Thanks to everyone for your fabulous responses to last week’s Talk to Me Tuesday post.  It’s great to know that I’m not alone in my hatred of slimy, grimy showers.

Recently I got a great question from April regarding my many charts.  She wondered where I stash my charts in order to keep them accessible without making things look cluttered.  Although the fridge is a tempting solution, I like to reserve it for things like my Kid’s Weekly Planners and their current homework.  Consequently, I have to stash my other charts and lists elsewhere.  My favorite stash spots?  The inside of my kitchen cupboards and doors.

For example, the picture above shows the inside of the cupboard door nearest to my fridge.  On it I keep my Mom Game Plan, my Stash Box Challenge sheet, a pack of post-its and a clip of quick-reference school sheets (like the lunch menu, and the school calendar).  I’m not crazy about taping things to the inside of my cupboards and doors, so I use removeable hooks to hold things in place instead.  When used in combination with small binder clips they’re an inexpensive, flexible way to keep everything close at hand. 

I use the same basic solution on the inside of my pantry door as well.  Here the clips and hooks hold things like this ziploc bag of clipped box tops, the kid’s lunch boxes, and my Reuseable Grocery List.  As for your question regarding the Picture Job Chart, April, I keep that one on a similar hook inside the hall closet door.  When Saturday morning rolls around I grab the chart from the hook, adjust the jobs, and then post it on the outside of the pantry door for easy viewing.

So there you have it, April.  By keeping my charts and lists in these hidden stash spots around the house, I’m able to keep everything accessible without adding clutter to the public areas of the house.  It’s a simple, cheap and easy way to keep things organized and out of view.  Just thought I’d pass it on.

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As I mentioned in a previous post, I dread cleaning bathrooms.  I hate the germy gunk, the smelly chemicals, and the overall time commitment.  One area I particularly loathe is my shower.  For the last several years I’ve had a shower with sliding glass doors.  You know, those lovely glass doors that start out looking so bright and clear and slowly morph into cloudy, soap scum-covered eye sores?  Well, I hate cleaning them.  To begin with, it seems to take a lot of product to break through the soap scum.  On top of that, in order to get to the pesky scum you have to be willing to climb into the shower, close the doors, ruin whatever clothes you’re wearing, and inhale toxic fumes.  And to top it all off, no matter how hard you try, you can’t ever get to the pesky three inches of glass where the sliding doors overlap.

I’ve wrestled with my shower frustration for years now.  Then last week a simple solution to my years of shower hatred hit me right in the face…literally.  As I was scouring the scum-covered door, one of the glass panels popped out of its track and fell into the shower.  I thought about putting it back on and then realized that the door would be much easier to clean if I left it off the track.  Within ten minutes I had popped both panels off their track, cleaned both sides of the stubborn glass, and popped them back into place.  As a bonus, while the shower doors were off the track drying, I was able to step into the shower and scrub the walls and floor.  It was so much easier to get to all those hard-to-reach nooks and crannies now that the doors weren’t in the way.  At last, I’d found an easy and effective way to get my shower clean. 

Of course, immediately after figuring this out, I was kicking myself for not thinking of it sooner.  I bet most of you figured it years ago.  In fact, I bet you guys have tons of great tips for a lack-luster house-cleaner like me.  So for today’s ‘Talk To Me Tuesday’ post, I’m asking for you for your favorite cleaning tips.  Are there cleaning products or tools that you can’t live without?  Have you found any tips or tricks that make your cleaning process easier or faster?  If so, I hope you’ll share it with the rest of us.  I can’t wait to hear what you come up with.  As always, for those of you that comment, thanks - in advance - for passing it on.

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Thanks for all your great homework suggestions from last week’s Talk To Me Tuesday post.  I’ve already put several of them to the test.  You guys are going to be a fabulous resource for me!  Keep up the great comments.

I love sweater season.  I yearn for the first chilly days of fall like most people look forward to the first signs of spring.  As soon as the temperature starts to drop I stock my closet with stacks of cozy cashmere, cotton, and wool.  Of course the downside to all that sweater binging is that by mid-January my favorite sweaters and jackets are inevitably showing signs of wear. 

Little fuzzy balls and bits of woolen fluff can make even the most expensive sweater look cheap and unattractive.  Over the years, I’ve tried several sweater shaver gadgets and gizmos but never been pleased with the results.  Then, a few weeks ago I was watching a home makeover show and saw the host use a cheap little plastic razor to remove the pilling from the cushions of an old sofa.  I immediately thought about my sweater pilling problem and wondered if this easy solution could work for them as well. 

I whipped out one of my favorite sweaters and grabbed a little pink daisy razor from my bathroom drawer.  Much to my surprise it worked fabulously.  Thirty minutes and two razors later, I had managed to remove the annoying fuzz balls from 10 sweaters, 2 jackets, and my favorite wool coat.

Generally I’ve found that I get the best results if I lay the sweater out flat on the kitchen table but if you’re in a pinch it also works when you’re wearing the sweater.  Just pull the section you’re going to shave very taught use short vertical strokes.  Sharp razors yield the best results and you’ll want to replace it when you find the razor rolling over the pilling instead of cutting it off.  Don’t worry about using the more expensive multi-blade razors, the cheap one or two-blade razors work just as well.  One package of those little pink disposable wonders can save a whole closet full of sweaters and cost you less than a dollar.  It’s tough to beat a bargain like that.  Just through I’d pass it on. 

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It’s hard to believe, but as of today, Christmas is only four short weeks away.  There are many professional organizers that will tell you the key to holiday happiness is beginning your preparations months in advance.  Although they may be right, I’m not a believer.  Over the years, I’ve found that about four weeks is all I need to get my Christmas under control.  The key for me is to get it all down on paper.  

Last year, I posted a batch of Christmas planning files that were designed to help you and your family manage your holiday to-dos, expenses, and gifts.  Since I’ve got so many new readers this year, I thought I’d repost them.  I’m adding a new calendar planning file as well.   It’s nothing fancy, just a simple 5-week calendar to help you schedule your many holiday tasks.  I recommend printing out a few of them and sorting your tasks into categories.  For example, you may want an entire calendar dedicated to your cleaning schedule, another devoted to events to attend, and another for your party preparations.  Using these calendars in conjunction with the 4-week Christmas planner file should give you a great organizing foundation. 

Keep all your calendars and your other planning papers in a simple 3-ring binder and force yourself to go through it several times a week.  I like to keep mine in the car with me so I can review it while I’m waiting to pick up kids and so I can double-check my budget and gift plans before I head into a store (impulse buying is one of my many weaknesses).  You may also want to add a simple pencil pouch to your binder to store your receipts and coupons.

Whatever system you come up with, these simple files can be a great way to kick off your Christmas organization.  For more MeckMom stress-reducing holiday tips, check out my latest article in Organize Magazine.  It’s on sale now.  Just thought I’d pass it on.

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A few weeks ago I was at my daughter’s gymnastics class when a woman asked me to borrow a pen.  I knew that I probably had a few lingering around the bottom of my purse so I started digging.  After pulling out a half a dozen crumpled receipts, lotion, gum, and loads of other mom-on-the-go essentials I finally found the uncapped, dried-out pen.  I was kind of embarrassed about my disorganized mess until the other mom smiled and showed me the chaotic contents of her own purse.  We spent the next few minutes commiserating about how much stuff we lug around everyday and what a hassle it was to keep it all handy. 

Sadly, this wasn’t a new problem for me.  I’ve had a messy purse forever.  Since downsizing the stuff in my purse wasn’t really an option, I decided it was time for a real solution.  I looked online and found lots of purses designed to keep things organized, but their price tags were a bit ridiculous.  Also, I wanted a solution that could move from purse to purse.  Again, I found a few options out there, but spending $30 to keep my tissues and earbuds in order seemed a little silly.  

After wandering the aisles of Target for inspiration, I came up with this cheap and easy pencil pouch solution.  Granted, this is not the most attractive idea.  I know it’s not very chic to stuff your purse with something you find in the school supply aisle, but chances are if you’re concerned about the inside of your purse looking chic you probably don’t carry wet wipes anyway :).  

I’ve used this little solution for over a month now, and I must say it functions perfectly.  The clear front makes it easy to spot the contents and the zipper top makes it easy to access all my mom essentials without having to pull the pouch out of the purse.  Consequently, I’m able to find exactly what I need quickly and my purse has never looked better.  Best of all, when I need to switch purses I simply grab the pouch, my wallet, and my cell and I’m on my way.  In fact, I liked the solution so much that after a week I added a second pouch to keep my receipts, checkbook, and pens organized.

My everyday purse is fairly large…I like to be able to stuff a novel or magazine inside.  If yours is a little smaller, you may want to try a small clear make-up bag in place of the pencil pouch.  Just look for something that is fairly narrow, has a zip top, and sturdy sides to keep the items in place.  Otherwise your pouch will take up too much space in your purse and it won’t be as functional.  Good luck, ladies.  Just thought I’d pass it on.

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So it appears that Wal Mart no longer carries the cool little laminator that I mentioned in my last post.  Sorry to have led you guys astray.  Although I can’t seem to find that particular laminator on any other site, I did a little research last night and found a few good alternatives.  Both of them are under $50 and received good consumer reviews.  I’ll post the links for you below.  If you’re in the market for laminating supplies, you may want to check out the pouch prices at laminator.com.  They’re 3 for the price of 2 deal on laminating pouches is a steal.  Much better than the price I’d been getting at Wal Mart and Sams.  Just thought I’d pass it on.

Laminator.com
LM910 Pouch Laminator - 9 inch Pouch Laminator
$49.00

Factory-Express.com
Fellowes Mars ML-95 Pouch Laminator
$39.95

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Sorry for the long delay in posting.  There’s nothing like cramming a birthday party, back to school, and a baptism all into one week to make you fall behind in your posts. 

Last week I received a great little email from Arian regarding my home laminator.  For years I thought a home laminator was out of my range.  After countless trips to the teacher supply store to laminate my stuff, I finally decided it might be worth the investment.  Thankfully, before I forked out the $150 I was planning to spend, I came across this little wonder.

Made by Duck brand, this inexpensive heat laminator is perfect for home use.  It’s small, lightweight, and folds up on itself for easy storage.  I found it at Wal Mart for under $30.  I bought mine a few years ago, but last time I checked, they still had them in stock.  The laminator’s instructions recommend using their laminating sheets (available in packs of 25 at Wal Mart for around $7).  However, I’ve tried it with several different types of film and it seems to work well with all of them.

I’ve used my laminator for tons of different projects around the house.  It’s kind of addictive, actually.  Trust me, once you make a simple sheet of paper toddler-proof, it’s tough to stop.   So far, my little laminator has held up fabulously; well worth the $30.  Just thought I’d pass it on.  Thanks for the great question, Arian.

If you’ve got a question you’d like to throw my way, please feel free to email me.  I’m no expert, but I seem to stumble through most organizing dilemmas sorta-successfully.  You can find the link on my About Me page. 

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Keeping track of your kids activities and school schedules can be an overwhelming challenge.  My solution?  Take the pressure off yourself by helping your kids do it on their own.  In our house my kids use their fridge planners to keep track of all their weekly to-dos.  When I posted this idea early on in my blog only my oldest daughter was in school.  Now that all three of my kids have schedules to manage I reworked the original idea and created a smaller, more versatile version.  I added lots of new icons to accommodate their changing activities and moved the velcro strips to the back so I could fit all three on the front of the fridge easily.  I’ll list the original post description as well as the new downloads below.

During the morning rush to get the kids off to school, I found myself checking multiple papers to find out what was happening that day. Did we need to pack library books or p.e. shoes? Is it a hot lunch day or do I need to pack a lunch? Does she need to bring her girl scout vest or ballet shoes? Some things were on the calendar and some were tacked up on the fridge. I felt like I was wasting time that I couldn’t spare, so I created this weekly planner to help my first grader manage her own schedule.

It’s a very simple velcro system. On it I list the days of the week Monday through Saturday. I created icons in MS Word (you should be able to adapt them easily) for each of my daughter’s usual activities and color coded the titles for easy sorting. Under each day on the chart, I’ve added a strip of velcro that can hold three icons. The first icon shows what’s happening at school that day (art, library, pe, music, computer). The second icon shows what type of lunch she’s having (cold or hot). The third icon shows reminders and afterschool activities (test, homework, gymnastics, etc.).

Usually, on Sunday night at family council we’ll gather all the various calendars and reminders and my daughter will arrange the icons on her chart. She’ll also use this chart to help her know what clothes to put in her under-bed clothes organizer. For example, if she sees that she’s got PE on Tuesday, she knows that she needs to pack an outfit that will work tennis shoes. 

We post this “planner” on the fridge so she can see it each morning when she’s getting dressed and packing her backpack. It has made a huge difference in our morning routine. I’ll also use it throughout the week when her teacher sends home reminders and other info. I think this one will stick with us for several years. Just thought I’d pass it on.

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