I am a strong supporter of #10: Beating the clock!  I used to do this with my nephews and niece and kids I babysat for: "Let's see how fast we can clean this up so we can play with something else!" Worked like a charm. ;)

KatieCrandall Dec. 2, 2008 at 3:43 PM

hehe I love the pic of Leaky Mouth's rocks! Those are so cool

my secret to staying organized is that I am OCD... seriously I know that sounds twisted but it works, lol.. I have a routine and I just stick to it! There are some things I know I cant handle (like the kids toys) so I dont stress it, I just make sure there are convenient and PRETTY ways to conceal them so when I clean up it only takes a few seconds of tossing toys into boxes and I am done!

I vaccuum on a schedule... I have laundry baskets in every room.. I do my dishes AS I cook so I never have a pile, and I clean the kitchen every morning.. I have extra sets of sheets so the beds are always "made"... I clean the bathroom every day (wipe down surfaces and such) so its never "dirty" some family and friends think I'm nuts but it stresses me out when my home is a mess.. so I just stick to my routine and all is well.

LuminousMom Dec. 2, 2008 at 9:02 PM

For me being organized starts with the house.  The place has to have a place for everything!  And it must be convenient.  Being organized is the only way we can get where we need to be on time and not forget anything.

So then to stay organized, I clean and straighten ALL THE TIME.  No matter what room I am in with the kids, it needs some help, so I work in that room.  When everyone moves to a new location, I follow along, taking care of the next room.  I keep everything straight and in its place.

sunmoonstars Dec. 3, 2008 at 5:40 AM