I know…I know…It’s like I fell off the face of the earth. 🙁  So much for my “Getting organized September.”  I do have one more organizational tip I want to share with you before I begin blogging about planning my vacation and walking you through planning yours!  🙂

What my living room looks like right now 🙁

Another area where my life needs organization is in getting basic chores completed around my home and making sure my children pitch in and do the chores they need to do to make this household run a little more smoothly.

I have a system I use for my chores and one I use for the kids.

First…It’s all about ME!  Well, it’s actually about what I need to get done.  I should start by saying that I have a Tuesday/Thursday job.  On those days I get everyone off to school, go to school myself, take care of everyone in the afternoon and cook dinner.  I am thankful to accomplish those things on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but nothing else gets done!

For the rest of the work week, I have a schedule I follow of what to do when (and in my perfect world, it actually all happens!).

• On Mondays, I dust and vacuum downstairs and do my grocery shopping at Kroger.  I also wash socks and underwear and jeans.  (For a complete breakdown on my laundry system see http://lisakillough.com/2013/09/25/september-why-laundry-doest-overwhelm-me/)
• On Wednesdays, I go to lady’s Bible study at church, deep clean the kitchen and wash delicates.  I also grocery shop at Sprouts.
• On Fridays, I clean the downstairs bathrooms and wash sheets and towels.  I also wash darks and lights after Joe Jack gets home from school with his athletics uniform.

I usually have more time on Fridays than other days.  So I have an extra job I try to complete each Friday

• 1st Friday — clean out the master closet and the closet under the stairs
• 2nd Friday — work on the craft area upstairs
• 3rd Friday — Shred documents and filing
• 4th Friday — Clean the fridge, freezer and laundry room

That gets everything taken care of downstairs each month.

This week’s to dos

To do notebook inside cover

I also keep a notebook of to do lists.  I am a list kind of girl.  I love the thrill of crossing things off the list.  I always start with the daily chores and add what ever else needs to be done including phone calls, emails and Facebook messages.  I started a new notebook on the first day of school.  I can go back through out the year and check when certain things happened.

The kids chore lists

Now for the kids….

I have created a chore chart for the kids that I print out each week that lets them know what should be done each day.  Here is the file: Weekly Chores List Excel.  I can change it up each week if I need to, but I usually leave it the same.  I hang the lists up on the fridge so everyone knows where they are.

The kid’s baskets

Also, for my kids, I have “baskets” that I keep at the bottom of the stairs. As I go around the house during the day, I put the items that belong to them in their basket.  (There have been days when I have to switch out their small basket for a laundry basket!) Part of their daily chores is to empty the basket.  I rarely put anything away that belongs to them.  The baskets are also super easy to throw in a closet if company is coming!  🙂

That’s how I attempt to keep my housekeeping under control.  What tricks do you have?

As I continue the with my theme of organization this month, I would like to share my system for laundry.  I read and hear about so many families who struggle with laundry….countless stories of clean laundry piled on couches, in favorite chairs, and on beds.  On my worst laundry days, I may have one basket of clothes that need to be dealt with.  Here is what I do…

My current dirty clothes sorting using specifically labeled baskets.

My old laundry system with bags and stands

First, I have an organized dirty clothes sorting system.  For years, I used mesh laundry bags on pvc pipe stands.  Each bag was for a different type of laundry.  Now, I have laundry baskets specifically labeled for each type of clothes.  I do have a great sized laundry room now, but even in other homes when I didn’t, I have always found a place to organize my dirty clothes.

My basket for socks, undies and pjs

Second, I have a very specific laundry schedule.  Here is what I launder and when….

• Monday — A load of socks, undies and pjs and a load of jeans and denim
• Wednesday — A load of delicate darks and a load of delicate lights. These are items that I always wash in cold water and hang or lay flat to dry.  Most of these clothes are Emily’s or mine.
• Friday (during the day) — sheets and towels.  With my sheets, I have 2 sets.  As soon as I get up on Friday mornings, I thrown last weeks dirty sheets in the washer.  The sheets currently on the bed get taken off and stored in a basket for the week.  This way I get freshly laundered sheets on my bed and not ones sitting in a cabinet all week.  Plus, I don’t have to fold a fitted sheet which I can’t do any way!  😉
• Friday (after school / weekend) — A load of regular lights and a load of regular darks.  (In all honesty, I would rather not do any laundry on the weekend, but when JoeJack comes home with gym clothes that need to be cleaned and returned on Monday, I have little flexibility.  I usually get those loads started as soon as he comes home Friday afternoon).

That covers everything I wash week after week.  Of course “special circumstances” arrive from time to time and I deal with those as needed.

The benefits of having a specific washing schedule….

1. I know everything gets washed every week.
2. The family knows what day to expect laundry.
3. It helps me provide specific laundry related chores for my kids (I will cover kids chores on my next blog)
4. Laundry is never an all day, overwhelming task!

But, probably the greatest laundry help is what I do after the clothes are washed!

Clothes ready for Skywalkah, JoeJack and Emily to put away.

I hang up 90% of the clean clothes in my house.  Almost everything goes directly from the dryer to a hanger to a closet.  The only clothes in my home that are folded and stored in drawer are: socks, undies, pjs, swimsuits and grungy clothes used for dirty projects.  I have hung up every article of clothing of my kids since I brought them home from the hospital.  (Actually, before they were born, I had all the new clothes hung and waiting for them to grow into.)

I made a one-time investment in hangers.  Sweetums and I have white, Emily has girl colors, JoeJack has dark blue and dark green, and Skywalkah uses yellow hangers.  For some reason I can’t explain, I hang all of Sweetums’ pants and jeans on black hangers.  My crazy self is a little bothered about the fact that Emily and JoeJack’s hangers are not all one color.  I guess I can live with it since they stay in their closet and not mine.  🙂

So my typical laundry routine is…wash, dry, immediately hang up.  But, let’s all be honest here. We all know that sometimes the dryer buzzer goes off and we “can’t hear” it.  So, I throw a damp, clean washcloth in with the clothes and run the load again!

The only items that get thrown in a basket to deal with are the items not hung.  I will be honest, there are some weeks where members of the family are digging through the basket for clean socks, but I’m ok with that!  😉

I know some people feel like kids should do their own laundry.  That doesn’t work in my house.  I do, however, make my older kids responsible for certain loads at certain times.  I want to make sure they know how to use the washer and dryer.

Now if I could only get a handle on all those non-school papers in my house…..

What is your best laundry tip?

Now that school is back in session, I am going to return to being more intentional about meal planning.  Eating out is one of my family’s greatest temptations.  We can spend tons of money really quickly if we aren’t careful.  I would much rather save my money and spend it on traveling!  I have a system that really helps us…it’s not perfect, but it does help.

September Menu

I create a monthly meal calendar…

I started by creating a list of every meal that we eat.  This list does change since we are trying new recipes often.  The list as of today includes….

• Beef and potato hash
• Breakfast
• Burgers
• Burritos
• Carbonara
• Carne Guisada
• Chicken Georgia
• Chicken Noodle Soup
• Chicken Thighs with Creamy Spinach
• Chicken with Mustard Sauce
• Chili
• Chili with Baked Potatoes
• Colossal Club Sandwiches
• Eggs Florentine
• Enchiladas
• Fettuccine Alfredo (Actually Penne Alfredo)
• Fish
• Gourmet Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
• Grilled Chicken
• Jambalaya
• Mexican Stacks
• Orzo and Sausage
• “Perfect Chicken”
• Philly Cheese Steak
• Pizza (Homemade)
• Pizza Rolls (Spinach/Garlic and/or Pepperoni)
• Pork Tenderloin
• Red Beans and Rice
• Roast Chicken
• Sausage with Hash Browns and Warm Tomatoes
• Shell Pasta with Rotisserie Chicken & Basil
• Skillet Lasagna
• Spaghetti
• Spicy Shrimp over Angel Hair Pasta
• Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Chicken
• Steak
• Stew
• Tortillas Soup

Then I include these sides:

• Roasted Asparagus
• Parmesan Zucchini
• Sautéed Spinach
• Homemade Mac n Cheese
• Spanish Rice
• Cilantro Rice (or Basil Rice)
• Garlic Mashed Potatoes
• Salsa
• Caprese Salad
• Homemade French Fries
• Green Beans
• Corn on the Cob
• Au Gratin Potatoes
• Broccoli with Cheese
• Bakes Potatoes
• Plain Rice

Next, I print out a calendar for the month.  I print mine from iCal on my Mac.  It prints with all the activities we have planned for the month.  In the past I have used just generic calendars I found on the internet.

I decide which meal of each week we will eat out.  Right now, we are trying to limit eating out once a week.

Then I just start filling in meals from the list.  I know which meals take more time and which days of the week I have more time to cook…and which meals are quick and easy for those nights we don’t have much time.

Then I am set…..Each week I can make a grocery list for the meals I have planned.  I can watch for proteins on special since I know what we are having for the month and what types of meat I need for my list of meals in general.  If I see a good deal on proteins, I can freeze them and have them ready for an upcoming meal.

Tonight’s Meal…”Perfect Chicken”, Roasted Asparagus and Homemade French Fries…Yummy!

I always write on my calendar in pencil so that we I need to move meals around, I can do so easily.

This system works really well for me.  What system do you use for meal planning?

September is here.  Whether we are ready or not, life falls into more of a routine than our crazy summer.  It doesn’t take much time at all for me to get overwhelmed with everything that is being thrown my way.  Although I am completely ready to begin planning next year’s vacation, I’ve got to get a handle on things at home first.

Papers Skywalkah brought home this week

I cannot control most of my paperwork.  It is one of my greatest sources of stress in my home.  There is one area, though, that I have a great system of organization….school papers.  I want to share it with you!  This system works incredibly well whether your child is home schooled, two and just starting Mother’s Day Out or 15 and beginning 10th grade.  I have been doing this for 12 years!

Note: if this doesn’t apply to you in this season of your life, please pass it on to someone who can use it.  🙂

You know the scenario, school is over for the day and your kids come home with papers….math, art, awards, etc, etc, etc.  What do you do with it all?

Here is what to do…

My school drawers

Buy an under the bed box for each child and find a convenient place to store them.  (Under the bed boxes even hold 12×18 masterpieces created on manilla paper.)  To be completely honest, I use a small drawer system that is in the closet under the starts that we refer to as “The Closet.”

Everyday when the papers come home, I take them from the backpack, look through them, discuss anything that needs to be discussed and throw them in the drawer.  (I also include awards, programs, testing information, Bible class papers, etc.)  Done…Finished…until the end of the year.  🙂

Now, here’s the disclaimer, the end of the year takes a little work.  But, it’s a one time job!

Piles sorted by subject

After school is finished and everything has come home, I clear a spot on the floor or on the dining room table and begin sorting.  For a preschool child, you might have piles such as colors, shapes, numbers, letters, name writing, artwork, etc.  For Skywalkah (1st grade last year) I had math, reading, language arts, writing, science, social studies, art, and awards.  For JoeJack (6th grade year) I had math, science, reading/language arts, world cultures, orchestra, and awards.  For Emily (9th grade year) I had English, Latin, Biology, Geometry, World Geography, choir and awards.

Once the piles are sorted I go through each pile.  I am looking for specific items:

• The best artwork from the year
• Spelling tests from the beginning and end to see a progression of ability
• Handwritten papers from each subject, not Xeroxed papers
• Timed math skills
• Journals
• Notes from the teachers
• Anything else that is special when compared to the entire pile.

File boxes filled with the best papers

Accordion files by year

Those chosen papers go in a file.  Everything else goes into the recycle pile and is gone from my house.  I buy translucent file boxes and legal sized according files from Office Depot.  I use one file per year and the box will hold several years worth of treasures.

Why is this a great way to organize school papers?

1. It allows you and your child a chance to review the year to see how they have grow and changed.  Warning:  If your child likes to keep everything, do this before school gets out or when they are away.  When Emily was little, she would have been crushed that I was throwing away anything.
2. It puts all assignments in perspective.  When each paper comes home you might think, “this is the best thing I ever saw,” but as you compare it to the entire year you can really tell what is worth keeping and how they’ve progressed.
3. If for some reason you need to find a paper from the year, you know exactly where to look.  I wish I could say that about all my paperwork.  🙁
4. If you home school, you have the items you need for your yearly portfolio.
5. It works for schoolwork, Bible class creations and artwork made at home.

I hope this helps you as much as it has helped me. 🙂

How do you organize the other paperwork in your house?