Life Organized

 I get a lot of questions on how I stay organized…these days I don't know if I do… 

I am enjoying my new real estate career, but it sure has thrown a curveball into my life in that it is very unpredictable; so I am learning more and more to go with the flow. But my OCD for organization still is hiding inside…So I will share with you what I do to try to stay organized in this crazy life!

This is my "Command Center"
I do my work for home, school, real estate and everything else from here.
This tiny space with my big red exercise ball (Its what I sit on instead of a chair)
is where I spent a lot of time.

I have a big master calendar in our kitchen.
Its color coded for each member of our family.
That way the kids can easily pick out and see what they are doing that day

In addition to the calendar in our kitchen I use the COZI App religiously.
It automatically sync's to my phone, computer and I-pad and Michael's. This eliminates the 6pm, middle of chaos, phone calls to ask what soccer field someone is playing on - just look in COZI!
I use it for shopping list too- so convenient!

Speaking of organization on my electronic devices…I am super OCD about my email. If I have a page of emails it stresses me out. I only keep what is necessary for "action or response" in my inbox; otherwise its filed. I have a "folder" for everything.

At my desk I have a bin for each child.
And each child has a folder for each activity.
That way when I need information on something I can hopefully find it.

I also have folders and bins for all of my "activities"

I have a bulletin board where notes and invitations
 and things that are of importance right now get hung.

When the kids come home from school they have a list of things that must be done before they can do anything else. They know what to do, backpacks, lunch boxes, school work, etc. They put their schoolwork in here that is finished and we go through it once a week, and they show daddy their stuff, and then I pitch or save…mostly pitch….

This is a new thing I am trying this year and so far so good.  It hangs on the door to the garage.
At the beginning of each week I am writing what each child needs each day (dance shoes, water bottle, soccer ball, etc) and then they are responsible for checking it and getting their own stuff. I have to much to do and to much to think about to constantly say, "Do you have your_______?"
And with a daughter who would forget her head if it wasn't attached, this can get frustrating real quick!! I am hoping this will start to help them think for themselves and remember….and then when they don't have something the only person they have to blame is themselves.

The kids each have a backpack hook and I have each of their school specials lists and school calendars, that tell us if they should bring in something square etc., next to their school bags.

They each have a hanger too. That way there is no excuse for "I can't find…."

This is certainly not foolproof but it helps me function and get out the door
and places on time…most of the time!

Happy Organizing!