What Are You Organizing For?

When you think about organizing or getting organized, what is your purpose?  What is the appeal for you?  Do you feel better when you are organized?  Are you tired of looking for things?  Do you feel overwhelmed by stuff?  There are lots of reasons to want to get and be organized, but when you find your reason - organize to that reason.

I watched an organizing video by someone who was over and above organized.  And it was Too. Much. For. Me.  She had every paper color coded by year and pattern.  Her sticky notes were organized by her color and her light bulbs had labels.  There was a recycling container by anything she might ever throw out - light bulbs, batteries, papers (I'm not against recycling, but there were too many for me.)  I'm sure that for some people, this type of organizing works great, but I couldn't handle it or live like that.  So I'm not organizing to reach that type of perfection.  I am organizing so I can find what I want when I want it, so I can use the things I have, so my house isn't overly cluttered and so I can live the way I want to live.

In the past few months I produced a play, "As You Like It."  I was in charge of costumes and scenery and many of the props.  Seven years ago, I produced a different Shakespeare play.  When I went to costume, do scenery and props, I could easily pull out the things I used seven years ago.  I knew where they were, they were accessible and not ruined..  Why?  I have a system in my house of where things are and where they belong.  It includes taking care of the things I have and using them.  My system and organization helps me to do the things I want to do.

What do you want your organization to do for you?

Can you have a blog, abandon it for 10 years and then come back?  So much has happened in 10 years.  Those 4 little kids have grown up.  We've added one more baby who has already grown up to age 7!  The challenges of having littles - so many toys and needs and growing have changed.  When I look back on my posts from back then, I still agree with them.  I've also grown and become even better at organizing.  I have new ideas and lots of things I want to blog about.  So, at least for a little while, it looks like I'm back.

Swimming Lessons

Swimming lessons and other lessons have been hard for me to figure out. We've moved around (different states) enough for me to have enough experience with different lessons to know what I like and what I don't. Everytime we take swimming lessons, I'm always hoping the teacher will just have my kids swim laps. But that rarely happens. I also like lessons to be 45 minutes to an hour - otherwise they seem too short. Currently, I haven't found swimming lessons that fit my criteria. They are all short - 30 minutes. It seems like you just get in the water before you're getting out.

So we decided to try a new approach to swimming lessons. We decided to buy a one month pass to our swimming pool and treat it like it was swimming lessons (as an added bonus it cost as much as swimming lessons for 2 kids - we have four kids). We committed to go swimming at least 3 days a week, with the option of going more days. Our kids committed to swimming their age in laps each time we went, and then they could play the rest of the time.

It has been fabulous! Everyone has become much better swimmers. It's not always easy to get ourselves to the pool, but we committed and we've done it. Most weeks we've made it four times a week. Our 2 year old has figured out how to use a life jacket and float on his back with it. He swims around by himself and especially likes to play at the "playground" in the water. Our 5 year old also figured out how to use a life jacket and loves to do the lazy river on his own, throw his goggles and swim after them, and swim back and forth on the bridge. Our 9 year old learned to "butterfly" (and is really good), has learned to swim her laps faster, and has almost learned how to do a handstand in the water. Finally, our 11 year old has become an expert at the weird things in the pool. He likes to swim around under the water and look at what goes on under the water. He has gotten lots faster at swimming his laps and even did 20 laps one day without stopping!

Organizing is about figuring out what works for you. When I couldn't find swimming lessons that worked for us, I figured out something that would. It has exceeded my expectations and hopes. With only one week left of our month at the swimming pool, we're working to fit more visits in, looking forward to summer when we can use our new skills, and excited for April when we'll have time for something new!

My Kids Yearly Jobs

A rotating job chart doesn't work for my family, because all the kids are at different stages and need different jobs to help them grow and help our family run. So every September, my kids get jobs for the year. Sometimes jobs change, and sometimes they stay the same. In general, these are the things they are supposed to do every day without being asked. They still usually have to be asked, but if other things come up, I'm allowed to add to their list of things to do. Every day, everyone has a breakfast, morning, lunch and dinner job. Once a week they have a laundry job, and once a month, my older kids make dinner (see my post a few down).

Here are the current jobs:

11 year old
Breakfast - Wipe off ALL counters and table, take out recycling
Morning (before devotional at 8:30) - Clean/wipe off bathroom counter, 1 daily morning job
Lunch - Wash dishes
Dinner - Wipe off counters and table, put away your age of things in kitchen, Clean up house
Laundry - Gather your room and the kitchen, Load washer, Bring up and put away empty laundry bags, Fold and put away your laundry and kitchen laundry
Once a month - Make dinner

9 year old
Breakfast - Wash dishes
Morning (before devotional at 8:30) - Check diapers and wipes EVERY DAY, 1 daily morning job Lunch - Put away food, wipe off all counters and table
Dinner - Put leftover food in tupperware, Clean up house
Laundry - Gather your room and the bathroom, Unload dryer, Empty lint, Bring clothes to living room, Fold and put away your laundry and towels that go in the hall
Once a month - Make dinner

5 year old
Breakfast - Put away food, clean up toys on kitchen floor or in the hall or entry way
Morning (before devotional at 8:30) - Put covers and pillows on chairs and couches, Put shoes in shoebox
Lunch - Clean up toys on kitchen floor or in the hall or entry way
Dinner - Clear dirty dishes, clean up with Dad, Clean up house
Laundry - Gather your room and mom and dad’s bathroom, Fold and put away your laundry

2 year old
Breakfast - Help clean up toys in kitchen, hall or entry way
Morning (before devotional at 8:30) - Help put shoes in shoebox
Lunch - Clean up toys on kitchen floor or in the hall or entry way
Dinner - Put away hotpads and put food in the fridge
Laundry - Gather your room and towel, Put clean clothes away in your drawer

Successful Project Day With the Kids

I just wanted to share a successful project day we had this week. Project days are Mondays at our house and the day to get stuff done that needs doing. This week the kitchen needed doing. While I cleaned the stove and microwave, my 2-year-old grabbed his rag and wiped the stove with me. My 5 year old went through the pencils and pens, sharpened them or threw out what didn't work. My 9 and 11 year olds washed the floor, baseboards and bottom cupboards. We spent about 45 minutes and got the kitchen clean! It was one of those happy days when everyone helps and you get something done that needs doing.