DrDeClutterBlog.com

Okay, here it is!! Holiday shopping madness season!

If you didn’t do it all on Black Friday, you have weeks to go yet, right?

I want to offer you a very cool tip on finding stuff for free!! Yes FREE!! Whether you’re shopping for the holidays or any event… save money, time and nerves the next time you need to shop for clothing, especially when you have children.

How?

1.  Declutter.
Yes, you heard me! When you declutter piles and heaps and boxes of stuff and things in closets, garage floors and attics you’ll be amazed at what you’ll find that you forgot to give in the past or bought two of along the way, someone gave you and you’ll never use, or… whatever!

2.  Plan on REGIFTING!
Create a “Gift Box” and put these items in it for “regifting”. Yes, REGIFTING! Why spend more money and mental anquish over things you already have!

3.  Box and Label for Future FREE Stuff!
When you get and stay organized by boxing and labeling you seasonal clothing – and children’s clothing that can be worn the next year by the same or another younger child– you will save yourself plenty of time, energy and money by going into your storage boxes and bins and finding most of what you may need “before” you go store shopping.

Yes, we already own most of what we need; we just don’t remember where we put it! So, the more organized you are and the better categorizing and labeling you do when organizing, you will find much of what you need right in your own square-foot-heaven.

This includes all kinds of items, like tape, pens, batteries, flashlights, supplies of all kinds, gloves, etc. When you keep items in “categories” and “contained” in boxes, tubs, bins and baskets, and “label” them so that everyone in the house can find them and put them back when done using the items (teach everyone!) you’ll waste less money, time and mental energy trying to locate and use what you already own.

Happy (in-home) Shopping!

The City of Longmont, CO fire stations are accepting used bicycles for donation to Bicycle Longmont’s Christmas Bike Program. Drop off unwanted, used bikes at the nearest fire station. Santa’s elves will repair the donated bikes! Go Santa!!

Kids receive repaired and happy bikes through charity organizations: The Safe Shelter of St. Vrain Valley, the OUR Center, the Inn Between and the school district’s Safe Routes to School Program.

Check this article for deadlines, drop off points, contact information and more.

For over two decades the Christmas Bike Program has been helping local children get a “pre-owned” bike to change their lives in an important way. A bike might enable a child to earn money with a paper route, see relatives who live far enough away that walking would take too long, get groceries and . . . just have some fun with friends or alone!

Scooters and tricycles are also welcome.

Make a difference this year. Declutter and old bike for a new life for a child.

Start a Christmas Bicycle Program in your community this year!

Whoa! It’s Halloween time again! When did that happen!!

If you have kids that want Halloween to be fun, planning ahead, even at the last minute! is important.

1. What will your kids be wearing? What do they want to dress up as?

2. Can you create it out of what you already have or will you be purchasing, renting or barrowing a costume and accessories?

3.  Where are they going?

4 . Who are they going with?

5. What’s happening in your neighborhood or area for trick-or-treating?

6. Safety is a must of course. Safety in regards to their costume for walking, skipping and running (because they will!) and safety if they are out and about on their own or with other little ones.

Help your kids have memorable fun this year!

7. Take lots of pictures.

8. Scrapbook those photos immediately!

DONE! Have a great Halloween!

I just got  my signed copy of a great news children’s book,  “Spider On the WEB.” What’s extra special about this book is that it’s written by my good friend, Mary Kaskie. Mary and I graduated from high school in St. Paul, Nebraska and get together with other friends at least once a year to catch up.

Mary (Berggren) Kaskie has been a teacher and now an elementary school counselor for over 25 years. She also has two great kids, so Mary knows children! “Spider On the WEB”, this lovely and fun, educational and timely children’s book was born out of Mary’s experience and belief that children learn and remember life’s important lessons best when taught through story form. Great for parents and grandparents as well as librarians and teachers to use as a learning tool with questions in the back of the book.

Book Reviews says:

“Spider On The Web” is a delightful story about Dissy, a cheeky, little monkey who meets up with an online spider in a chat room on the computer. Dissy makes some unwise decisions and gets herself trapped in a sticky spider´s web. Missy, the monkey´s conscience, tries to guide Dissy in the right direction. Watch as Missy turns into a superhero to help save the day. Educators and parents can use this book as a springboard to discuss the dangers of online predators and guidelines for computer safety.

Order Mary’s new book and let Dissy the monkey teach your children or grandchildren the right use of computers for their own safety.

Congratulations Mary! You’re helping parents and teachers help our children in the most creative of ways! :)

(Might be a commercial linked onto this first) 

Don’t let time slip by this summer, or any season without slowing down to make quality time with family – especially if you have children.

Time goes by so quickly when they’re small. Enjoy every moment!

Great job, Trace!

Just got home from seeing Kung Fu Panda 2. Awesomeness!

Don’t miss this great movie – and message… let go of the past, there is only now!

My nephew, Colton, is a great artist - has been so since he was a toddler! For part of his recent high school graduation gift I took three of his doodles and had them imprinted onto new white t-shirts! What a fun gift to give!

My older brother and my mom want the dragon picture on t-shirts for themselves!

Go through your kid’s and grandchildren’s art and doodles and see what gems you find to have imprinted onto t-shirts, tote bags, etc.!

I had them imprinted at Instant Imprints in Longmont.  Owner, Forrest Fleming will be glad to help you!

These and similar shops are somewhere near you as well. See the FIND A STORE at the top of their site.

Work, children, school, sports, band, back to school… . If your most hectic time of the day is before 8:30 a.m., then these tips may be the S.O.S. you’ve been looking for!

The hurried feelings and urgency that can rule these early morning hours can ripple over into the rest of your day like dominos. No wonder, according to a University of Maryland study, 85 percent of us feel rushed some or all of the time.

Here are 6 TIPS to Stop Morning Time Crunch Crisis

1) Prepare the night before.
This is a must if you’re going to get on top of the day. Getting ready what you’ll need for the next day the night before will really help lessen the confusion and short tempers that can take a toll on your health and relationships each morning. At last a half-hour before you go to bed at night prepare for the next day: Get your clothes; food for breakfast and lunch, even dinner when possible; everything you need for work or school; items for planned errands, drop-offs and pick-ups; children’s school notes signed; their meals ready; clothes, sports equipment, etc. Preparing the night before will make the morning so much easier on everyone.

2) Be selfish! Take care of yourself first.
Taking care of everyone else before yourself (especially a women’s/mother’s issue) will not get you “points in heaven!” It will however wear you out. Preparing the night before will take care of some of this, but waking up 15 or so minutes earlier and getting yourself ready, ideally while the kids are asleep, will give you that breathing room needed “when” things don’t run smoothly.

3) Organize Your Basics.
My basic organizing information includes the fact that “everything must have a ‘home’.” You will waste much less time searching for the little things when you take care of the basics daily, giving everything a home – a specific, consistent place to “live.” Know where your house and car keys “live.” Have an extra $20 in your wallet in even smaller bills at all times especially if you have children, they may need some of it for a school function. If you wear nylons make sure you always have more than one good pair “just in case.” Make sure any medication is up to date and bottles are never too close to empty before refills. Ask the children daily if they have parent/teacher notes to read or sign or anything that needs to be prepared for the next day. Small measures to take care of the basics will bring so much peace to your mornings immediately. No more, “Where is it?” and “I don’t know!”

4) Keep it simple!
From children’s clothing to breakfast and lunch choices, choose the easiest options, especially during really busy weeks. Buy clothes that are so easy “a child could do it!” Example: Velcro sneakers for them; front buttons and zippers for you. Minimal preparation is the key for breakfast foods, as well as foods the children can get themselves: Like cold cereal, energy bars, and yogurt – healthy and easy. Teach your family to put dishes in the sink or right into the dishwasher as early as possible. Even very small children can do this to help out. Decide how important it is to fix the beds “perfectly” or have all the dishes cleaned before you leave – things like this don’t matter in the big picture and will only create more stress where it’s not necessary.

5) Just say “no” to TV in the morning.
You might consider TV a useful tool to keep kids in one place, but studies show that it’s actually a huge distraction. Leaving the TV off lets everyone focus on the business at hand, communicate without shouting over the TV and finish sooner.

6) Calendar Central.
Don’t let yourself become the “all knowing” person in the house of the appointments and schedules (it’s a set up for victimhood and martyrdom!). Buy a large calendar. Hang it on the refrigerator or wall where everyone, no matter how short or tall, can see it easily. Write in all kids’ appointments, practices, and activities. When you’re doing your night before prepping (see #1 above!), check the calendar. Gather all necessary items – school projects, soccer ball, treats for band, extra socks, violin cases – and put them by the door. You’re ready! When you leave in the morning, just grab everything and go.

Kids get as or more stressed than parents when they feel unorganized, unprepared, out of control and helpless to change it. Being a leader and model for peaceful mornings will be a life-long proactive lesson for your children. Start off of the right foot this school year!

Did you already stock up on Halloween candy for the trick-or-treaters?

If not, here are some alternatives and ideas for HEALTHIER SPOOKY TREAT!

If you have the time to make your own treats, here’s a list (the recipes - click here.)

• Caramel Honey Apples
• Take-Along Snack Mix
    Divide this up into individual resealable snack bags for distribution.
• Spice Pretzels
    Divide this up into individual resealable snack bags for distribution.
• Dough Pretzels
    Make these with your kids as a fun afternoon activity. Twist into Halloween shapes such as pumpkins and cats.
• Spicy Roasted Soybeans
    Their salty-spiciness is a welcome contrast to the sweetness of the candy.
• Spooky Honey Popcorn Balls
  A great project for the kids. Wrap in individual wax paper bags.

NON-FOOD TREATS 

Go to the local party-favor shop and get non-food items too. And, without adding more clutter! to the house, some of these are really fun for kids, and they will “use them up” with a little reminding. Some ideas include:

• vampire teeth
• party-favor sunglasses or other cool toys
• small cans of play-doh
• noicemakers (some that blow out the roll of paper ‘without’ the whistle!)
• temporary tattoos
• bubbles

Once your kids are back from their adventure remember to manage the candy and its consumption.

NOTE: Diet gum, candy and other man-made-chemical-aspartame-laced-”treats” are not on this list.

I just received this amazing email from a client of mine, Joni Hibbard. What a great example of a mom, widowed not long ago, who picked up the pieces and with her two young children (daughter Lea adopted from an orphanage in China several years ago) is stepping into a wonderful new adventure… in China.

I’m sharing her lovely email below and have left in their blogs info so that you can follow their journey anytime too! 

Dear Friends and Family… Finally!!
 
Tomorrow the kids and I leave for China. We will be primarily in Beijing from Sept 20th to Dec 4th. We will make some trips to Xian to see the Terracotta Warriors and possibly south to Lijiang and stay in an ancient village and take a horseback ride in the mountains. I hope to get invited to visit Lea’s orphanage, but we will have to wait and see if that will be possible.
 
Each of us has created a website where we can blog and post pictures:
 
     web.me.com/leahibbard
     web.me.com/maxhibbard
     web.me.com/jonihibbard
 
This past January, I went to Beijing for 5 weeks by myself to get TEFL certified to teach English as a Foreign language. If I teach English while I am there, it will be private tutor sessions I can fit into our travel schedule.
 
Let us know what you think about the websites! I am home schooling the kids this semester and they have been going to Apple One-to-One classes and created their websites themselves. They have also been making slide shows and doing a little video editing. Max has created his first YouTube video!
 
Also, find us on Skype and give us a call for FREE!! Best time to call is the evening here in the US, which is morning in China.
 
Joni

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What adventures for a day, a few days or weeks or months, like Joni and her children, can you create this year? Make sure to share them with me in my Comments section so I can share them with my readers too!