Becoming More Organized

Since it is the beginning of a New Year one of my goals is to become more organized. As a teacher I was very organized. Everything had a label, everything had a place, and I had a bin for everything! As I became a stay at home mom I started feeling completely unorganized. With a 3 year old and a 10 month old some days we go through the day and whatever happens, happens, but I do try to keep a general "schedule" for the day. I actually made a picture schedule of our day for Alexandra using one of my pocket charts and index cards so she could see what we would be doing. Ask me the last time we actually went out to the playroom and looked at it. Actually don't ask me because I'm ashamed to say that it's been before Thanksgiving. I think I always have good intentions when putting something into place but then I find something that may work better. I really do want to get back into following that schedule again.

I tend to be a list making kind of girl. I am a visual person and I like writing (or more often typing) a list up so that I can cross off the items once they are completed. So recently I have been searching for a few organizational lists online from meal planners to cleaning lists and lists to organized activities that I want top do with Alexandra each day. Actually I've found a few lists over at Money Saving Mom that I think I am going to print out and use to keep me more organized.

I also downloaded an app on my iPad that is a Chore chart for Alex. She is only 3.5  but there are several small "jobs" she can do around the house to help out and the best part is that she asks me to do them (well most of them....sometimes it's a struggle to get her to brush her teeth and pick up toys). But on her chart I created her chores and when she completes them she gets to add the check mark to her chart. She likes hearing the the sound it makes when she adds the check mark too. She's easily pleased I guess.

At this point getting checks on the chart is good enough for her but I may set a goal and when she gets a certain number of checks she can choose a small prize or we can do a special activity together. She does like to please  me and when she sees that I am proud of her her face just lights up! I hope that intrinsic motivation sticks with her for a long time!

I'm actually excited to start making my lists and get organized!