kids to enjoy. 

Toss Your Cookies
What kid could resist this sugar-coated card game?  Similar to Wig Out, the goal is to collect 5 of your favorite cookies and a glass of milk.  However in this game you roll dice to find out what actions you’ll take on each turn (pass, swap, or steal).  My kids loved this one.  Yes, I had to use past tense in that sentance because my girls used the cute cookie cards to decorate the table of a very soggy tea party last year and I had to throw it out - I’m sure you can relate. ;) 

Quick Tip for Young Card Players
Holding and playing with multiple cards can be tricky for little fingers.  If your little ones are struggling, try this clever trick recommended by Family Fun a few issues ago.  Just grab a few plastic potato chip clips from your kitchen drawer and pass them out.  They’re easy to hold, easy to open and close, and super cheap.  It’s hard to beat that.  Just thought I’d pass it on.

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Hey there, everyone.  Remember me?  Sorry it’s been such a long break between posts.  The last few weeks have been a little crazy here.  In addition to being a bit sleep deprived (thanks to my chubby little 3-month old), I’ve also moved to a new house and embarked on a cross-country road trip with my family since my last post.  It’s been a whirlwind; but thankfully life is finally settling back down and I should be back on track with my posts.  Thanks for sticking with me.

I thought I’d kick things off with a few of my favorite family games.  There are tons of great games out there, but my favorites are the games that are easy to set up, easy to adapt for different age levels, and completely devoid of tiny, get-sucked-up-in-my-vacuum-type pieces.  Here are two that fit that the bill:

Bucket Blast
Of all the kid games in my house (and I have a lot) this one is probably my favorite.  Unlike a traditional game, Bucket Blast is more like a game kit.  It comes with belted buckets, bean bags, blind folds, cones, as well as a handy book of game ideas.  It’s kind of like having tons of games in one - I love it.  I’ve used mine for family home evening, classroom parties, sharing time - you name it.  It can be used inside for bean bag races or outside for water balloon relays.  Best of all, it’s comes with a big, blue drawstring sack to easily contain all the pieces.  The $35 price is a bit higher than I would pay for most games, but if you consider how much use you’ll get out of it it’s well worth it.  You can usually find it at Target or click this link to find it at Amazon.com.

Hyper Dash
I just added this game to our collection a few months ago and my kids have loved it.  It’s not quite as adaptable as Bucket Blast, but it’s packed with fast-paced fun for any age.  Essentially the game is played by spreading out the colored targets (around the room, around the yard, or around the park - there is no limit on distance) and following the directions of the hand-held, talking tagger.  The tagger calls out a number or color and the kids have to go find it, tag it, and then listen for the next direction.  The kids go one at a time and the tagger keeps track of each player’s time and declares a winner.  They can also play it in teams or solo (similar to the game Simon we played when I was a kid).  I love this one because it gets my kids up and moving! In fact, they’re generally panting and a bit sweaty by the end of the game.  It’s easy for the kids to set up and has only 6 pieces so it’s easy to put away too - a huge plus in my book.  I picked mine up at Toys ‘R Us for $20.  They also had a double-dash version (two sets of targets and two taggers) for $30.  Here’s the link on Amazon.comif you’re interested. 

If you’ve found a fun family game that your kids can’t resist, I hope you’ll share it with the rest of us in the comments area - I’m always looking to expand my family fun collection.  By the way, I’ve got several fabulous family card games that I’ll be posting those later this week so don’t forget to check back.  Just thought I’d pass it on.

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I love summer and all the wonderful benefits that come with it - paper plate dinners, relaxed schedules, and - thanks to days full of swimming suits and flip flops - significantly less laundry.  Of course, nothing kicks off a relaxing summer like a good read.  Whether I’m heading to the lake with the kids or simply lounging in the backyard - a great book is a summer staple for me.

So for today’s Talk to Me Tuesday post, I’m hoping you’ll pass along your favorite summer reads.  What book have you read lately that you couldn’t put down?  Is there a particular author that you can’t resist?  Is there a book you loved so much that you immediately passed it on to a friend?  I hope you’ll share a few of your favorites as well as a word or two about why you loved them.  I’m heading out on a 20-hour road trip soon so any suggestions for a fabulous, make-the-time-fly-by book would be greatly appreciated.

While we’re on the topic of summer reading, I thought I’d pass along a few of my favorite book sites, in case you’re in the market for a great read yourself:

GoodReads.com
This clever site is like a literary version of allrecipes.com (my favorite recipe site).  It’s a place for you and your friends to get together and rate, share, and review books.  It’s also a perfect spot to set up a virtual book club or join in on a discussion about your latest read.  Simple, easy to use, and totally free.  I highly recommend it.

SwapTree.com
Wondering what to do with the pile of paperbacks from last summer?  Don’t store them on a shelf, swap them!  SwapTree lets you trade in your old books, movies, games and CDs and use your credit to request new ones.  Whether you use it with the general public or just as a way to exchange books between friends and family, it’s a convenient (and free) way to rotate your collection.

Audible.com
Let’s face it, when you’ve got little kids, finding time to curl up with a good book can be tough.  However, it’s amazing how much ‘reading’ you can squeeze in when you’re listening instead of looking.  Trust me, mundane tasks like laundry and mopping are far less tedious when you’ve got a great audio book to keep you company.  You can listen to the audio books on your laptop or download them to any mp3/iPod device.  It’s not free, but in my opinion, their vast selection, ease of use, and impeccable sound quality make Audible well worth the price.

In addition to your favorite summer reads, if you’ve got other literary sites you love, I hope you’ll share them with the rest of us.  As always, to those of you that comment, thanks - in advance - for passing it on.

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It’s official.  As of today, my kids wrapped up another great school year and brought home a mountain of papers to prove it.  Writing journals, art projects, report cards - their backpacks were stuffed to the limit.  Within 10 minutes of getting home this afternoon, all three kids had scattered their stash all over the living room floor.  I’m a big fan of purging and I’m not a scrapbooker, so my first instinct was to grab a trash bag and rescue my floor.  But, as a nostalgic Mom, I just couldn’t bring myself to toss it all.  I mean what kind of parent could throw out a perfect, purple octopus painting by their 5 year-old or a “Why I love my Mom” essay by their third-grader?  So, naturally, I was forced to find another alternative. 

That’s when I remembered an idea I read about in Family Fun Magazine.  One clever Mom suggested using Priority Mail boxes to store kid art projects.  I use Priority Mail to ship all my MeckMom Etsy Store orders, so luckily I had a pack of these flat rate boxes sitting in the garage.  I pulled out three boxes and labeled them with each child’s name, teacher, grade, and the year.  Next, I started sifting through their stash and pulled out my favorite pieces.  Then, I let the kids choose a few of their favorites.  After that, I went through their family inbox (that’s where I temorarily store stuff I want to keep) and added a few more items to their box (like school pictures, awards, mother’s day cards, etc.). 

My plan from this point is to take a video of each child going through and describing the treasures in their box.  Once that’s done, we’ll pack everything up, seal the box, and move them to the big, plastic  container in the garage. 

It’s not a permanent solution - eventually I hope to make DVDs of each kid’s photos, art, and videos.  It’s just a great way to keep everything organized (and off my floor) until I have time to take on the bigger project.  The flat rate boxes are available for free at your local post office or online at usps.com.  Just thought I’d pass it on.

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Let’s face it, greeting card stores are not kid-friendly.  They stock tons of fragile knick knacks and scatter them amidst endless rows of brightly colored, cartoon-covered cards - all within easy reach of my kid’s curious fingers.  So, when it comes time to find the perfect Mother’s Day card, I skip the store and grab my greeting card file folder instead.

My greeting card box is a simple accordion style file box with built-in dividers.  I bought it to coordinate with my other office stuff at Staples for around $18, but you could use a cheaper plastic version or a three-ring binder stocked with sheet protectors as well.  Essentially, I divided the box into the basic card categories (thank you, holiday, birthday, etc.) and labeled the dividers with return address-size labels.  To help keep things tidy, I store the cards in the open slots and stash all the envelopes in the back.

Whenever I’m kid-free and get a chance to visit Hallmark or the greeting card aisle of Target, I try to stock up on a random collection of cards to replenish my supply.  That way when special events such as birthdays and baby showers pop up on my calendar I’ve always got a few great cards to choose from. 

I’m not much of a ’saver’ (I like to keep digital copies), but if you have a hard time parting with hand-written notes from friends and family you could also use this system to keep your treasured cards safe and organized.  Just make sure your file box or binder is made of acid-free materials like this plastic version from Amazon.com.

This little quick fix is cheap, easy, and completely convenient - three of my favorite organizing adjectives.  :)  Just thought I’d pass it on.    

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As a Mom, sometimes it seems like I spend half my day “picking up” after my family. I often spend so much time getting the small stuff in order that I never make it to the deep cleaning. Consequently, I’m always looking for cheap tools to help speed up the the process. Two of my favorites are my Butler’s Broom and my ultra-handy Grabber.

It’s kind of amazing how quickly the kitchen floor can go from clean to crumb-covered. Even if the mess is isolated to a certain spot (like that pesky area under the stools) - the kitchen gets so much foot traffic that the initial mess seems to spread within minutes. My solution? Catch the mess early with a Butler’s Broom - or better yet, make your kids do it. I bought this handy little tool in the cleaning supplies section of Wal Mart for around $10. Its short size makes it very kid-friendly and allows it to tuck away neatly on my pantry door. It’s perfect for sweeping up small messes and reaching into tight corners. As a bonus, the handle-mounted dustpan saves you from bending down and it’s large enough to hold even the bigger kitchen clean-ups. I’ve used mine several times a day for the past two years and - although it’s starting to signs of wear - still works like a charm.

My Grabber was another Wal Mart find that I can’t live without. On any given day, I probably pick up dozens of random items off my floors, tables, sofas (and pretty much any other horizontal surface). I guess it might have something to do with the 4 people in our family that are less than 40 inches tall. You long time readers might remember the stash boxes I created to help deal with this pick-up-after-yourselves problem. Although the stash boxes and our weekly stash box challenge help a ton, I still hate bending over a zillion times a day to pick up what remains. That’s where this handy tool comes in. Designed to help people with disabilities extend their reach, the Grabber is perfect for Moms looking to streamline their clean-ups.  It’s narrow and lightweight which makes it incredibly convenient for grabbing kid shoes, papers, matchbox cars, couch cushions and pretty much everything else that wanders out of place each day. Best of all, the long handle virtually eliminates the need to bend over and provides extended reach for when your son decides to stash his rotten apple core behind the way-too-heavy-to-move-by-yourself armoire.

I loved having my Grabber during pregnancy - especially during that last trimester when I couldn’t bend over to tie my own shoes, let alone pick up Polly Pockets. If you’ve got a baby shower to attend in the near future, I highly recommend skipping the sea of traditional pastel baby presents and picking up a Grabber instead. Trust me, yours will be the first thank you card she’ll write! You can find the Grabber at various sites online or in the “as seen on TV” section of your local Wal Mart for around $10. Just thought I’d pass it on.

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