As any parent knows, adding a child to the family can quickly and drastically alter the environment of any home. From infants to teens, kids come with a lot of “stuff.” What are you supposed to do with it all? Here are a few simple tips to help you teach your children how to get organized and stay that way…

• Bins, boxes, and baskets kept on lower shelves make it easy for your child to put away toys. Label storage containers with both pictures (for young children) and printed words (for preschoolers).
• Better yet, have your child draw pictures for the labels. Or, you can cut out the toys’ logos straight from the original boxes, take photos of the toys, or print the logos directly from the manufacturer websites. And, if your storage containers have handles, luggage tags are a quick and easy way to attach the finished labels.
• Before birthdays, Christmas, or other special gift-giving occasions, sit down with your child to sort through toys together. Guide your child through the decision-making process of which toys to keep and which to donate in order to make room for new toys received as gifts. In fact, take your child with you to the donation center.
• As you fold laundry, separate your child’s clothes into complete outfits. Store them individually in gallon-sized zip-top bags. Keep one bagged outfit in the car, just in case. And, when you travel, squeeze any extra air out of the bags to make packing the suitcase a breeze.
• Provide low hooks for your child to hang up sweaters, pajamas, jackets, book bags, etc. Before bedtime, check the weather forecast with your child. Then, have your child select an appropriate outfit to wear the next day.

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Keep the most recent copy of your favorite magazine or catalog in your car “just in case” you arrive at the doctor’s office 20 minutes early or find yourself eating alone at lunch time.

The easy-to-digest articles are perfect for those occasions when you have a few minutes to spare, and the bonuses are plenty… You get to read something that you actually enjoy, your unread magazines won’t pile up at home, you won’t be wasting any of your precious time, and you’ll be more likely to remain calm and relaxed (even if the doctor is running 40 minutes behind schedule)!

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