Hopeful Ideas for Organization...

Ideally in life, all little people would just take 2 years to catch on to the ins and outs of living, but alas the learning curve is irritably longer than that. Sheesh---I'm in my thirties and am still pretty thick headed about a lot of things. Maybe I need a rebate on my college education. I wonder if my Father in Heaven is wondering how many times I'll have to relearn a lesson. Thank goodness He is so patient with me. Oh that I were as patient. I find that as a mom I repeat myself fairly incessantly and I wish I had a radio DJ board that I could just press a button to have it call out my most repeated phrases: Ie: "Be nice please..." "Go brush your teeth..." "Is your homework done?" and etc...
However, there are a few things that can help a mom to simplify her day. Some I am doing. Some I hope to do. All of these I learned along the way from other moms!!
Okay, do your kids ever wear their favorite outfit two days in a row? (until you pry it off them and help them discover their second favorite outfit in their drawer) Or do they recycle only the clothes on the top layer of their drawer? (You know how no one looks under the top layer of shirts---wow who knew there were more underneath?) OR most likely of all---do your kiddos have a fit that they cannot find socks, underwear or whatever when it's coming time to get their heinies out the door? This is our solution to those problems that we happily USED TO HAVE.
5 compartment sweater hangers (Or 6) They are available at almost every store for 5-10 bucks. I hang one "sweater compartment cubbies" in each of my kids closets. Then on Sunday, before they go to bed, they pick out 5 outfits for the weeks. For the littlest kiddos, I either help them pick them out, or I look after they choose them, to make sure that colors and patterns match. In each compartment there needs to be socks, underwear and shirt, pants---whatever. Just everything they need. We even sometimes use the last slot (number 6) for soccer uniforms---to make sure no last minute emergencies on game day.
This accomplishes a couple of things. First---the work is done---now no more sleepy heads staring at their closets/drawers unable to choose something to wear! They just pull out their outfit and put it on! Phew! Secondly, I do laundry on Monday---meaning that the kids choose clothes from their drawer that were NOT worn last week---so yea for variety and getting past the first layer of clothes in the drawer. Thirdly, if for some reason---we have a shortage of clothing---we know early on---and can fix it, before it is a last minute emergency. And last of all, we rarely have anyone who has to change their clothes in the morning--because something doesn't match, or they wore that shirt yesterday...that helps cut down on morning drama.
Okay, here's an idea that I haven't started yet, but I'm going to this week--that's the plan. A 2 inch binder for each kiddo---it is not for school, it is only for home. In this binder goes EVERYTHING. Their school schedule, their soccer game info, dance recital info, their medical history/dental history. There is a section for goals, a section for cool papers from school, a section for Faith in God books, and etc. As many sections as each kid needs. My friend who is an organizational guru did this for her 8 kids while they lived at home. She kept all the binders on the same shelf, and a 3 hole punch nearby, and as papers that were necessary to keep came in, she filed them into the kid's binders. (she said throw away everything else!) For important papers, she slipped them into sheet protectors, but for temporary papers, she simply 3 hole punched them and filed them. Honors certificates---in a sheet protector, and school work, just hole punched.
For medical, she has their immunizations in a sheet protector, but then just a piece of plain lined paper, where she jots down "went to doctor, double ear infection, prescribed ammoxicillin 10 days" That way she can keep track of dates and if anything is reoccurring. She says she doesn't type it---she really only takes 10 seconds to write things in---otherwise it would be too big of a hassle.
Currently I write everything on my calendar, but I still search through a stack of papers to double check information for parties, games, recitals and etc. This binder idea sounds like a small project to start, but easy to keep going and BENEFICIAL. She told me that when her kids were older, she told them, "file that in your folder in the front and I'll look at it tonight." Permission slips, field trips, etc...
She also keeps a binder for her home (repairs, colors, ideas...), her cars and etc.
Last idea, this one is simple--and everyone knows it, and I have done it for months at a time, but I have not done it for too long! Calendar your meals. Ugh! I actually do not mind cooking, it's just the "what do I make for dinner tonight?" that drives me nutty! That is half the work to me. When I jot down 2-4 weeks of meal ideas, I do a better job shopping, using less time---using the crock pot more---etc. Then I am less likely to make the same ol thing! When I write down my meals---then I can see that I am making enchiladas on Tuesday and Chinese Chicken Salad on Thursday---and just cook and dice all the chicken Tuesday---to save me time the next day.
Hee Hee! Okay, now don't hold back---what are your time savers, drama avoiders, and great ideas? I learned all of the above from others---do you actually have a DJ board that repeats your phrases? Where can I find one?