Family Fun

Changing Fall Colors

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I changed the banner above to reflect some of the colors and events that happen during September. Every year there is the Great Forest Park Balloon Race here in St. Louis. There are some neat photos on the site but I think my photo is pretty good also.  I plan on going to this year’s race this Sat. and hope to get some more great pictures.

Anyway, all the photos above were taken at Forest Park over the last couple of years during the month of September.

Now is a good time to get out your cameras and head to a local park. As nature creates her collage of changing colors you just may capture that great photo to print and hang as a fall decoration.

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With the days getting shorter and cooler it’s time to change the decorations inside and out. The mums, pansies and other cool weather plants are showing up at the garden centers. Dig out the tired leggy summer plants and plant up a few of the fall plants. Just adding a couple of pots of golden or purple mums by your front door will brighten the entrance.

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Towards October the gourds, pumpkins, and colored corn will be at the stores. These make clutter free decorations because you either compost them or throw them away after the season is over.  If you decorate for Halloween and/or Thanksgiving these kind of things will blend right in with your other decorations. In fact, with the natural, seasonal items you’ll need fewer items that need to be stored for 10 plus months of the year.

In my last blog post I told you about my Halloween eBook.  It is now available on Amazon for the Kindle and on Barnes and Noble for the Nook.  On my sales page I have the link for Amazon already up but I’m waiting for the link for Barnes and Noble. It’s also available as a PDF for your PC.  In the chapter on decorating I talk about some of the ideas above. If you decorate for Halloween then it’s not too early to purchase the eBook. Start with the fall decorating and build on that.

Learn more about what the eBook has in it here:  http://organizebythemonth.com/how-to-have-a-fun-safe-and-decluttered-halloween-2/

 

To a lighter load along the way.

Janice

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Tips for Labor Day Celebrations

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Labor Day is a celebration of the American Worker. Despite all the economical and political dishevel (I won’t even begin to go there!) American’s need to step back and recognize how every worker, whether paid or volunteer, from Main Street to Wall Street, is what makes this country run. Like a fine machine we all are important and need to work together to make this country run at it’s best.

Okay, now I’ll get off my high horse and give you some information you can use to help make this Labor Day a celebration. Not everyone gets the day off (firemen, police, retail store workers, etc.) so if you run into any of these people working be sure to thank them for helping this country run.

I’m leaving town to visit my son so I have been using my “Travel Planner”.  If you are traveling this weekend I suggest you read the following article and blog posts to help make the traveling more organized.

http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/make_travel_easier_with_a_travel_planner

http://organizebythemonth.com/traveling-by-car/

http://organizebythemonth.com/are-we-there-yet-travel-games/

 

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Here are some sites that have information and ideas on how to celebrate Labor Day.

http://www.dol.gov/opa/aboutdol/laborday.htm

http://www.apples4theteacher.com/holidays/labor-day/

http://labor-day-weekend.com/

http://dailyholiday.info/labor-day

 

Have a safe and fun holiday weekend.

Janice

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Back To School Organizing

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It’s already the middle of July. The stores are stocked up with back-to-school supplies. The TV and newspaper ads are bombarding us about all the things our children “need” in order to have a great year.

Before you rush out and buy all those things be sure to check what you already have at home. Last year’s backpack may still work. Their school clothes may still fit , at least the ones to start off the school year with. They may have enough left over supplies that you only need to buy a few new ones.

Now is the time to take inventory so you can figure out what they will need and how much. It will be a lot easier if you first declutter what they don’t need or can’t use anymore.

Below are some steps to help you declutter. Then I have listed some options on how to get rid of the clutter in fun ways for you and your children.

Decluttering Steps:

  1. Go through all their clothes. Pull out any that do not fit or they won’t wear. Last year’s favorite style may make them feel like they will die of embarrassment if they wear it this year.
  2. Any clothes that are wearable but need repair should be put in a separate pile. Mending can be done while watching TV.
  3. Go through school supplies. Take inventory of what you have from last year that is still usable. Make a list of what each child needs (elementary schools usually provide a basic list). Mark off what you already have. What’s left is the shopping list.
  4. Go through their books. Have them pull out all the ones they have outgrown and are willing to part with. See below for a fun way to recycle the books.

Options on How To Clear out the above items:

  1. A garage sale is a good way to get rid of the outgrown clothes, school supplies, and books. The money you make can help buy new clothes and supplies. If you are interested in having a garage sale before school begins check out my eBook, “Decluttering With A Garage Sale”.
  2. A children’s book exchange is another fun way to clear out some clutter. This can be done in your neighborhood, church group, or other group you and your children belong to. School supplies can also be exchanged. A simple method to do this is explained in this article “Declutter Children’s Books With a Book Exchange”.

Although decluttering the previous year’s school papers won’t help with taking inventory it’s still a good idea to do it now if you didn’t at the end of the school year. You’ll make room for all the new papers that will soon be coming in.  Plus, as your children go through the old papers it will refresh their young minds as to what they learned the past year.  This article will give you some tips on it, “Decluttering Children’s School Papers”.

To a lighter load along the way.

Janice

 

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Vacation In Your Own Hometown

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The 4th of July is over. Back to school doesn’t get into high gear for 4-6 weeks depending on where you live and grade level. So how are you planning to spend the next 4 plus weeks?

This is the time of year where many families take vacations. But sometimes it’s just too expensive to go anywhere. Or maybe one or both parents can’t take the time off from work. That doesn’t mean your are destined to have a long boring summer.

Learn how to vacation in your own hometown!

Get organized by first creating a Summer Planner.

It’s not too late to do that. 

What you need:

  1. 3-ring binder. Size: 1/2 inch thick to 2-3 inches. It depends on how many different things you have going on during the summer.
  2. Dividers to create different sections. Pocket dividers work great so you have a place to put any pamphlets or other info in them.
  3. Notebook paper to write down info.

What to do to set up and organize the planner:

  1. Label all the sections you need or want. Examples:
    1. Vacations
    2. Summer Camps
    3. Local Attractions (Free and paid)
    4. Rainy day activities
    5. Sunny day activities
  2. Start researching ideas for each section. Google you city or one near by and the following topics. Either print out the information you like or write on the notebook paper the sites to check into later.
    1. Museums
    2. Festivals
    3. Parks and special activities and/or events
    4. Mini vacation spots, either overnight or one day vacations
    5. Rainy day projects – art activities, scrapbooking, decluttering, redecorating a room, etc.

Be sure to include your family when researching and creating this notebook. They will be more enthusiastic about partaking in these activities and excursions. Set a day each week to plan out what they want to do and where they want to go during the next week or two. Be flexible with your plans. It’s okay to change activities on any given day as long as everyone agrees. Don’t forget to leave some days each week for good old lazy boring days. We all need those sometimes!

Here are some sites to with more ideas for things to do.

Familyeducation.com – Summer Vacation

Family.Disney.com – Summer Ideas

TheSpruce.com – free summer ideas for kids

 

Janice

 

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Summer Can Be A Busy Time!

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It’s been a while since I wrote in here. The past month has been very busy and something had to give. Unfortunately it was this blog.

Both my sons and daughter-in-law came in town for a long weekend. It was also the same weekend my neighborhood was having a subdivision garage sale. Preparing my house for out of town company and a garage sale at the same time was a little hectic.

I made a little extra money at the sale. I also cleared out a fair amount of clutter from my home and what didn’t sell went to Goodwill.

The visits were great, although too short. The little money I made disappeared quickly with meals out and frozen custard desserts.

My invalid mother also got some new live-in caregivers during this time. Since I live down the street and my sisters are out of town the problems associated with the adjustment period fell on me.

And last weekend I participated in my local American Cancer Society Relay For Life. I walked 10 miles and so far have raised over $400. Yea me!

Whew! I’ve been busy. I’m sure you have been also. That’s what happens this time of year. It’s summer time. There are vacations, camps, summer school, 4th of July parties, etc. and that’s just during June and July. If you have children then you know that by the time August hits you’re preparing for back to school time.

I want this blog to be a place where I can share my tips and tricks I have learned over the years that have helped me get more organized. Each month and season brings new challenges.

I have done the research looking for information regarding holidays and special events during each month. I have put the links for some of the information on this blog but most are in the monthly newsletter.

I would like your feedback to know if this is information you like to receive. Is there other information you would like to read about in this blog that would help you get more organized each month? Your input will help me be able to give you the information that will be most relevant to you.

Please leave a comment and let me know.

Thanks,

Janice

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