One day, when my children were even smaller, I realized that instead of being a stay-home mom, I was Alice from the Brady Bunch. Somewhere Carol was off having fun with the kids while I was keeping the house. Since there really was no Carol, I realized that my kids were, instead, doing things without me. And frequently begging for my attention. And they were little. Like one and three. I was missing all the fun bonding stuff because I was doing laundry or vacuuming. I had to get a plan for this because I was missing too much for no real gain. But, I REALLY can't stand it when my house is dirty. What to do...
I organized my to-do list.
It's an incredibly simple concept. And an old one, to boot. You'll be surprised you didn't think of it earlier. First, make a list of all the household chores that need to be done weekly. Then, make a weekly "chore" list and stick to it as much as possible. It may be awful the first week as you let some things go, but by week two it will be coming together. With a list like this, you (in rotation) get everything done - one chore a day. That leaves you quite a bit of free time to enjoy life.
Here is my list as an example:
Monday - Laundry (wash/dry)
Tuesday - Laundry (fold & put away)
Wednesday - Clean Bathrooms
Thursday - Clean Kitchen
Friday - Floors (swiffer/mop/vaccuum)
I always do my best to get this one simple chore done a day if I can - even if I have to stay up late to do it - but, life can still throw you off track. If you miss a day for some reason, just double up the next day. Whatever it takes. It's still better knowing that once you get that one thing (or even two things) done that you can and should stop. The rest will be done, in turn, later.
Here at my house, Mondays and Tuesdays are the worst. I hate laundry. But I hate it even more when there is ALWAYS laundry to do. It gets overwhelming to me and I feel like it's getting the best of me. Never any progress. Always laundry to do. So, I buck up and get it overwith and then forget it for the other five days. Your chore list will be different. Your family has different needs. But, you get the idea.
You probably noticed that I left grocery shopping off. Intentionally. My grocery list changes too much for me to put it on a regular schedule. I run out of things and need things for this or that at irregular times. Or right now. Plus, sometimes an evening will work better - after Tony is home. Or he may stop and pick up a few things on his way home from work. But you may need to work it into your week's schedule. Whatever works for you.
With this weekly schedule method, the house is never THAT bad. Sure, the floors may need vaccumming, but it'll happen. On Friday.
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Monday, May 10, 2010
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Putting the winter away.
Pack away Winter the easy way.
Everytime Spring rolls around, there is a "changeout of seasonal stuff" at our house. Some things are a pain no matter how you do it - like moving out Winter clothes and moving in the Spring ones. You have to try it all on, then make sure it's clean before you re-pack it or donate it. But not all of it has to be difficult, though. You just have to set it up right the first time around.
Winter Accessories
In our house, each person has a fabric bin in the closet for their own hats, mittens, gloves,
scarves, etc. I used to dump all of these out and pack it all away each Spring and refill them with warm weather stuff like balls, bubbles, sidewalk chalk and other small yard toys. Then I got smart (aka lazy) and decided to just make an investment in four more identical bins. Now when Spring rolls around I just grab all the bins and carry them downstairs and put them in a extra closet. I replace them with the Summer bins that are still filled from last fall. Completely worth the extra $25.
Winter Car Gear
Now is the perfect time to make that winter car emergency kit that all the experts tell you you should have. Then pack it away for the summer. You have to clean all that stuff out of your car and your closet anyway. We do have a winter car emergency kit. I made it years ago. It's old and ugly - but really, it stays in my garage, so who cares? It only goes in my van when we are taking a road trip since I'm pretty sure we'd survive if we go stranded on 169.
To make your own, first find an old duffle bag. Fill it with a few pairs of old gloves/mittens, hats/scarves, warm socks and maybe even boots if you have room. This is the perfect place for the items that still fit but are out of style or stained. (If you ever need them, no one will see you wearing them!) You also need candy bars, a few bottles of water a flashlight with batteries (keep the batteries separate), etc. You can find a list online. Then, this time of year, you can throw all your ice scrapers on top, pick the whole thing up and move it into a closet until Fall when you need it again.
Ahh.... Spring. It's official. Please hurry back! My children need more fresh air!
Everytime Spring rolls around, there is a "changeout of seasonal stuff" at our house. Some things are a pain no matter how you do it - like moving out Winter clothes and moving in the Spring ones. You have to try it all on, then make sure it's clean before you re-pack it or donate it. But not all of it has to be difficult, though. You just have to set it up right the first time around.
Winter Accessories
In our house, each person has a fabric bin in the closet for their own hats, mittens, gloves,
scarves, etc. I used to dump all of these out and pack it all away each Spring and refill them with warm weather stuff like balls, bubbles, sidewalk chalk and other small yard toys. Then I got smart (aka lazy) and decided to just make an investment in four more identical bins. Now when Spring rolls around I just grab all the bins and carry them downstairs and put them in a extra closet. I replace them with the Summer bins that are still filled from last fall. Completely worth the extra $25.Winter Car Gear
Now is the perfect time to make that winter car emergency kit that all the experts tell you you should have. Then pack it away for the summer. You have to clean all that stuff out of your car and your closet anyway. We do have a winter car emergency kit. I made it years ago. It's old and ugly - but really, it stays in my garage, so who cares? It only goes in my van when we are taking a road trip since I'm pretty sure we'd survive if we go stranded on 169.
To make your own, first find an old duffle bag. Fill it with a few pairs of old gloves/mittens, hats/scarves, warm socks and maybe even boots if you have room. This is the perfect place for the items that still fit but are out of style or stained. (If you ever need them, no one will see you wearing them!) You also need candy bars, a few bottles of water a flashlight with batteries (keep the batteries separate), etc. You can find a list online. Then, this time of year, you can throw all your ice scrapers on top, pick the whole thing up and move it into a closet until Fall when you need it again.
Ahh.... Spring. It's official. Please hurry back! My children need more fresh air!
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
If you only ever read one thing on this blog, read this:
10 Habits of Highly Organized People by Sara Stebbins
- reprinted from Oprah.com
(Thank you to Lisa for finding this!)
1. Walk away from bargains
Just because you can buy a cashmere sweater for $20 or three bottles of ketchup for the price of one doesn't mean you should. "Ask, 'Do I have something similar?' and 'Where am I going to store it?' before making a purchase," advises New York City professional organizer Julie Morgenstern, author of Shed Your Stuff, Change Your Life.
2. Make peace with imperfection
Efficient people give "A-level effort" to the most important projects (say, work assignments or a kitchen redesign), and for the rest they do just enough to get the job done, says Renae Reinardy, PsyD, a psychologist who specializes in hoarding disorders. Maybe you give yourself permission to bring store-bought cookies to a school bake sale or donate a bag of stuff—unsorted!—to Goodwill. "Trying to do every task perfectly is the easiest way to get bogged down," says Reinardy.
3. Never label anything "miscellaneous
"You put a bunch of things into a file or box and write this catchall across the front. "But within a week you've forgotten what's in there," says Morgenstern. Instead, sort items into specific groups—"electric bills," "lightbulbs," and so on.
4. Schedule regular decluttering sessions
Rather than wait until an industrious mood strikes (we all know where that leads), have a decluttering routine in place—whether it's spending 15 minutes sorting mail after work or tackling a new project every Sunday afternoon.
5. Stick with what works
"I have clients who will try every line of makeup, every cell phone—it's exhausting," says Dorothy Breininger, president of the Delphi Center for Organization. Don't waste time (and money) obsessively seeking out the best thing.
6. Create a dump zone
Find a space to corral all the stuff that you don't have time to put away the moment you step in the door, says Breininger. Once you're ready to get organized, you won't have to hunt all over the house for the dry cleaning or your child's field trip permission slip.
7. Ask for help
"The organized person is willing to expose herself to short-term embarrassment and call for backup," says Breininger. Which is to say, that elaborate four-course dinner you planned? Change it to a potluck.
8. Separate emotions from possessions
It's healthy to be attached to certain items—a vase you picked up in Paris, your grandmother's pearls. But holey concert tees or cheap, scuffed earrings your husband gave you years ago? Just let them go.
9. Foresee (and avoid) problems
You wouldn't leave the house on a gray day without an umbrella, right? People who appear to sail through life unruffled apply this thinking to every scenario, says Breininger. Have a cabinet packed with leaning towers of Tupperware? Organized folks will take a few minutes to short-circuit an avalanche before it happens. (In other words, rearranging that cupboard now is easier than chasing after wayward lids as they scatter underneath the fridge.)
10. Know where to donate
It's easier to part with belongings if they're going to a good home. Identify a neighbor's son who fits into your child's outgrown clothes, or choose a favorite charity. "It will save you from searching for the perfect recipient every time you need to unload something," says Morgenstern.
- reprinted from Oprah.com
(Thank you to Lisa for finding this!)
1. Walk away from bargains
Just because you can buy a cashmere sweater for $20 or three bottles of ketchup for the price of one doesn't mean you should. "Ask, 'Do I have something similar?' and 'Where am I going to store it?' before making a purchase," advises New York City professional organizer Julie Morgenstern, author of Shed Your Stuff, Change Your Life.
2. Make peace with imperfection
Efficient people give "A-level effort" to the most important projects (say, work assignments or a kitchen redesign), and for the rest they do just enough to get the job done, says Renae Reinardy, PsyD, a psychologist who specializes in hoarding disorders. Maybe you give yourself permission to bring store-bought cookies to a school bake sale or donate a bag of stuff—unsorted!—to Goodwill. "Trying to do every task perfectly is the easiest way to get bogged down," says Reinardy.
3. Never label anything "miscellaneous
"You put a bunch of things into a file or box and write this catchall across the front. "But within a week you've forgotten what's in there," says Morgenstern. Instead, sort items into specific groups—"electric bills," "lightbulbs," and so on.
4. Schedule regular decluttering sessions
Rather than wait until an industrious mood strikes (we all know where that leads), have a decluttering routine in place—whether it's spending 15 minutes sorting mail after work or tackling a new project every Sunday afternoon.
5. Stick with what works
"I have clients who will try every line of makeup, every cell phone—it's exhausting," says Dorothy Breininger, president of the Delphi Center for Organization. Don't waste time (and money) obsessively seeking out the best thing.
6. Create a dump zone
Find a space to corral all the stuff that you don't have time to put away the moment you step in the door, says Breininger. Once you're ready to get organized, you won't have to hunt all over the house for the dry cleaning or your child's field trip permission slip.
7. Ask for help
"The organized person is willing to expose herself to short-term embarrassment and call for backup," says Breininger. Which is to say, that elaborate four-course dinner you planned? Change it to a potluck.
8. Separate emotions from possessions
It's healthy to be attached to certain items—a vase you picked up in Paris, your grandmother's pearls. But holey concert tees or cheap, scuffed earrings your husband gave you years ago? Just let them go.
9. Foresee (and avoid) problems
You wouldn't leave the house on a gray day without an umbrella, right? People who appear to sail through life unruffled apply this thinking to every scenario, says Breininger. Have a cabinet packed with leaning towers of Tupperware? Organized folks will take a few minutes to short-circuit an avalanche before it happens. (In other words, rearranging that cupboard now is easier than chasing after wayward lids as they scatter underneath the fridge.)
10. Know where to donate
It's easier to part with belongings if they're going to a good home. Identify a neighbor's son who fits into your child's outgrown clothes, or choose a favorite charity. "It will save you from searching for the perfect recipient every time you need to unload something," says Morgenstern.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Get out of the house faster, part 2.
Bag it up, baby.
This one is a serious time saver. Many of you already do this, so if you do - pat yourself on the back. If you don't - start tomorrow.
Once you get out of the "diaper bag" phase and ease back into having just a purse, you will be elated. This is the same age at which your children slowly begin to be involved in activites. And you also walk back out into the sunlight, from that baby fog you have been living in and have activites. Activities can be anything from swimming lessons to MOPS to going to the beach on a hot summer day. Activites need stuff. They also seem to need the EXACT SAME STUFF each time you do them (That is a hint...).
If you find that each week before swimming lessons you are running around with an empty bag looking for goggles a towel and shampoo, then you are doing it the hard way. Ditto any activity.
Each soccer practice needs shoes, the shirt, sunglasses, water bottle & socks. Spread all over the house, right?
What about the beach? Total nightmare, right? Goggles, a towel, beach toys, the special beach mat and in my case the big beach tent because MOMMY NEEDS SOME SHADE. Toys are in the garage, towel is in the bathroom, goggles are who knows where.
The answer is easy, but may take a mind shift. Here it goes. Keep it packed. Find a bag for each activity and dedicate it ONLY TO ONE ACTIVITY. Yes, I know that the towels get dirty after swimming lessons and that both the beach AND swimming lessons require goggles. After you wash the towel, rather than put it back on the shelf, roll it up and put it in your swimming lesson bag (or if it is summer, right into a beach bag). If you have lessons in the summer, buy two pairs of goggles. Seriously, it won't break the bank, I promise.
You know you own enough water bottles to keep one in your gym bag AND have one in Jr's soccer bag. Same with sunblock - if you don't already have two bottles floating around, buy an extra. Keep one in the beach bag and the other in the soccer bag. That way you won't forget it and you don't have to go looking for it. With this easy solution, the kids can even help. I can just tell Lily to go get her swimming bag and out the door we go.
I have one bag I keep for myself for going to the Y. I keep my magazines and catalogs that I want to read, my waterbottle, my ipod, my gym card and my workout shoes (several times prior to doing this I got to the Y and found I had forgotten them and had to go home or workout in my snow boots! Totally annoying...).
At first thought, you are probably thinking "That is a lot of different bags!", but it is sooooo much easier. If you can, keep the packed bags in your front door closet. If you can't do that or it isn't practical, put them in your childrens closet or downstairs by the laundry (swimming bag).
Let me know your thoughts....
This one is a serious time saver. Many of you already do this, so if you do - pat yourself on the back. If you don't - start tomorrow.
Once you get out of the "diaper bag" phase and ease back into having just a purse, you will be elated. This is the same age at which your children slowly begin to be involved in activites. And you also walk back out into the sunlight, from that baby fog you have been living in and have activites. Activities can be anything from swimming lessons to MOPS to going to the beach on a hot summer day. Activites need stuff. They also seem to need the EXACT SAME STUFF each time you do them (That is a hint...).
If you find that each week before swimming lessons you are running around with an empty bag looking for goggles a towel and shampoo, then you are doing it the hard way. Ditto any activity.
Each soccer practice needs shoes, the shirt, sunglasses, water bottle & socks. Spread all over the house, right?
What about the beach? Total nightmare, right? Goggles, a towel, beach toys, the special beach mat and in my case the big beach tent because MOMMY NEEDS SOME SHADE. Toys are in the garage, towel is in the bathroom, goggles are who knows where.
The answer is easy, but may take a mind shift. Here it goes. Keep it packed. Find a bag for each activity and dedicate it ONLY TO ONE ACTIVITY. Yes, I know that the towels get dirty after swimming lessons and that both the beach AND swimming lessons require goggles. After you wash the towel, rather than put it back on the shelf, roll it up and put it in your swimming lesson bag (or if it is summer, right into a beach bag). If you have lessons in the summer, buy two pairs of goggles. Seriously, it won't break the bank, I promise.
You know you own enough water bottles to keep one in your gym bag AND have one in Jr's soccer bag. Same with sunblock - if you don't already have two bottles floating around, buy an extra. Keep one in the beach bag and the other in the soccer bag. That way you won't forget it and you don't have to go looking for it. With this easy solution, the kids can even help. I can just tell Lily to go get her swimming bag and out the door we go.
I have one bag I keep for myself for going to the Y. I keep my magazines and catalogs that I want to read, my waterbottle, my ipod, my gym card and my workout shoes (several times prior to doing this I got to the Y and found I had forgotten them and had to go home or workout in my snow boots! Totally annoying...).
At first thought, you are probably thinking "That is a lot of different bags!", but it is sooooo much easier. If you can, keep the packed bags in your front door closet. If you can't do that or it isn't practical, put them in your childrens closet or downstairs by the laundry (swimming bag).
Let me know your thoughts....
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Get out of the house faster.
A couple of years ago I had a revelation. I spent way too much time searching for my keys.
Most days it was probably only five minutes per trip out of the house. But sometimes it was way more. Fifteen, twenty minutes on a really bad day. Time spent searching all the logical spots - in coat pockets (but which coat?), digging around that deep, dark abyss I call a purse and searching under paper piles. All the while getting later and later for whatever I was leaving at the last minute for.
When I was in junior high school, my Mom had this key fob that would beep if you whistled for it. Of course, your keys had to be nearby for that to work. Kind of embarrassing in public places, too.
I decided to go low tech to solve my problem. I attached a carabiner to my keys. Now the first thing I do when I get out of the car is attach my keys to my purse. Everytime. If I don't have a purse, I attach them to whatever I have that won't be leaving me. Beltloops on jeans work great, too. If I leave the house on average of three times a day, that means I could easily be searching for my keys 5 times. If I save even only 5 minutes per time, that is 25 minutes a day! Could be more depending on how long you normally search.
Simple. I love it. They sell these things everywhere, too. Most hardware stores have bins of them and they are usually around $1.00. Well worth it.
Most days it was probably only five minutes per trip out of the house. But sometimes it was way more. Fifteen, twenty minutes on a really bad day. Time spent searching all the logical spots - in coat pockets (but which coat?), digging around that deep, dark abyss I call a purse and searching under paper piles. All the while getting later and later for whatever I was leaving at the last minute for.
When I was in junior high school, my Mom had this key fob that would beep if you whistled for it. Of course, your keys had to be nearby for that to work. Kind of embarrassing in public places, too.
I decided to go low tech to solve my problem. I attached a carabiner to my keys. Now the first thing I do when I get out of the car is attach my keys to my purse. Everytime. If I don't have a purse, I attach them to whatever I have that won't be leaving me. Beltloops on jeans work great, too. If I leave the house on average of three times a day, that means I could easily be searching for my keys 5 times. If I save even only 5 minutes per time, that is 25 minutes a day! Could be more depending on how long you normally search.
Simple. I love it. They sell these things everywhere, too. Most hardware stores have bins of them and they are usually around $1.00. Well worth it.
Friday, February 26, 2010
I Love Bed Bath and Beyond
I have a confession. I really love Bed Bath and Beyond. Perhaps too much. It's really a dangerous place, though. It is full of thousands of things that you didn't know you needed until you saw them there. When you do see them, you think "I can't believe I don't have one of these! How did I ever live without??" If you have better self control than I, BB&B is a great store for making space.
Hang it up.
Hooks really do make life easier. I just bought some little hook racks for hanging belts on a wall. I already had one, but decided to get a second one for organizing my long necklaces. Not the delicate ones - the chunky bead types. I've tried putting them all in a basket, but I usually forget that I own the ones on the bottom and miss out on wearing them. I've tried a traditional necklace stand, but found that it is really meant for shorter "collar length" strands. The long ones just pooled on the dresser top and tangled. You can hang these little versatile hook racks on the wall inside your closet, for belts, or inside a bathroom cabinet or directly on a wall of your choosing for necklaces. Now maybe I won't wear the same necklace everyday because I don't feel like digging for another!
Hang it up.
Hooks really do make life easier. I just bought some little hook racks for hanging belts on a wall. I already had one, but decided to get a second one for organizing my long necklaces. Not the delicate ones - the chunky bead types. I've tried putting them all in a basket, but I usually forget that I own the ones on the bottom and miss out on wearing them. I've tried a traditional necklace stand, but found that it is really meant for shorter "collar length" strands. The long ones just pooled on the dresser top and tangled. You can hang these little versatile hook racks on the wall inside your closet, for belts, or inside a bathroom cabinet or directly on a wall of your choosing for necklaces. Now maybe I won't wear the same necklace everyday because I don't feel like digging for another!
While I'm lauding the virtues of hooks, I have to ask why no one told me sooner that it is much easier to have towel hooks in the bathroom rather than a towel rod?? We just moved. Our old house had two bathrooms. Both came well equiped with towel rods. All good bathrooms do.
Our children could not reach the towel rods and I'm pretty sure that even if they could they would probably not have hung the towels "nicely". So, after every bath, my husband or I would hang their towels on the hooks behind the bathroom door. We hung our two towels on the towel rod. Nicely - otherwise they wouldn't fit. In our new home, the master bathroom only had one dinky towel rod fit for a hand towel. No place at all for bath towels. Seriously, what did the previous owners do with their towels? Left them on the floor, I guess. Looking at our options, we realize that there wasn't a good place for a towel rod anywhere within reach of the shower. So, we used our only (I thought inferior) option. A double, side-by-side hook. I love it. So easy. Quicker to use and you can't do it wrong. I'm getting another one soon for the hand towel. The little towel rod is on it's way out.
By the way, it is very difficult to find really big double hooks like this one. I searched near and far before I stumbled upon this one at (where else?) B, B & B. Most of the other hooks that I could find were short ones, only about an inch long. The towels would not stay on them.The kid's bathroom is also getting hooks for their bath towels. That bathroom is getting the board with the four hooks already attached and it is going behind the door. And I'm going to be smart - I'm hanging it low where they can reach it. Yes, it looks strange hanging in the middle of the door, but if they can't reach it they won't use it and I've given myself another job to do.
Have a great weekend,
Tamara
Have a great weekend,
Tamara
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Moving forward
My new acquaintance, Tim, is going to be helping me make this idea official. I have the idea and the work ethic, but none of the business "know-how". Tim tells me that to get the most out of a new business, and not let it falter, a focus group is in my future. Although I am completely uncomfortable with this, I am going to step out and do it. He knows better than I in this case. It will be interesting to pick the brains of my target demographic.
Tim is also the one who tells me that I MUST have a blog. It is essential in today's small business world. Perhaps. But I draw the line at twitter. If no one reads my blog, I will be blissfully unaware. I'm pretty sure that if I was sending off tweets, I would need subscribers and that would just be depressing if no one wanted to receive them! My fragile ego couldn't take that. ;-) Plus, Twitter is annoying and a bit narcissistic.
But what exactly am I supposed to put in a blog? Apparently tips and ideas. Alrighty then.
Here are a couple to start my zero readers out:
Don't throw out the training potty!
It's so simple you'll be shocked you didn't think of it before.
Keep your training potty in the trunk of your car or back of your van for emergencies! The “under-five” set is notorious for urgency. Our 4 year old always needed to go “right now” a mile after we pass the rest stop on trips. We’ve also used it many times at the older brother’s soccer games and our favorite school park that has no bathroom. Necessary accessories: a handful of plastic grocery bags (pre-checked for no holes to use for liners, wet wipes or a roll of t.p. and hand sanitizer. When you are done, you can just tie it up and toss it out.
Why are puzzle boxes so big?
Gather up all your puzzles. Notice how the box is many times larger than the puzzle pieces inside? I think puzzles take up WAY too much room and they keep falling open and losing pieces - but - kids love them and they are really great educational tools for preschoolers and young gradeschoolers.
What to do?
Depending on the size of the puzzle, use either a gallon or quart -sized zip lock baggie as a new home for each puzzle. (The key is having the sliding zipper top that little hands can do or you will gain space, but still lose pieces.) Cut out the picture from the front of the puzzle box and put it inside the baggie with the pieces - you need that so you know what the finished puzzle should look like. It's OK to trim it close or even fold it to make it fit in the bag. Put all the puzzles in bags in a basket or other container and place them within your child's reach. You'll be surprised how often they will use them.
Tim is also the one who tells me that I MUST have a blog. It is essential in today's small business world. Perhaps. But I draw the line at twitter. If no one reads my blog, I will be blissfully unaware. I'm pretty sure that if I was sending off tweets, I would need subscribers and that would just be depressing if no one wanted to receive them! My fragile ego couldn't take that. ;-) Plus, Twitter is annoying and a bit narcissistic.
But what exactly am I supposed to put in a blog? Apparently tips and ideas. Alrighty then.
Here are a couple to start my zero readers out:
Don't throw out the training potty!
It's so simple you'll be shocked you didn't think of it before.
Keep your training potty in the trunk of your car or back of your van for emergencies! The “under-five” set is notorious for urgency. Our 4 year old always needed to go “right now” a mile after we pass the rest stop on trips. We’ve also used it many times at the older brother’s soccer games and our favorite school park that has no bathroom. Necessary accessories: a handful of plastic grocery bags (pre-checked for no holes to use for liners, wet wipes or a roll of t.p. and hand sanitizer. When you are done, you can just tie it up and toss it out.
Why are puzzle boxes so big?
Gather up all your puzzles. Notice how the box is many times larger than the puzzle pieces inside? I think puzzles take up WAY too much room and they keep falling open and losing pieces - but - kids love them and they are really great educational tools for preschoolers and young gradeschoolers.
What to do?
Depending on the size of the puzzle, use either a gallon or quart -sized zip lock baggie as a new home for each puzzle. (The key is having the sliding zipper top that little hands can do or you will gain space, but still lose pieces.) Cut out the picture from the front of the puzzle box and put it inside the baggie with the pieces - you need that so you know what the finished puzzle should look like. It's OK to trim it close or even fold it to make it fit in the bag. Put all the puzzles in bags in a basket or other container and place them within your child's reach. You'll be surprised how often they will use them.
This is a picture of our basket full of puzzles. I didn't count, but I bet there are at least 20 of them - in all sizes.
Make your stuff fit in your space, don't try to make your life fit in your stuff!
Tamara
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