Organization Tips for Busy Moms

A few weeks ago a friend and I were chatting about how we stay organized with all of our kids crazy schedules.  We compared what type of calendars we kept, if we were list makers, and just other general things we did to try to keep it all together without forgetting something important.  I loved hearing what she did and she loved hearing mine so I thought this might be a fun topic for a blog post.

1. Get a planner. 
I am a paper planner kind of girl. I know some people think that is just crazy and part of the dark ages, but it works for me. I have tried doing a digital calendar and I know people who have family shared calendars, but I like having a physical planner.  I like to have everything written down so I can see it in front of me, know what my week looks like, and make sure I'm not missing anything.

For at least six years I used an Erin Condren planner and it was my life. I loved the vertical daily display to keep my days organized, but eventually I found that I preferred to have something a little smaller so that I could easily keep it in my purse without it weighing a ton so this past year I bought THIS brand on Amazon.  It had the weekly display that I liked and has worked great!

2. Use an academic year planner. 
Because my family has school aged children, my brain works on the school calendar.  Of course we love celebrating the New Year every January 1st, but to me the new year starts August 1st when school begins.  I prefer a school year planner that runs July-June. That way I can have all of their sports schedules, school holidays, my PTA responsibilities, etc. written in one planner for the entire school year.

3. Write EVERYTHING down. 
I know you think you will remember things and it might be true that your daughter has soccer practices on the same day at the same time every week. BUT, it helps your brain to plan and organize your week if you see it written down. I literally write down everything in my planner...appointments, school responsibilities, kids practices, my blog due dates...everything! It might not be neat, but at least I have it all in once spot!

4. Use different colored pens.  

I don't do this as constantly as I would like, but I do try to keep things written in different colors. It helps me to easily see who has what on which days without even reading it. For example, my daughter's team color is purple, so I try to write all of her practices in purple.  

5. Keep an constant to-do list going. 
I keep a post-it note on the inside of my planner and have a constant to-do list there. Any little thing I think of that I need to do gets written down there. Once most things are crossed off that list, I copy the uncrossed items onto a new post it and will add to it.  Some things will stay on my list for weeks if I don't have time to get to them (like organizing a closet), but if it is written down it is a constant reminder and eventually I will find or make time for it!

6. Use the notes feature on your phone. 
Just because I like to write things down doesn't mean I don't use my phone at all to stay organized. I love using the notes feature on my phone. I will put things there I want to remember long term and/or have quick access to things when I'm away from home. Anytime the kids mention something they would like I add it to an ongoing list so I have gift ideas for birthdays, Christmas, etc. I keep a list of books I want to read/listen to when someone recommends them so I don't forget, I keep a list of blog post ideas, I keep our pool's address so I can remember it when we order pizza there in the summer. Just random types of things I want to have quick access to.

7. Email yourself things. 
If for some reason I don't have my planner with me I will email myself things I need to remember to do.  Most often this happens late at night when I'm getting ready for bed several things will pop in my head that I want to try to get done the next day or errands I need to run.  I'll email them to myself so when I see it the next morning I can add it to my to-do list and make sure I don't forget anything!

8. Have a family calendar displayed for everyone to see. 
I'm heading to Target this afternoon and hoping to pick up one of these chalkboard wall calendars.

I've realized that while I know what is going on, my kids are constantly asking me "What do we have today?" I feel like this would be an easy way to have their schedules displayed so they can take a look and know what our week will look like.  I'll report back after I get it and let you know how it works out!

Other Organization Tips 

*When the mail comes in the house I sort it right away. I throw away junk mail, file bills, etc.

*I do the same thing with school papers.  I'll file, sort, trash things right away. If a permission slip needs to be returned, I fill it out immediately and put it right back in their backpacks so it doesn't get lost under other papers or forgotten about.

*I keep a magnetic notepad on the side of our refrigerator for anyone to add items to.  If someone's favorite snack is gone...they write it on the list. My husband needs more coffee...he writes it on the list. I realize we are down to our last few ziplock bags while packing lunches...I write it on the list.  If I didn't do this I would constantly have my family asking why I didn't remember to get what they told me they wanted at the grocery store and it just kind of puts the responsibility on them.  If you want it, don't tell me...just write it on the list!

Do you have any great organization tips?!?  Please share them with us!!! 

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Back-to-School Snacks & Hacks

This post is sponsored by Santa Cruz Organic but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

Unless you are lucky enough to be savoring these last few weeks of Summer as actual Summer, you are in full on back-to-school mode. We’re a few weeks deep, and already we are counting down to the first break where we can turn off our alarms and put away that dreaded homework folder.

But until then we’ve come up with a few hacks to make the back-to-school transition just a little smoother. With a few easy adjustments morning routines become a little easier, days progress a little happier, and sports/after school activity nights are just a little less chaotic.

7 BACK-TO-SCHOOL HACKS

1: Pre-make your lunches the night before. Quite possibly one of our favorite back-to-school hacks.This saves a ton of time and stress both in lunch planning as well as eliminates one step from the already chaotic morning routine. 

2: Create a morning toiletries basket. Put all your morning toiletries essentials in a small basket to keep on the main floor of your house. Include toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant, vitamins, hair ties - basically any getting ready toiletry items your kids might need. Putting one of these together has been so helpful! Every precious second counts on those busy mornings and keeping everything together in one central spot eliminates some of that last minute running around that can occur during morning routines.

3: Choose protein packed snacks. There’s no getting around it - kids snack a ton. Try to opt for protein packed snacks. Protein gives a much needed boost in energy and makes you feel more full. So ultimately your kids, pantry, and budget will thank you. If you need a great idea we love peanut butter based snacks and these Peanut Butter Fruit Bars top our list of snack time favorites. They are quick, easy, and made in just a few simple steps with the help of Santa Cruz Organic Dark Roasted Creamy Peanut Butter and Santa Cruz Organic Strawberry Fruit Spread. (See below for full recipe.)

4: Keep Everyone Hydrated. Kids are so much more active during the day. And considering we start back-to-school in July, they’re tackling all those new routines and activities in the hottest part of the year. Hydration is important for energy, learning, and aids in making better eating choices. We send them off each day with a large water bottle, but also keep them in the car, and HUGE jugs in their sports bags year round. 


5: Keep homework time frames small. Okay we had a hard time with this because we originally wanted to do all our homework at once and just get it out of the way. We realized our kids were giving us big push back about that. We learned at the suggestion of a teacher that kids are much more productive when they are given multiple smaller blocks of time to do their homework. So grab a snack, give them a 15-30 minute timer, head over to their designated homework area, and let them do what they can. They re-visit later. 

6: Keep everyone on a sleep schedule. This goes without saying, but everyone does better when they are well rested. We know it is tricky with after school activities and sports some times, but we try to keep everyone on a good sleep schedule. Even us mommies! It’s so tempting to put everyone to bed and stay up late because we finally get some “me” time, but good rest supersedes a good reality TV binge watch sometimes. 


7: Say yes to some sweets. Did you know that eating chocolate while studying will help retain information a little easier? Now that’s advice we can get behind! Peppermint has also been proven to stimulate the brain and help with concentration. We try to have tiny individual wrapped  options of these available when studying for tests. Mommy might sneak a piece or two as well because let’s be honest - a lot of this we are re-learning too.

PEANUT BUTTER FRUIT BARS

There are a few snacks or homemade treats that our kids request over and over again. These Peanut Butter Fruit Bars are one of them. They are super easy to make and beyond delicious. We make them with Santa Cruz Organic Dark Roasted Creamy Peanut Butter because we love the taste and the fact that they use they are certified organic. Santa Cruz uses non-GMO ingredients and processes, which we are all here for because we want those little bodies to get all the good fuel it can for back-to-school.

We make these on Sunday nights and they usually make it at least three or four days. I make more some weeks, but they gobble them up just as fast!

Peanut Butter Fruit Bar Recipe

Serves 8-16

Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Total Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:

- 1 cup of Santa Cruz Organic Dark Roasted Creamy Peanut Butter
- 3/4 cup of Santa Cruz Organic Strawberry Fruit Spread
- 3/4 cup of light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup of unsalted butter
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups of all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder

Instructions:

1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2: Line an 8x8 inch baking pan with foil, leaving one inch overhang. Spray with cooking spray and set aside.

3: Put peanut butter, sugar, and butter in a large mixing bowl and mix until well blended.

4: Add vanilla to mixture and stir evenly.

5: Combine flour, salt, and baking powder in a separate bowl. Mix evenly and then add to peanut butter mixture. Stir until even.

6: Press the batter into the bottom of the pan.

7: Bake for 25-30 minutes or until bars are golden brown on top.

8: Allow bars to cool completely for 15-20 minutes. Lift bars out of the pan by the foil overhang, and then cut evenly into squares. 

9: Spread strawberry fruit spread evenly over the batter.

10: Serve and enjoy!

What back-to-school hacks or snacks do you have for rocking back-to-school season?

To learn more about Santa Cruz, and their line of yummy organic products to help get you back-to-school ready, visit HERE.

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10 Ways to Get (and Stay!) Organized for Back-to-School

Thank you Scotties Facial Tissues for sponsoring this post! All thoughts and opinions are our own. 

We've been back-to-school for about six weeks now, but we know many of you are just starting out. We have such a love/hate relationship with this part of our parenting duties. We love that our kids love school. Hearing about their days, seeing what they learn, and watching them grow is an amazing experience.

But then there is the other side of back-to-school. The shopping, the supply lists, the paperwork, the hectic morning routines, the lunch box packing, the meetings, the fundraising, and - our personal favorite - the homework. O.M.G. make it stop. There is so much that goes into coordinating those ten months out of the school year (nine if you're lucky and get an actual summer).

With little ones in preschool through middle school, we've realized we have to be super organized to keep all those little details in check. Do we still get overwhelmed and forget things on occasion? Absolutely! But here are some sure-fire ways we've figured out that help keep you organized as the school year starts, and carry you all the way to Summer!

10 Ways to Get (and stay!) organized for Back-to-School

Sound the alarm! 

The morning routine can be either the smoothest (if you have a child that pops right up) or the roughest (hand raised and waving) part of back-to-school. All those lazy summer days usually resulted in lazy summer nights. Therefore, the alarm clock becomes enemy number one the first day. 

To beat this try to start putting your kids to bed at their school year bedtime a few weeks before school starts and then try waking them up relatively close to their school year wake up time. Right from the start of the school year put an alarm clock in their room. Turn the alarm on each night and set to five-minute intervals. If you have a really slow riser, put the alarm clock across the room. Giving your kids an alarm clock helps them get in a routine and serves as a back up for you too. You know, in case your one of those who hits snooze and oversleeps on occasion (hand raised and waving again). 

We've even created a little toiletries basket to keep downstairs to speed up the morning routine. Right after breakfast, we grab our basket, do a little last minute brushing and then we are out the door! Every second counts!

School supplies for you, you and YOU!

When it comes to school supplies, channel your inner Oprah and buy school supplies for everybody. In mass quantities. And just when you think you have enough - buy more! 

In all seriousness, school supply shopping is one of the easiest ways to keep prepared for the whole year. Find a place in your home to store extra school supplies. That way when homework arises, or a project is due, you are prepared. Not to mention the multiple times a year you might have to restock your children's classroom set, or the teacher requests a new set of supplies mid-year. Having them on hand lets you be prepared.

Take note, file it.

Papers, papers, and more papers. If we could describe school in one sentence to someone it would be: All. The. Papers! Just one week's worth of papers can be a lot. Times that by two or more children and your countertops begin to look like a hoarder's daydream. 

Get your self prepped before the school year and find pocket folders or binders and label them to keep your children organized. Go through them each day (that's right, we said day!) and throw away anything unnecessary. 

Trust us, you totally don't need that macaroni art six months from now. 

Keep a file box at home, with different subject tabs. File anything important that your child might need throughout the year, and then at the end of each quarter empty it out again. Then at the end of the year determine what you need to keep and what you can throw away (hint: all of it). 

Store backpacks and shoes in a cubby. 

Whether you have a mudroom, a backpack wall, or cute little baskets on the stairs. However, you decide to do it find a home for backpacks and shoes. A home that's not your counter. Or your dining room. Or the middle of your kitchen floor. 

Having a designated spot for your children to put their backpacks and shoes will mean, 1: They will always be able to find them, and 2: You won't have them cluttering up your space, which as well all know is the bane of a mom's existence.

Organize your car. 

Make your car like a mini rolling tiny home. Purchase some behind the seat or in-between the seat organizers. Put a little stash of school supplies, some tissues, and even some grab & go snacks. These come in handy more than you want to admit. Sometimes a project needs a little last minute touch up in carpool line. Sometimes you need to get homework done on the way to soccer practice and in between violin lessons. Sometimes your middle child realized they didn't pack a school snack. Something will inevitably come up, and equipping your mom-mobile will be the easiest way to stay on top of those unexpected times. 

Set up an afternoon snack station. 

The minute those tiny little feet hit the last step on the bus, a hunger seems to wash over them like they haven't eaten since birth. Set up a snack station with a mixture of healthy and filling snacks. A place your kids know they can go to grab something to eat before heading into their after-school routine. It eliminates them rummaging for things you don't want them to eat, and if they have friends come over it gives everyone one set place to choose snacks from.

Be prepared for war, not battle, against germs. 

Back-to-school means back to germs. It's just a way of life. There's no need to go overboard about germs, but there are definite ways to go ahead and prepare for it. Have tissues, and hand sanitizer set out in strategic locations all over your house. Go ahead and add a set to your car while you are at it.

We love these back-to-school boxes from Scotties tissues! Scotties always has a wide selection of options that fit into your everyday home decor without sticking out, but these are just plain fun for back-to-school. We love the colorful box designs, that they are easy to store, and can stand up to even the worst of sneezes. Trust us, you want something strong to battle kid snot. 

Having them strategically placed around the areas the kids hang out helps remind them to actually use one rather than their hand or their sleeve when the unfortunate time comes.

Dedicate a homework area. 

Find an area in your home to designate as the homework area. Preferably a space that is quiet and distraction free. Having a clear view of the TV while your oldest is playing Fortnite - not a winner. 

Having a set space prepped for homework with all the essentials helps make it go smoother in the long run.

Prep meals ahead of time. 

Nothing is worse than trying to make dinner on the fly after a late night practice or game. You're tired. Kids are hungry. Homework, dinner making, and showers make bedtime seem so far away. It's the recipe for disaster (see what we did there?). 

Planning and prepping meals ahead of time might seem like an arduous task, but in the long run, it helps alleviate a ton of stress. We are suckers for a good doubled crockpot recipe to help us squeak out an extra meal or two for the week. Being able to walk in and just hit a quick reheat button on the microwave after a long day - priceless! 

Catch the late night fashion show. 

Okay, maybe not a fashion show. But, before bed, have your little ones layout their outfit for the next day. (Bonus points if you have them sleep in it. Kidding. Sort of.)

This saves a ton of time in the morning, and alleviates any of that, "I have nothing to wear!" battle if you have time to help them prepare the night before. It also helps you be prepared in case suddenly your child realizes they need to wear a red shirt for school the next day, but you haven't done the reds wash yet. Having 8 hours to do a wash is way better than 8 minutes.  

Do you have any tips for staying organized for back-to-school and beyond? What works for your family? Share with us! 

Bless you, and Win! 

Our friends at Scotties wanted to help you be prepared for the school year too! We are teaming up to give one lucky reader a set of their amazing tissues. Leave a comment below sharing one back-to-school tip you have, and you'll be entered to win!

Also check out Scotties' own blog, where they Bring Comfort Home with special home decor and budget-friendly tips!

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Beating the Back-to-School Blues

Yes, it is still July. Yes, it is technically still summer. Yes, our kids go back to school tomorrow. (Insert crying face here.)

Seriously, our summer is SO short and the kids to back to school SO early that it makes all of us feel a little depressed.  Come September when we have a week off we'll all be happy, but I'd trade all of our random weeks off for a nice long summer.  However, school is starting and there is no stopping it. Instead of locking myself up with my kids and never letting them return to school, we are trying to beat the back-to-school blues the best way we know how.

1. New Shoes
We don't do new backpacks each year or even new lunch boxes (you'd be amazed by how well they wash), but every year I let my kids pick out a new pair of shoes for back to school.

It makes them feel like they are getting a fresh start and makes them excited about heading back to school.  Usually they get tennis shoes, and that is what the younger two picked this year.

Blue Basketball Shoes

Black Nike Flex

Little Mama decided that since she was going to Middle School she wanted something a little trendier and picked these distressed leather pink Birkenstocks that look rose gold. I'm obsessed with!

2. Getting Back Packs Ready
So backpacks have been a sore subject in our house this year.  Both of the girls got Pottery Barn Kids backpacks when they started Elementary school and I made sure to have them pick something that was not too babyish and got the large size that would last them for years to come.  These backpacks are awesome! They hold up great. I wash them usually twice a year (over Christmas break and during the summer) and they always look good as new.

The deal has always been that when you got to Middle School you can get a new backpack.  That made one of my girls really happy and the other not so happy.  Little Mama decided on this blush pink North Face one that is super cute.

Blondie decided she wanted to use one we had around the house and asked me to sew a new patch on for it so it would feel new.  She was testing out the different looks at the craft store and ultimately went with being patriotic!

I could have bought her a new one and she could have used her own money to buy a new one, but the deal was Middle School so if I stick to it for one, I must stick to it for the others.

3. Gifts for our Teachers
We always do little gifts for Meet & Greet for the Elementary teachers. I've written an entire post on why we do this and why I think it is important, but I love that it makes the kids excited to go and give their teachers something the first time they meet them and it also adds a little lasting impression on them!

Jen shared a super cute idea for a back-to-school gift yesterday.  So simple, but makes a big impressing on new teachers!

4. First Day of School Outfits
We did a little first day of school shopping with some gift cards the girls had been hanging on to.  Because the Middle School dress code is pretty strict, Little Mama will be wearing jeans most every day.  She loves this style because they fit her tall and lean body type so well and they have some stretch which make them more comfortable.

Ballerina Jeans

Blondie is usually my sporty one, but she was excited to go spend some of her gift cards for a new outfit.  She tried on a lot of things, but decided on this cute outfit.

Jeans//top//jacket//my dress

She also wanted to show how versatile the outfit was because she could wear it with our without the jacket! 

 Can you say future fashion blogger in the making?!?

My little guy usually dresses like a skateboarder, so I'm sure that is what he'll be picking out for the first day of school. I've pretty much given up on him, and just decided it is who he is. He spent his gift cards on new sports equipment.

5. A Schedule and a Routine
Lastly, the other big thing I'm doing to beat the back-to-school blues is focusing on the routine, schedule and normalcy that the school year will bring to us.  I've really put a lot of things on the back burner this summer because I have been committed to spending the extra time with my kids.  However, this blog, my exercise routine and my house are just a few things that have lacked attention and time they need.  While I will miss the lazy days of summer, I'm looking forward to focusing my efforts on some of the other things that need my attention. The start of school also means the start of fall sports and while that makes our life pretty crazy, it's a good kind of crazy.  I absolutely love watching my kids do what they love and can't wait for all of that to start back.

So, while I'm not happy about summer coming to an end, I'm trying to look on the bright side, look at the positives, and focus on the good.  Because when my early alarm clock jolt to reality happens tomorrow morning, it isn't going to be pretty!

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Birth Of A Backpack Wall

With back to school in full force, I snapped into super organization clean out mode. Some people get this urge in the Spring, but I get this way at least once a month. Being just a tad bit Type A (well, maybe more than a tad bit) clutter makes me anxious. Living with a busy three and a half year old who's daily mission is to seek and destroy, a busy nine month old who thinks the kitchen cabinets are her playground, and a husband who has slight hoarding tendencies, let's just say that the house makes me anxious a lot. 

One of my huge issues became how our island and our doorknobs were starting to become catchalls for all of our bags. School bag, cooler, lunch box, purse, laptop bag, diaper bags...it was getting out of control! So I decided we needed to remedy that ASAP.

I began to scour the internet for ideas. 

My husband got the nervous twitch he gets when I start to scour the internet for ideas.

After much debate, I finally landed on something that I liked on Pinterest. I showed the hubs my plan and after much persuasion that this project was life changing and will look fabulous when I was done, he begrudgingly happily headed off to Home Depot to get me supplies. 

Here's the space I chose for our project. This is the hall that enters from our garage and contains our pantry, coat closet, and laundry room entries. It's a fairly long sized plain wall, and it was hidden from the main area of our house. I thought it would be perfect. As you can see, even in my before shot we have few bags hanging on doorknobs. Boo!

After measuring and drawing up a plan, we tore off our baseboard and began framing out our wall. The original plans we had to tweak a bit as we decided to not move our light switch. The whole height of the framing is about five and a half feet. (I was nervous this would be a little high, but with ten foot ceilings and testing out that my son would still be able to reach the height of the hook, it worked out fine). 

Next up, chalkboard inserts. We bought a sheet of chalkboard, cut it to size with our Dremel, secured each one in place, and surrounded the edges with black caulk. Some people like to use chalkboard paint here, but this seemed a little easier to me and one less thing to paint. 

Next step was the caulking and sanding portion of the project.

Once we knew everything was nice and smooth, I strolled over to our local Sherwin Williams to pick up some paint to match our existing trim. Our project ran into a little snag when the associate told me that they no longer make the paint our trim is done in. I let that sink in for a few moments (we have A LOT of trim work in our house), then decided to just come to terms with the fact that I would have to paint all the trim in that area to match and had the nice associate whip up something he assured me would be similar to the rest of our house.

While he frolicked away to mix up my order, I had a moment of inspiration and decided if I was going to have to be painting more than I thought I would I might as well go all in. I checked out a few chips off of the color wheel I had with me, chose a neutral beige for the remaining wall space left to paint, and hoped it coordinated with everything else.

Next, I headed home with my almost doubled paint order to start on my now much larger paint job. It's all good though...I was about to be in clutter-free island heaven!

The trim took about three coats of paint before it looked perfect. And you don't need to have me bore you with a million painting pictures.

Now onto the fun part...hardware! The project is almost done. I know you're just as excited as I am! 

We installed the hardware, re-hung our peg board and our gallery of wall photos, and voila! Our project was officially complete! Wahoo!!

 I loved how it turned out. I love how everyone now has their own little spot for their bags. I love how a formerly plain looking useless space in my house now looks a little more complete. And most of all I love that I can now actually use my doorknobs for their intended purpose. 

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