Articles for Organized Mom Blog
It’s more tips from another Almost Always Organized Mom. Cleo blogs about Consumer advocacy at Consumer Mom. She is a 40 something full time mom, a freelance consultant, and part time consumer advocate, serving on the board of directors of two consumer organizations.
How do you keep your children’s schedules together ?
Some days, I don’t. When I do keep it together, it’s usually thanks to the Gmail calendar program! I have set it up w/ different colors for my work, the kids, my favorite classes at the gym, etc.
Do you use a particular day planner ?
I use Gmail calendar …. and just got an iPhone over the summer. The iPhone calendar synchs w/ Google; but I haven’t done it yet!
Do you own a blackberry?
Nope. … but some would say the iPhone is “just as bad”…
What is you most used ‘time saving tip’ when it comes to running your house? Time saving vs. sanity-saving? Sanity saving I fold laundry while I watch TV, so I don’t feel guilty watching “the Mentalist” or “The Closer”. Saves time too :). My most successful time saver has been my crockpot. I like to eat at home. I use the crockpot at least once a week, especially in the fall and winter. I’m psyched for stew and soup weather! My kids help me put items in and mix them up, too. They can even cut some veggies; it’s fun, saves money and means we eat healthier food (instead of going out to dinner).
Do you have a favourite quick meal for your family? It would have to be quesadillas — just take a Trader Joe’s whole wheat tortillas, add fillings w/ cheese or ham, cooks fast on the stove. Add a salad, another side and you are done. Another favorite is pasta. I keep all the “fixings” separate — sauce in one bowl, cheese in another, sausages in one, peas in one — so people can add what they like (or not). I find keeping sausage in the freezer a quick go-to protein (we prefer low fat chicken or turkey Italian sausage)…
Tell us the truth ? What would we find in your car right now ?
Right now — empty tea cups, clothing to take to a friend (my son’s outgrown; they are her son’s size), library books to be returned, 2 booster seats, a yoga mat and tons of stickers on the doors. And probably on the floor you would find an empty juice box (or 2) and kettle corn kernels from the Sunday farmers market!
What advice would you give to other moms who feel the pressure of trying to be ‘super mom’?
Don’t try to be supermom. Be yourself — be your best self — as best you can, as often as you can. Tell your kids you love them — and have fun being a mom! A supermom enjoys her kids! When I’m stressed about the house or my bank account or my last stressful trip to Target w/ screaming kids, I think, hey, they will be gone soon enough, and then I will miss them and then…I will have plenty of time for all that other stuff (clean house, nice furniture, perfect hair and make up, whatever…!)!
What is your number one goal for the year ? How do you plan to reach it ?
My number one goal? Hmm. I have a lot of goals. To stay healthy, to take good care of my family and to be more organized! I plan to reach it by taking it one day at a time. And rewarding myself with dark chocolate whenever necessary….
You can read some of Cleo’s posts on her Consumer Mom Blog or follow Consumer Mom on Twitter.
Dawn and her daughters
Today’s busy mom tips come from Organized Familie’s Featured Busy mom ‘Dawn Hall’.
Dawn’s tip of colour coding the kids when scheduling is one of my favourite family time management tools as well!
How do you keep your children’s schedules together ?
Each child is only allowed to participate in one (team sport, music or
church) activity per season, taking into consideration that some sporting events will overlap each other. On our family calendar each person is color coded, meaning each person has their own color. Family events are one color.
Example:
Mom: Red
Ashley: Purple
Whitney: Blue
Family: Green
(Daddy passed away from residual effects of brain cancer complications after a 61/2 year battle) in 2001 when our daughters were 13 and 14 years old.)
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Do you use a particular day planner?
I use a weekly planner book, that has a folder in the front to hold
paperwork that fits into my purse.
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Do you own a blackberry?
Yes, and I love it! I would like to learn how to use it more efficiently!
It is so very worth the extra monthly cost to be able to do quick e-mail replies, facebook and Twitter from it!
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What is you most used ‘time saving tip’ when it comes to running your house?
Everybody knowing each other’s consistent weekly scheduled commitments/appointments, and then being able to text each other.
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Do you have a favorite quick meal for your family?
Most always I have fresh lettuces already cleaned and prepared in the refrigerator that is ready to be adorned with healthy ingredients I keep stocked such as: lean deli turkey breast, assorted fat-free salad dressings, assorted fat-free cheeses, salsa, and fruit that can be easily cut-up to put into the salad. My Busy People’s Cookbooks are loaded with unique, quick and simple salad recipes. Just today my daughter complimented on a salad I’d easily made in a few minutes for us for lunch. I like it to look like I took a long time preparing it; but honestly, fast & frugal quickie meals are for me!
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Tell us the truth? What would we find in your car right now?
In my car you would find: dust,(it needs cleaned), an empty water bottle on the back floor (that I forgot to throw away), CDs of inspirational speakers, praise & worship CDs , and high energy music turned on. In the glove compartment of my car you’d see a protein bar wrapper, small bottle of body spray, a few dollars “stashed-cashed for emergency” (and I do mean few dollars), my car registration and copy of auto insurance. In the trunk, a box of assorted Busy People’s Cookbooks with stickers that read “Autographed Copy” (to put on books) and a baby blanket I bought on clearance for a gift for a friend.
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What advice would you give to other moms who feel the pressure of trying to be ‘super mom’?
Let Go & Let God. We can’t do it all the time. Super Woman Syndrome is a serious problem that robs us of our joy. I know! I had it! UGH!!! Learn to do your best and then trust God with the rest. Balance is key to serenity!
Hey, I just made that up! I like it!:)
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What is your number one goal for the year? How do you plan to reach it?
To live a balanced lifestyle. This is something I seriously focus on daily!
I am such a people pleaser and I hate to say, “no” to anyone. This is something I have had to learn to do without guilt or shame. If I am too busy to take care of myself with eating right, exercise and getting enough sleep than I am too busy! I plan on achieving this by writing my goals for the following day out before I go to bed.
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Dawn Hall, a widow from Swanton, Ohio self-published her first cookbook in 1995 to raise money for her loving husband’s brain cancer treatments (even though she did not know how to type, use a computer or publish). Since she has sold over one million Busy People’s Cookbooks featuring low-fat, home-style recipes made with 7 or fewer easy to find ingredients!
As the host of Cooking for Busy People TV show on Direct TV (NRB Network) she humorously shares the life lessons she’s learned as she’s watched her weight and counted her pennies.
Check out her sites:
Cooking for Busy People Facebook
Twitter id: @CookingforBusy
Last night I spent four hours – YES FOUR! cleaning out my business email box. While doing so I cam across an email from Mary on behalf of Yahoo who provided some tips I should have been using for the last three months.
I thought I’d share these tips on managing your email inbox with you;
Tips for managing your inbox
Filter through the clutter: Yahoo! Mail Filters automatically sort your incoming messages according to rules that you set up. For example, you can create a filter so messages from your family members are automatically delivered to a personal folder called ‘Family.’
Or simply direct all those newsletters and email messages that you subscribe to, but are of low importance, to a different folder.
Rather than sort through each email message to decide where it goes, filters are like a built in filing system that save time and help you stay organized!
Read important messages first: Now you can quickly see important messages from the people that matter most to you. Simply click on the ‘connections’ link in your inbox to view the messages from the people that you communicate with most often.
Weed out the junk email; Use the “Spam” button to report it: If you receive unwanted e-mail or e-mail from an address you don’t recognize, report it by clicking on the “Spam” button in the toolbar at the top of your inbox or message.
Start to Declutter and organize your home today with Clutter Diet
This will report the contents of the message to the anti-spam group so Yahoo! Mail (or your service provider) can watch out for similar messages in the future and, if warranted, automatically block them from ever reaching your inbox.
Sweep your inbox: Make it a ritual to block out time each day or each week this season to answer email and purge old, dusty messages. Even a few minutes can go a long way to a more organized inbox
There you go – one more way to stay more ‘Almost Always Organized’.
It’s another Busy Mom! I try to feature tips from other busy moms each week to help remind us all we there is no such thing as ‘perfect’, but to instead strive for ‘real’.
Tammy Jones is a mother and the owner of A Mom Entrepreneur (one of the networking groups I belong to) and A Single Rose .
How do you keep your children’s schedules together ?
My children are both in college now, but we basically used a big calendar on the kitchen wall.
Do you use a particular day planner ?
No. I use Microsoft Outlook to keep track of upcoming business interviews, meetings and appointments. I also use it for personal stuff to, like: my husband and kids activities, doctor appointments and family gatherings.
Do you own a blackberry?
No, but everybody tells me I need to get one.
What is your most used ‘time saving tip’ when it comes to running your house?
I don’t have one. Can you help me with that? J I can’t get any help from kids or husband, so a lot of things go undone.
Do you have a favourite quick meal for your family?
We call it Jean’s special. Named after my mother-in-law.
Take a pound of ground beef, box of frozen spinach, two eggs, ½ cup parmasean cheese, ¼ cup minced onion, salt & pepper. Read More→
One of my goals this year has been to spend more quality time with the kids and reading is one of the things Abbie and I both love!
This week we have read a few great books, one of which is written and illustrated by Melanie Walsh. Trick Or Treat is a fun BOARD Book with flaps to peek under.
Simple fun sentences make this a great book for your new reader to read to you for bedtime !
So here’s your chance to WIN a copy. Sent to your child in a big brown envelope decorated by inspired Canadian Artist ‘Abigail McFarlane (age 6).
Just leave a comment here (include your email address with spaces) telling us what you love about halloween to be entered. For extra entries – tweet the contest out everyday (come back and leave a comment for each tweet).
Happy Trick or Tweeting ( I couldn’t resist)
The Almost Always Organized Mom
PS: Wondering what to tweet ? Tweet the following:
Contest closed October 15th 2009 (so we can get it to you before Halloween !)
Start to Declutter and organize your home today with Clutter Diet
