Smartphone alarms + thematic music = Less Nagging

Do you look up at the clock in the morning and realize that, yes, your family is behind schedule, again?

Do you have a hard time remembering to stop to eat lunch, leave for the day, or floss your teeth?

Consider enlisting your smartphone for help! Set thematic songs as alarm ringtones for critical or forgettable parts of your routines.

Songs catch our attention more than clocks or even timers, and are easily recognized by kids too young to read a clock.

Start by picking one or two trouble spots. These might be transitions, like waking or leaving for school, or good habits you want to cultivate, like consistently eating lunch or cleaning your desk before stopping for the day.

This playlist can get you started: http://proforganizer.com/about/routinesplaylist/ 

Add more songs as necessary to support your family’s daily routine. With small kids, songs every 5-10 minutes throughout morning routine and bedtime routine makes it easier to be firm and consistent, improves everyone’s ability to estimate time, and replaces nagging with dancing!

It might take some experimenting to find out which times work best for each step, and which steps need to be added. Ask the kids which songs would keep them on track, and what they want a reminder about! Challenge the kids to “beat the pajama song.”

Every few months, delete any alarms that you regularly ignore, adjust the times of others if needed, and add new songs to keep things fresh and relevant.

And be sure to listen to Kate Carpenter’s song “Orderly and Organized.” If professional organizers had a theme song, this might be it!  The link is:

http://www.broadjam.com/player/player.php?mediaID=572528

Organizing your routines is easier than you think!  For more organizing tips, visit www.NapoMichigan.com. 

Article written by Melanie Sobocinski, of Prof Organizer LLC, NAPO Chapter Member.

The Island of Misfit Toys

How to deal with toys.

Step 1: Break the project down into manageable parts.
It is probably unrealistic to tackle all the toys in your home at one time. Instead, pick one shelf, drawer, or box at a time.

Step 2: Sort toys into categories.
While there are many categories for toys, here are some common ones: stuffed animals, dolls, books, vehicles, kitchen, dress up, puzzles, and games.

Step 3: Go through the toys and figure out what to keep.
Some questions to ask that will help in making this decision include: Is the toy broken or is it in good shape? Is the item played with? Is the item age appropriate? Do we have an appropriate number of those items?

Step 4: Create play zones.
It can be helpful to name the kind of play that happens in each zone. Zone examples include art, reading, or transportation. All toys that are used for each specific kind of play will go in their zone.

Step 5: Find a home within the zone for the toys that you keep.
Once you find a place to put the toys, it is important to find a way to identify the container. This will make it easier for your children to put the toys away. Identify this new home with a description (a picture) that is attached to the bin or container .

Step 6: Find a different home for what you want to get rid of.
If you know someone with a child who is younger, perhaps some of the toys that are no longer age appropriate for your children would work well for them. Put them in a labeled bag and take them to your car so you will have them the next time you and your friend get together. Put any toys that are going to a donation center in another marked bag in your car.

Last words

Toys can be a source of great joy to children and their parents. Learning how to manage toys will help make this sentiment a reality!

For more organizing tips, visit www.NapoMichigan.com. 

Article submitted by Chapter member Susan Hunsberger, Professional Organizer, with Strategize Organize LLC   strategizeorganize.com

School's Out! Six Tips for a Smooth Transition to Summer

Swing productively into summer with these tips from the National Association of Professional Organizers in Michigan:

1.  Empty (and wipe) your child's lunchbox and backpack right away.  Can they be used next year, or will they need replacement?

2.  Assess your child's homework space and habits.  What's successful about the current setup?  What could use improvement?  For an amazing wealth of ideas, we recommend the book The Organized Student, written by NAPO member Donna Goldberg.

3.  Set aside time to review accumulated school papers and projects from the year. Select the best "keepers," and recycle the rest.  Photograph anything over sized or 3D. Then discard as they don’t keep well.  How much paper to hang on to?  Aim for a one inch stack or 100 sheets per academic year; that’s 13 inches or 1300 sheets of paper over the course of a K-12 academic career!  Mindy Fairbanks, of Fairbanks Solutions and Chapter member, points out that a 13 pocket accordion file is an excellent storage solution for each child’s K-12 “keepers.”   If your child wants to keep everything, try purging papers from September through January at the beginning of summer.  Handle the rest in late August, when excitement over the upcoming school year makes it easier to let go of last year's stuff.

4.  Evaluate school supplies & make a back-to-school shopping list now.  Tackle the shopping--with your child--a little at a time over the summer!

5.  Set some goals for summer bridge learning; have your child sign up for the public library's summer reading program.

6.  Establish a schedule and routine for the summer.  “With kids home and around the house for more hours of each day, the beginning of the summer is a great time for the whole family to revisit the rules of the house, and to integrate organizing principles such as ‘take it out, put it away’ into the daily routine,” said Nia Spongberg of Spruced Up Spaces LLC and Chapter member.

Helping your child manage the end of the school year is a great chance to teach organizing skills that they'll use their whole lives!

For more organizing tips, visit   www.NAPOMichigan.com.

Article submitted by Chapter member Melanie Sobocinski, owner of Prof Organizer LLC, proforganizer.com.

Get Organized to Minimize Morning Madness

Getting your children up, dressed and ready for school each morning can be challenging. The National Association of Professional Organizers in Michigan wants to share some simple suggestions to help you be more prepared.

Getting and Staying Organized with Kids

If you are a parent, you know how difficult it can be just to get your kids to school on time, let alone maintain a tidy home. However, organization is key in accomplishing all that needs to be done and enjoying the journey as a parent. These super simple tips from the National Association of Professional Organizers in Michigan will help your family get and stay organized.

Organizing Tips for Busy Moms

Many young moms often wonder how to keep it all together. The National Association of Professional Organizers in Michigan wants to share some simple suggestions.

• Always keep diaper bags stocked with diapers, snacks & an additional outfit. Reload the diaper bag each night so you’re prepared for the next day.

• Keep bedtime consistent each night because children thrive on consistency and regular routines. Professional Organizer, Cindy Greenleaf of New Leaf Organizing, LLC suggests that you “encourage your children to pick up their toys every evening before going to bed. This simple routine teaches consistence & responsibility”.

• Assign a different color to each of your children. Purchase laundry baskets, towels, cups, bowls and plates in each child’s color. When it is bath time, everyone knows that Bobby has green towels & Mary has red.


Staying organized with small children can be easier than you think. For additional tips on getting organized, visit http://www.napomichigan.com/.


Article submitted by Chapter member and Director of Membership, Kathy Tucker.