Post written by Sherri Kruger. Follow me on Twitter.

When you plan a party, plan to go camping, plan to move, or want to create a budget, do you create a checklist?

If you answered yes, then you’re a list lover just like me!

I am proud and super excited to introduce you to my newest online project. It’s been several months in the making and while it’ll be a continuous labor of love, today is the day I release it into the wild. I hope it will help you all be just a little more awesome than you already are!

Let me introduce you to Listbean!


Listbean? What the heck is that?
Listbean is a site that is completely free and packed with value adding pre-populated checklists.

Now, before you roll your eyes and say “oh great another checklist site” let me share with you how Listbean is different and how it will be *the* checklist source online.
The Benefits:

1. Checklists are great but it’s sometimes tough to know where to start. Well, we’ve done the hard part of pulling the lists together. You can use the lists as is or as inspiration to create your own personalized checklists.
2. It’s annoying to have to rewrite checklists you use frequently. With Listbean you don’t have to do that. When you create an account, you can customize any of the lists you see on the site, save them and come back time and time again. Awesome.
3. Be more efficient, effective and deliberate in everything you do. With checklists addressing a lot of what you need right at your finger tips you can just get on with what needs to get done. A little work up front can save you several minutes several times a month or year.
4. Don’t find what you’re looking for? Create your own. There are two ways to create your lists from scratch and have them appear on Listbean. 1) Submit a suggestion via the Feedback form using the Feedback tab at the top left of each page. 2) Add it yourself. Once you’ve customized a list on Listbean you are given the option to add your own list from scratch to save in your lists. Easy right?
5. Listbean has a very simple design. It was custom designed to be simple, sleek and easy to use. Give it a try and if you have any suggestions or feedback please submit it using the feedback form via the feedback tab at the top left of each page.

That’s it really, it’s pretty simple and straight forward. It includes a number of checklists on topics such as:

• Home and organizing
• Shopping and meal planning
• Budgets and finance
• Kids and family
• Vacations
• Celebrations
• House maintenance
• and many more!

I invite you all to check out Listbean and give it a try. If you like it, I’d love for you to spread the word online or even email the link to a couple of list lovers you know in ‘real life’ :)

I sincerely hope you enjoy it and that it becomes a valuable resource for you.

Post written by Zen Family Habits contributor Melanie from Dietriffic.

With the state of our economy, many of us find ourselves needing to cut back a little. And, reducing our grocery bill is often one of the simplest ways to curtail outgoings.

If you find yourself living off generic-brand pizza and baked beans, it’s really not going to cut it long-term. So, where’s the middle ground?

You’ve probably heard the standard money-saving advice. It usually goes something like, cut out the junk food, drink water rather than soft drinks, buy in bulk, cook in bulk, eat seasonally. And, that’s all great advice.

However, I thought I’d share some of the things which have really helped me in recent years.

When my husband and I moved to Australia in 2007, we suddenly found ourselves living a long way from home, and surviving on one wage, with no possibility of that changing, due to our circumstances.

This meant we needed to get serious about our grocery bill, and fast. Here are some of the things I now do to save money on groceries:

1. Use a menu plan
This is the most useful piece of advice I can give. I simply cannot stress enough how helpful menu planning has been to us.

Before, I would aimlessly wander around the store, picking random items as they took my fancy. Ultimately, I ended up with a strange assortment of food, which left me feeling totally uninspired about cooking. And, I usually forgot something, which meant another trip to the store, and more money.

Perhaps it was my disorganized nature showing forth, but my strategy wasn’t working, and all hopes of saving a little money disappeared down the drain.

So, when I arrived in Australia, one of the first things I did was write a menu plan and shopping list. Granted, it takes a little extra time to plan things out, but I haven’t looked back, and I’m thankful for the time and money we’ve saved as a result.

2. Cook with nutrient dense foods
Personally, I think legumes rock! I know, that’s probably a little over the top, but I feel they are terribly underrated.

If you want bang for your buck, legumes are a great option, being a good source of protein, fiber, nutrients and antioxidants. They are also convenient, and extremely cheap.

This means, when money is a bit tight, you can still cook up a nutritious meal for your family, with very little expense.

Even if you’re not counting the pennies, you should try to include them at least two to three times per week.

Why not have a go at making your own bean dip; a big pot of lentil soup for lunch throughout the week; or add some peas or beans to your favorite curry or stew recipe? For the ultimate in money saving, use dried legumes rather than canned.

Similar cheap, yet important, foods include seasonal fruits and vegetables, brown rice, eggs, oats, and barley. These are good staples to build your meals around, which won’t break the piggy bank.

3. Enjoy the cooking experience
Food cooked from scratch is likely to be cheaper, healthier, and more satisfying.

I often hear people commenting that cooking meals from basics can be time consuming. But, driving to the fast food joint, then waiting in line to order, also takes time (is expensive, and unhealthy… ). This time could have been better spent cooking a tasty meal at home.

If you can, invest in some kitchen gadgets — a crock pot, pressure cooker, good quality knives, perhaps a juicer. These are great ideas for reducing your effort in meal prep in the kitchen. I know, we’re talking about saving money here, but with the right equipment, cooking is so much easier and more enjoyable, which means you’re less likely to head to the takeout for “convenience food.”

Batch cooking also helps with saving money. Make big pots of soup, stew, curry, and freeze in preparation for those times when you feel less-than-enthusiastic about cooking.

What’s the benefit of all this effort?

Well, not only will it help reduce your food bill, but you’ll feel healthier as result. Think about it, cutting all the garbage from your diet will mean you’re less likely to get sick, saving trips to the doctor to boot.

What are your tips for saving money on groceries?

Read more healthy eating tips from Melanie on her blog Dietriffic, or follow her on Twitter.

Post written by Leo Babauta. Follow me on twitter or identica.

Eva and I and our six kids are moving in a couple months to San Francisco, from our tiny little island of Guam, and as with any move, it’s both nerve-wracking and exciting as hell.

The key to making it more exciting than anxiety inducing is, of course, preparation.

However, unlike most people who are uber-organized (I’m one of them), I’m not attacking our move with a variety of moving checklists and a crapload of things to do before we leave.

I’m moving the minimalist’s way: packing as light as possible, and doing as little as I can. It’s lovely.

A Minimalist Strategy

When Eva and I first started planning our big move, last year, we were planning on packing up all our stuff and finding a moving company to ship over all our furniture. It was a massive project, and though we didn’t relish it, it did seem necessary.

After all, we’d spent a lot of money on our furniture and computers and clothes and toys, so why wouldn’t we take it all? But then we realized: there was no use in being attached to it all. Sure, it was nice stuff (we go for quality over quantity), but it’s nothing we can’t find elsewhere, and it’s just … stuff.

We realized we needed nothing, really. Nothing was sacred.

So here’s the strategy Eva and I came up with:

So we’ll be flying to SFO with a backpack of clothes each, and a laptop. Leaving everything else behind.

The Online Yardsale

We set up a simple site on Wordpress.com, paying less than $10 for the domain name wowayardsale.com. Then we took pictures of most of our stuff, posted them via Wordpress (which as most bloggers know is pretty easy) along with descriptions and our asking price.

Then we emailed the link to all our friends and family, and voila! A yardsale without a yard.

The response so far has been good. In just a few days, we’ve sold half the stuff that’s been posted, and we still have 70 days left. I expect everything to be sold in the next month or so. Whatever’s left will be donated or given away or perhaps we’ll have an actual yardsale if necessary.

Minimal Shipping

Our idea is to ship as little as possible. Many people moving from Guam will pay for space in a shipping container for all of their stuff — including their car(s) sometimes. We don’t want to go through all of that hassle.

So we’ll have one box each that a relative will mail over after we’ve settled in. This will mostly be personal possessions — photo albums, little things the kids just can’t part with.

Other than that, we’ll have a few days’ worth of clothes each, and a laptop. We’re not bringing a lot of clothes, not our TV or most of our computers, not our books or accumulated memorabilia.

We don’t have a lof of stuff anyway, but it’s impossible for a family of eight not to have some possessions after all these years. We’re going to purge almost all of it, and it’s quite liberating.

Necessary Documents

Other than a few days’ worth of clothes, we’re making sure we’ve prepared a few essential documents:

• Passports
• Birth Certificates & Marriage License
• Social Security cards
• Medical & dental records
• Credit report, landlord letters of recommendation, & bank statements (for lease applications)

Essential Research Tools

The beauty of moving these days is that there is SO much online, and so many cool tools for checking out far-off places. Seriously, there’s some amazing stuff out there — just 10 years ago, you couldn’t do any of this.

I’ve done a lot of research about San Francisco, just to feel more prepared and of course because I’m so excited about the move. One of the best things I did is put everything I want to live near or check out on one Google Map, so I can see clusters of things in different SF neighborhoods. It helps me to visualize where I want to live and whether a potential house/apartment is in a good location.

Some tools I’ve been using for my research — this stuff blows me away:

1. Google Maps: If you have a Google account, you can sign in and create your own Google Map. I’ve done this for past trips (to Thailand, Hawaii, and Japan) and it worked great. If I find something in an article or guidebook that looks interesting, I’ll create a marker for it on my Google Map, usually changing the icon to reflect the type of place (restaurant, coffee shop, museum, shopping outlet, etc.). For our move to SF, I created a map that has dozens of places — vegetarian restaurants, libraries, museums, shops, parks, book stores, movie theaters, places to run, coffee shops, and so on. The map is really full, but it’s a great way to visualize the city, especially because we don’t plan to own a car, and want to live within walking distance of many of these places.
2. Google streetview: This is actually just a feature of Google Maps, but it’s a wonderful tool for someone who’s moving. Basically, if there’s an apartment on Craigslist (see next item), I can find it on Google Maps, and then go into “streetview” to see the actual house/apartment, and the street it’s on. Then I use streetview to walk around the neighborhood and get a feel for the place. Not as good as being there, but way closer than ever before.
3. Craigslist: What an amazing tool for people who are moving. It has dozens of listings every day for apartments/houses for rent, many with photos and other relevant info, along with a link to the apartment’s location on Google Maps. You can even search by neighborhood and number of bedrooms/bathrooms, which I do. In fact, I save my frequent searches by bookmarking them in my browser, so each day I can open up all those bookmarked searches to see what’s new. Craigslist also has sections for used items, such as furniture and appliances, so you can buy stuff that you’ll need when you do move. I haven’t actually bought anything yet, but I’ve been checking out the used section to see what’s out there.
4. Yelp: Another amazing tool. It’s not a secret, of course, but if you’re moving, you can search for restaurants, coffee shops, bike shops, movie theaters, bookstores, and more, and read reviews. I’ll find the top vegetarian restaurants in a neighborhood (for example), and then add them to my Google Map.
5. Google Docs: I created one Google Doc for all my moving plans, and a Google spreadsheet for my budget. The doc, which I’ve shared with my wife Eva, of course, has everything we need to do (not a lot), along with info such as flight information and so forth. It’s a good way to keep all your data together, accessible from anywhere.
6. Local blogs: It’s astounding how many blogs there are out there for any city you’re interested in — in San Francisco, I’ve found local blogs on homeschooling, cycling, running, vegan, locavore, and more. I’ll usually do a Google search for “San Francisco homeschooling” or whatever the topic is, and then open up a bunch of the posts that I find, and check out those blogs. Then I’ll see what blogs those blogs link to, and check those out, and so on, until I’ve found a bunch of great blogs. I’ll dig into each blog’s archives and find a wealth of info. There are even blogs about particular neighborhoods. Wonderful resource.
7. YouTube: Again, not a secret tool, but one that has valuable info on any city. I’ve found YouTube videos showing different SF neighborhoods, along with video tours of some of the apartments I’m interested in, and of course videos of some of the best sights of the city.
8. Walkscore: Brilliant tool, not merely for getting the “walk score” of a neighborhood (basically how close a location is to things people are likely to need/use), but for finding important businesses in each neighborhood. So I’ll click on a neighborhood on the Walkscore site, and then it’ll give me a list of all the movie theaters, restaurants, coffee shops, bookstores, libraries, mass transit stops, and so on. I’ll find the good ones and add them to my all-powerful Google Map.

This all sounds like a lot of work, I’m sure. But it’s not — it’s a lot of fun. I like to feel prepared, and while I could move without doing any of this research, I’m going to be much more ready to hit the ground running once I arrive in San Francisco. And I’ll make a much more informed choice about where to live.

I hope this guide has helped!

Read more from Leo at Zen Habits and mnmlist. Or check out his ebook, The Simple Guide to a Minimalist Life.

Post written by Sherri Kruger. Follow me on Twitter.

Don’t you just love to clean? I know me too!

I haven’t always enjoyed it though. I didn’t like to clean when it took all day or an entire weekend. We weren’t living in filth (let me just clear that up) but I used to put off a lot of things until the weekend, when I had more time. Over the years though I’ve a learned a thing or two about how to make cleaning easier and to get it before it gets me.

Never leave a room empty handed. With two active and inquisitive kids there is always something that needs to be returned somewhere. Whether it’s a sock, a pair of pants, a book or a coffee cup things tend to migrate in our home. When I leave a room I pick up at least one thing that doesn’t belong, more if I can carry it all, and take to where it should be. Doing this little bit through out the day helps cut down on what I need to pick up at the end of the day.

Keep horizontal surfaces clear. There’s a huge temptation to stack, pile or dump things on the first flat surface we encounter. I mean it’s so inviting all that space just waiting to “temporarily” hold something for us. The problem with temporary is it’s rarely ever that. Put things back where they belong as soon as you’re done with them.

Store cleaning products under each sink. This removes some of the friction to cleaning your bathroom or kitchen. Sure consolidating cleaning products into one central location may generate more space and less clutter but I find having the products under each sink to be a lot more convenient. When I’m done getting ready in the bathroom I can give it a quick once over before I leave and it’s done. I know that if the products were down the hall in the kitchen I wouldn’t do it nearly as often and it’s likely to become a bit grungy through out the week.

Reset the house nightly. After dinner, baths and the kids are in bed we usually do a 5 minute run through of the house to pickup and put away anything that has managed to escape my puttering during the day. It’s a great way to tidy up, especially if you have young kids who love to follow you around and “help”. Best part is you’re not faced with a mess to clean when you wake up in the morning. Love it!

Clean as you go. You’ve cooked and enjoyed dinner with the family, now you look at the kitchen <sigh>. A mound of dishes, a bunch of spills and sauces that have baked on. To make cleaning after dinner a breeze try cleaning as you go. Use a bowl to gather scraps of garbage, fill the sink with warm soapy water and wash up as you go, if you have a dishwasher use it, add water to pans with stuck on bits so there’s less elbow grease required to get it clean, and wipe up any spills or messes as they happen. All of this takes only a little extra effort and makes returning to the kitchen after your meal a lot more bearable.

Other bits and pieces that are great for making cleaning less of a chore:

• baby wipes – great for dusting furniture or running over hardwood floors
• lint rollers - great for dusting lamp shades and removing pet hair from furniture and clothing
• mini-vac – great for minor messes, cleaning spilled sugar out of cupboards and giving the stairs a quick once over
• baking soda – removes odors from the freezer, takes stains off of counter tops and out of tea cups. It’s also great for removing crayon from walls
• vinegar – great for washing windows and floors, removing hard water scales from kettles and irons and loosening burnt on food bits at the bottom of pans.
• rags – old socks, t-shirts and kitchen towels make excellent cleaning, dusting and all purpose cloths

The trick is to start with a good foundation. Once your house is clean and tidy it’s much easier to maintain. I’m sure there are a ton of other great ideas on making cleaning or running your home more efficient. Please share whatever you have in your cleaning arsenal so I can add it to mine. :)

Post written by Sherri Kruger. Follow me on Twitter.

Simplicity. How can we make things simpler, more streamlined, or more efficient? Is this all just hype or is there actually something to this simplicity thing?

Reducing complexity in my life has reduced stress, increased free time, and top priorities are actually top priorities. When we simplify as much as we can we are better able to slow down and enjoy each moment as opposed to rushing through it. Here are a few ways you can simplify the various aspects of your life:

1. Turn off your cell phone.

2. Process email only twice a day.

3. Go to bed early.

4. Get rid of (or at least reduce) commitments that you do out of obligation.

5. Create a weekly meal plan.

6. Automate your finances.

7. Purge as much unneeded clutter as possible.

8. Keep your paper shredder on top of your recycling bin.

9. Add items you want to a wish list as you think of them.

10. Get a label maker or write labels out by hand.

11. Set your clothes out for the next day the night before.

12. Make your lunch for the next day the night before.

13. Make time to catch up with an old friend.

14. Just say no.

15. Ask for experiences not things for your birthday and Christmas this year.

16. Tell the truth.

17. Keep your list of addresses and phone numbers up to date.

18. Consolidate debt.

19. Create an organizing system that works for you.

20. Keep a bag for garbage in your car.

21. Cary a notebook and pen with you where ever you go.

22. Unsubscribe from emails, newsletters or RSS feeds that don’t provide value anymore.

23. Apologize immediately when you realize you’ve done wrong.

24. Enjoy the present moment as much as you can.

25. Take time to really see the little things in life.

26. Reduce the amount of TV you watch.

27. Get outside.

28. Create morning, daytime, and evening routines.

29. Ask for help.

30. Do things at home as much as possible (eat, date nights, entertain etc.).

31. Don’t get caught up in other people’s drama.

32. Let go of the self-imposed need to be perfect.

33. Focus on a simple, but healthy, eating plan.

34.  Share responsibilities.

35. Reduce your wardrobe to a few versatile items.

36. Be positive.

37. Start a gratitude journal.

38. Finish old tasks before taking on new ones.

39. For every new item that enters your home set two free.

40. Want what you have not what you don’t.

41. Revisit what you carry with you in your purse or wallet.

42. Focus on one thing at a time.

43. Store new garbage bags at the bottom of your garbage can.

There are countless ways to simplify your life, these are but a few. I’d love to know what you’ve done to move towards a simpler life for yourself. Please share your ideas in the comments.

Post written by Sherri Kruger. Follow me on Twitter.

First of all thank you everyone for sharing all of your fond family memories. Every one of them made me smile.

There were 92 of you who shared your memories and the two winners of Jamie Martin’s book Steady Days are:

Jamie V who shared:

“My most recent fond memory is of the first snow of the season(we live in MI). It didn’t start snowing until right before my 3 year-old daughter went to bed. When she saw all the white wonderness, she says “Mama! Let’s go make tracks!” Now, snow is not my favorite thing, but how can you resist?? So, at 10:30pm we were laughing like lunatics and running around the back yard “making tracks”. I know she probably won’t remember this, but it was such a great time, and I had such clairity in that moment. To KNOW that, even though I didn’t want to go outside, doing so would make a memory that she and I can share for the rest of her life.”

Kim who said:

“My fondest family memory is the one we remake every morning. Without fail both my boys end up in our bed every morning for snuggle time – it’s a nice easy way to wake up and no one has had a chance to be grumpy yet!”

Congratulations Jamie and Kim. I’ve sent you both an email for how to claim your copy.

If you’re not Jamie V or Kim and would still like a copy of Steady Days: A Journey Toward Intentional, Professional Motherhood you can pick it up from Amazon by following the link.

At just 9.85 this book is great value.

Thanks again everyone!

Post written by Sherri Kruger. Follow me on Twitter.

In the seemingly never ending quest to reduce clutter and simplify our lives it’s just hard to let go sometimes.

A few key questions and a clear vision of where you want to be can certainly help keep you going in the right direction.

As you evaluate and re-evaluate what to keep and what to part ways with ask yourself the following:

Do I use it?
Do I care about it?
When I see it does it make me feel happy?

It really does just boil down to these simple questions. If you don’t use something why are you hanging on to it? It’s taking up space and is just one more thing to clean, dust or move when company comes over. If you can’t bear the thought of throwing it away donate it to charity or give it to a relative who has mentioned liking it in the past. Sometimes it’s easier to get rid of something when you know it’s going to a good home.

If you are completely detached and indifferent towards a particular item there’s really no value in keeping it either. It takes up space and even if you aren’t short on space it’s nice sometimes to just have room for the sake of having room. A lighter, airier home can help you feel lighter and airier yourself.

Finally, the items that conjure up feelings of happiness, great memories and those that just make you smile … keep them.

Perhaps a subquestion to this would be: Are these “good” items on display or packed away in a box somewhere out of sight? Items that give you a sense of joy or happiness should hold a place of honor in your home. Any item worth keeping is likely worth displaying prominently in your home. Every time you walk into the room and you see that item, you’ll be met with feelings of warmth and of simply being home.

As we are now well into the new year take some time to look around your home and see if there is anything you could possibly do without. Start small, do a bit each day and before you know it your home, your sanctuary, will feel lighter and a whole lot more inviting.

Post written by Sherri Kruger. Follow me on Twitter.

We’ve all encountered those perky, high-energy parents always smiling, laughing and running around with their kids. These are the same parents who even have time to do things for themselves. All this, while you were just starting to feel proud of yourself for getting the kids up, fed and out the door before noon. Ugh.

Annoying right? Well fear not. I’m going to share with you some of the secrets behind these high-energy parents. Follow these tips and you can be well on your way to becoming one of them yourself.

A note to those high-energy parents reading this article – please don’t take offense to me calling you annoying, I’m really just jealous but working at it. :)

1. Sleep. There’s no coincidence that this is number one. The easiest way to top up your energy level is to start with a great night’s sleep. When the kids are down and the house is quiet grab a book or magazine head off to bed and read for a while. It’s easier to drift off to sleep after some down time and with nothing else to do around the house. Some people need 8 hours of sleep others require less. Get as much as your body requires.

2. Don’t overbook. Don’t try to do too many things in any given day. This is especially true if you have very young kids. Running around all day every day is exhausting and really drains you of energy and enthusiasm. Keep some days, evenings and the occasional weekend open to catch up on rest and to just be still. Don’t feel you need to explain everything all the time either. If you’re busy just say so and if you’re not but would rather have a night off, just say so. No one will think any less of you, in fact you may plant the seed with them to do the same.

3. Get a life. Nothing injects energy and a renewed vibrancy into your life like getting out and having a life of your own. Reconnect with old friends, get a bite to eat after work with a co-worker or meet a close friend for coffee. Avoid a babysitter and invite other parents around with their kids. The kids can play and you can socialize and have much needed adult interaction.

4. Adopt a “good enough” mentality. Very few things will ever be perfect. This includes the state of your house when you have kids or pets. Try and avoid stressing over the piles of laundry, dust bunnies in the corner, or less than perfectly stocked pantry. Plug away at these things a little at a time. Strive for progress not perfection.

5. Have an easy meal night (or two). Keep the gourmet 5 course meals for special occasions or at least limit them to a couple times a month if you wish. Quick, easy, and nutritious meals are great for a family on the go. If you don’t already, seriously consider setting up a weekly or monthly meal plan. It helps take the guess work out of meal time and allows you to eat well consistently.

6. Get active. It seems a bit counter intuitive but the more you get up and get moving the more energy you’ll have. Get back into an activity you used to love or try something entirely new. Think aerobics, kick-boxing, yoga or weight training. Try running, signing up for a dance class, or start swimming.

7. Do what you love. Doing something you’re passionate about energizes you. Passion allows you to get excited about something and it rarely feels like work. Do you really enjoy painting, drawing, or photography? Or is writing, dancing, or teaching more your thing? Don’t know what you’re passionate about? Dabble. Dabble in a bunch of different things to see what gets you excited. Things you fear may not be enjoyable could turn out to be your new love. Have an open mind and go for it.

8. Get help. One sure fire way to burn out is to try and do everything yourself. You are not superwoman or superman so stop holding yourself to this unrealistic expectation. Ask for help. Get your kids to take part in some of the chores. My two year old helps me clear the table and load the dishwasher. I’ve never really asked him to do it but he just likes to be included and to do what we do. Hey, works for me! If you’re having a dinner party ask people to bring a main dish, a dessert, or a salad. It’ll save you from spending the entire day cooking and from being exhausted even before your guests arrive.

9. Live to your own schedule. Every family is different and what works for one may not work for another. Set your own schedule and manage your time around your passions and those of your family. Time management is key for preventing burn out. Read more on this in our article: 7 Time Management Techniques For Real Families.

10. Down time. Nothing zaps our energy more than feeling like we’re “on” all the time. Serving others is great and when it’s done out of love it doesn’t feel like a chore or that it’s even draining your energy. Given enough time, you will eventually feel exhausted, lethargic and just tired over all. Take some time out just for yourself. Book a massage, get a facial or meditate. Take a nature walk, people watch in the park or soak in the tub with a good book and soft music. Whatever it is, it’s important to have some down time and just be alone with your thoughts.

Next time you see a parent who’s full of energy, happy and enjoying life take a look at what they’re doing. Odds are they’re doing things they love. It’s tough to fake enthusiasm for the long haul but if you align your activities with your priorities and stop trying to do it all, you’ll find you will soon have energy to spare.

What have I missed? What are some other things we can do to up our energy levels as parents?

Post written by Sherri Kruger. Follow me on Twitter.

If you have children then you know all too well that they come with toys. Many MANY toys. Those toys seem to multiply every week. Some toys are great they can spark imagination, creativity and a sense of wonder in little ones. They can help pass a rainy afternoon and even provide valuable insight into our child’s world.

Although these toys are good I don’t like the idea of them taking over the entire house. My solution: an area the kids could play in, store their toys and books, make a mess and not have to clean it up right away. If you are still fighting with messes, stepping on Lego, or tripping on trucks then perhaps these tips are worth a shot.

1. Blend it in. I wanted the kids area to be fun and bright to spark imagination and creativity but I did not want it to stand out like a sore thumb from the rest of the house. We chose subtle colors that complimented those we have throughout the rest of the house.

2. Make it inviting. There are ways to make the area inviting without making it too kiddie like. We have pictures of the boys on the walls using large frames. The play area is well lit so even on gloomy, overcast days it’s not a dreary place to be. There is a colorful play mat on the floor and it opens to the living-room and computer room so the kids don’t feel completely removed from the rest of us.

3. Limit the amount of furniture. Kids like a large open area to play in. Trucks need to be pushed around, mega blocks need to be stacked and forts need to be built. Our play area is in the basement at the base of the stairs. In their play area is a set of cube shelves we bought to store books and most of their toys. It’s tucked in the corner of the room so as not to take up much space. For Christmas we’ve added bean bag chairs to the boys lists and when they are a little bit older we’ll get a craft table of sorts so they can create their works of art.

4. Make it educational. It’s sometimes difficult to separate educational from boring. Along one wall of the play room we created an alphabet tree, it is fun, educational but still matches the overall feel of our home. We had large vinyl letters and numbers printed with an adhesive backing. We used the large letters as the trunk of a tree and the small letters as a branch. We painted on branches and leaves and placed the numbers throughout the branches. We hung a large clock with real numbers, not roman numerals, to teach the boys to count and tell time. We also painted a magnetic chalk board on another wall for them to draw on and play with their magnetic alphabet.

5. Limit the amount of toys. If you have a thousand and one toys for your children to play with try stashing some away for later. What I’ve found is the more toys my eldest son has access too the less he plays with any of them. He becomes overwhelmed with the choices and in the end chooses not to play with them at all. We have 2 plastic bins that we use to rotate through their toys. Every month or two we pull out the bins. The toys that were out now get stored and toys from storage are out to be played with. This has worked very well for our boys. With fewer toys to choose from their attention is held longer on the ones that are out and every couple of months it’s like getting brand new toys.

We have a very open home. Our kids are welcomed in every corner of it. We have no “kid-free zones” but at the same time I don’t want to have their toys take over every corner of the house. With a little planning, forethought and a lot of love we’ve created a space where our kids can be kids and we can enjoy the space too.

Post written by Sherri Kruger. Follow me on Twitter.

The general sentiment around productivity is to get more done in less time. While this is great in theory, focusing solely on getting the most done can lead to burning out. This is only compounded when you throw managing a home and family into the mix.

Whether your family is large or small, time management should be a priority. Taking a bit of time upfront to plan a schedule or routine can reduce stress and allow your family to function optimally.

1. Limit commitments. This is where you’ll get the biggest bang for your time management buck. Reduce the number of committees, groups, teams and activities you participate in. Choose only those that are really important to you and that you are happy to be doing. Continuing to participate in something out of a feeling of obligation is not good. Learn to say no. Realize that when you say yes to one thing you are saying no to something else. All too often that something else we say no to, is our family or ourselves.

2. Focus on real deadlines. The trick with deadlines is they wreak havoc mentally. Setting a deadline is one thing, sticking to it and not letting the day lapse is something else. Think of the last time you missed a deadline, we’ve all done it. How did it make you feel? Did you feel bad? Did you get down on yourself? I used to. The thing with deadlines is a lot of them are self imposed. Meaning we set them for ourselves but there aren’t any real consequences to not meeting them. Instead, focus on those that must be met. Things like bill due dates, doctor appointments, birthdays, and taking the garbage out on garbage day. Entering these true deadlines in a family calendar (see point 3) will provide a framework around which all other activities can be slotted into.

3. Create a family calendar. This can be as high tech or as low tech as you want it to be. The key to a useful family calendar is that it should be easy for everyone to use and accessible to everyone. I like the idea of using a good old fashioned flip calendar but you can use an online version, whiteboard or chalkboard. It’s up to you and your family. Start by filling in the regular commitments of all of your family members. Things like, soccer practice, yoga, doctors appointments, business trips, and garbage day. Then fill in the other date-independent plans each of you have. I prefer to do these a week at a time. Life and circumstances change so by filling in the calendar one week at a time it allows for some flexibility.

4. Get the right tools. Decide on what tools will work the best with your family given space, time and financial constraints. If PDAs (handheld computers) work for everyone, and you can afford it, then add them to your list. If you’re like me a whiteboard or paper calendar will do just fine. Consider color coding each person so their responsibilities and commitments are immediately obvious. What else do you require? An inbox or two? Post-it Notes for taking messages or leaving reminders for other people in your house? An assortment of colored pens or markers? Just give a thought to what you need, see if you can make do with what you already have and purchase what is still remaining.

5. Be realistic. You are not Superman/Superwoman. There is no way you can be in two places at the same time. Yes, something has to give. This relates back to point 1 in that for every new commitment you take on board you will be taking time away from something else. Consider and reconsider adding any more responsibilities to your family and start saying no. It’s your job to make sure you and your family are being well taken care of. Every member of your family should feel their needs are being met and not neglected.

6. Reduce clutter. It’s difficult to be efficient and to manage your time wisely if you are constantly rummaging through piles of paper, mounds of clothing, boxes and papers. It doesn’t help that when you do eventually find something it’s run out of ink, batteries or otherwise. Reducing clutter can help your family to run like a well oiled machine. When things have a home it’s easier to maintain order. Start by clearing a spot for your family calendar or message centre and work out from there. Do it in small bits and work as a team to get everything in the most logical place.

7. Work as a team. It’s difficult enough to come up with a plan that everyone will stick to and follow. What makes it even more difficult is when you do it alone and dictate to the others “how it’s going to be”. The best way to get everyone on board is to include them. Include them in the brainstorming, organizing, shopping and executing. Put ideas out there and allow for discussion. Take other ideas on board and see where they lead you. Some of the best ideas come out of group chats. One idea leads to another, leads to yet another and finally leads to the best one of the day.

Time management takes persistence and patience to master. Working together to get a system that works well for your family is what’s important. Try leaving a couple nights a week free to accommodate for emergencies or rescheduling or just a good family fun night. Once you’ve decided on a system give it time to take hold. If it’s still not working for you after a few weeks get together and re-think it. What’s working? What’s not? You shouldn’t feel as though this is set in stone. Be open to change. You’ll be operating like a well oiled, stress and chaos free family in no time.