Schedules vs. Routine

Get organized in 2013! The free printable calendar pictured on the left can be found here: The Harmonized House. 

I came across a really good list of organizational homeschooling tips the other day at The Well Trained Mind. Tip #8 stood out in particular to me.

Tip #8: If you struggle with ‘scheduling’, try routines instead.What’s the difference between a schedule and a routine? A schedule is generally a timed plan; routines are regular, habitual procedures. Programs and systems that use schedules to get people organized can be wonderful things, and I’ve included some links to popular ones below. If you’ve tried to implement a schedule into your homeschool and found that it didn’t seem to fit with what you were trying to do, try and develop some routines. They don’t have to be done in the same order, or even at the same time each day, but you might set some general guidelines (before breakfast, before lunch, etc.). Experiment with a school routine. Are there things your children can do on their own? Make up a list, and get them in the habit of doing what they can on their own before they come to you. This may take some time to develop, but just as with other worthy habits (diligence, punctuality, etc.), the benefit will be that it will save time in the future.

What about you? Do you have a particular schedule that you adhere to on a daily basis, or do routines work better for your family? I am definitely more of a routine person myself, but sometimes a schedule is what I need to stay on track!

Find lots of free organizational printables at I Heart Organizing

Our friend, Melissa, over at Red Fly Creations 

offers a great printable home organizing notebook! 

The Power of 15 Minutes: Declutter with FlyLady

FlyLady.net is a great resource if you are looking to clean your house and don't know where to start!! She has an idea everyday, and a weekly/monthly plan. In this video, I will show you my favorite concept of hers.

The song that seemed appropriate: "Working In a Coal Mine".  Cleaning may not be quite that bad, but let's just say it's not my favorite :)

Another great resource for picking where to start is at this link RedflyCreations.

~Julia

Convert Disc to Digital for a Better Price Than WalMart! FREE!!

With iPads, tablets, larger hard drives, etc, the desire to have your movies in an mp4 format has grown. The problem is that you have already paid for your movie and don't want to either buy it again or have Wal Mart convert it for $2.  I will show you how to convert it for free on your own.

I am one of the least "techie" people you could know. If I can do it, you can do it!!

~Julia

Use Your Noodle

Quick! Before the Summer is completely gone, hit up your local dollar store for some pool noodles. Did you ever think about how many great things you can make out of a pool noodle?? Here are some of my favorites!

Race Track

Star Wars Lightsabers

Keep your boots looking nice!

Headboard

Marble Race Track

Wreath Form

Cool Yard Games

Shopping Cart Guard

Cool Trick!

Children's Chores Age 5 Cleaning the Bathroom

Whatever you do, do it heartily as for the Lord and not for men. Colossians 3:23

As I mentioned in an earlier post,  Children's Bathroom Chores for a 3 year old, chores involve encouraging work ethic and involving them as an activity, so they don't create a bigger mess while I am cleaning.


Natalie is five and learning to wipe the sinks in the bathroom. At this age, it is important to expect her to be able to actually clean the sink. 


Consistency is key. Providing her with an order to clean will (over time) help her be successful when you aren't around.

Supervision is very important. I can give her a specific step and then walk away, but I must inspect what I expect. 





1. Wipe the countertops 
2. Wipe the faucet
3. Wipe around the base of the faucet
4. Wipe around the rim of the sink
5. Wipe out the sink
6. Look to see what    you missed

Often I will tell them a step and then ask them to come find me when they are done.

Each time she cleans the sink I give her something to focus on. Usually, it is what she missed last time. For example, "Natalie when you wipe the sinks today, I'd like you to remember to wipe really well around the faucet." 

Teaching her to clean in a consistent way, and look for things she missed when she is finished.

Praise them with words and kisses!!!

~Julia

Storage Solutions for Stuffed Animals

I really never thought I'd be the mom that let her kids keep so many stinkin' stuffed animals! I always thought an over-abundance of stuffed animals was a little ridiculous, hey, I still feel that way. But, the secret stuffed animal lover that's hiding deep down inside me just seems to cave every time I look into their cute, cuddly little faces. I had seen pictures of the storage system found here and thought it was a great idea! I'm super cheap though, and I may be willing to admit my secret love of stuffed animals, but I'm not really willing to pay money just to keep them around. I had even stumbled upon the tutorial found here, but didn't want to pay for the materials, I just wanted to make something using what I had laying around the house.

Here's what I came up with!

Yes sir, totally works and I totally didn't spend a dime :)

I used 2 crates that were already on hand (their previous contents have found a new home!). I had some scrap wood that I simply cut to length and wrote on using a Sharpie paint pen. I drilled very small holes in the top and bottom of the crates, then pulled ribbon through and knotted the ends. I would have rather used a light weight bungee cord, but all I had were some standard, thick bungees that just didn't look right. I used what I had! I reinforced the knots on each end by covering them in hot glue. I hot glued the "Zoo" sign onto the crates and secured the whole thing to the wall by screwing it into a couple studs. Wallah!

Children's Bathroom Chores Age 3

We can all agree that it is a good thing to involve your kids in household chores at an early age. My first motivation comes from wanting my children to have a good work ethic and eagerness to help. My second motivation comes when I am trying to accomplish tasks and it seems like if I get farther behind because more mess is made during the time I am cleaning. When my kids are helping, they are engaged and enjoying "helping" Mommy.

The problem comes in practical application. What can I get my kids involved in at each age? 

On Tuesdays I have my three- year-old help me when I clean the bathrooms. He restocks my toilet paper. 

First, he gets the toilet paper from the closet. Then he goes to each bathroom and refills the "secret" spots where we store extra toilet paper. He's proud of himself, and I have some extra help. He will be used to helping when he becomes more productive. ~Julia