getting more organised

[clumpcat]

hi all, i need some help to get more organised. i feel like i'm constantly chasing my tail from the minute i start work. i always struggle to find stuff when i need it. never seem to have things to hand when i need them, always one step behind instead of one step infront. i feel i need a routine but don't know where to start. anyone have a good routine going which means you look super organised and on the ball when parents arrive in the mornings and always able to find stuff and have things ready when the children ask for them?
help needed
claire

[clio0602]

You sound like me! Will be keeping an eye on this for ideas x

[grindal]

My husband says I am super-organised - but when he says it, it is meant as an insult!

I have quite a large hallway (which helps in this job). We have a cupboard in it with 5 storage boxes on top. Each mindee has their own box and there is also a box for DS1s shoes and a box for their coats. This makes it easy to find mindee things, and to get coats and shoes on.

Toys are kept in labelled boxes in trofast(?) storage. DS1 and 2 have a box in the front room where odds and ends are put at the end of the day. I also keep a toy box in hall, landing, our room and spare room - for chucking odd toys in during the week and sort them into the right places every weekend.

I have a big pinboard in my hallway divided into 2 sections for minding notes and pics and for notes and pics from school and playgroup for DS1 and 2. i pin pics and notices up as soon as we get in. Also have a whiteboard in hall for messages for minding or us.

Hmmmmmm....maybe I am a bit anal

Paperwork is kept in cupboard in hall with a box by the computer for things I refer to regularly like LJs, accounts book, receipts book etc. I update LJs and accounts weekly usually when mindees are free playing on a friday am.

I think it helps to invest in some storage, and make time to sort things out on a regular basis.

[clumpcat]

that sounds good. i do think i need more storage. what about a routine? do you do stuff at certain times e.g before people turn up, night before,evening so that you feel in control during the day? i think i need some help knowing what to do when so that i am on top of things.

[Rubybubbles]

This is my new years resolution!

I tend to be okay with paperwork side of things, but it doesn't seem to matter how often I tidy, move or rotate my storage I end in in a mess lol!

I don't like mixing boxes, so metal cars in metal car box, plastic in plastic cars box ekkk so I have put them in a 'car' box (ekkk hard for me lol) but straight away I have saved space! I have also mixed all my animals, so they are no longer, sea animals, farm animals ect ect but when going with a theme will get them out alone? this is me starting haha

keep them posted.............

[grindal]

I like to make sure everything for DS1 and 2 is ready before mindees arrive so they are dressed and school and playgroup bags done. When mindees arrive I usually get lunch ready before we go out. Then take DS1 to school and DS2 to playgroup then onto toddler group or whatever with mindees. When we get back we have a quick lunch, then mindees go for a sleep while I tidy the kitchen and cook tea for us, do laundry, empty dishwasher or whatever.

I was a secondary school teacher for 12 years before I started minding - I think timetabling and organisation comes as second nature to me!

[clumpcat]

i would love it to be second nature for me then i would be so happy. i get so cross with myself for being so disorganised. i think getting my own family ready before they get here is a good idea. i will try that.

[grindal]

Still thinking about this one for you!

I plan all my meals a week in advance - lunches and dinners, order online and get shopping delivered. Also bulk buy cards and presents for nieces, nephews and mindees in advance for the year, plus extras for friends and parties DS1 and 2 may be invited to. So cut down on unexpected trips to the shops.

We have a big calendar on the wall - a column each - everything gets written on it - so no nasty surprises to deal with! I also write to do lists in my diary for the next day or week and tick things off as I get them done.

On reflection have decided I am definately anal - but organised!

[clio0602]

Some brill ideas. I'm def going to mix my animals in together to save on storage lol

Also when I do packed lunch for ds I'm going to do one each for us all save doing it during the day and keep it in fridge.

I have just done my group planning for the month so know exactly what I'm going to need so will sort that tonight.

My accounts and LJ's desperately need catching up on so I'm putting LJ's in playarea to catch up on during free play times. Accounts WILL be done on Monday nts.

I have also started getting things out for the children this wk. Sounds daft but the train set I bought months ago has been sat on the shelf in a clear box unused. I took it off the shelf and put it on the floor, stil in box, and it was played with for 2 hrs yesterday

I'm also sorting out my catalogue of toys so more things can be put away to give more space and the children can hace free choice from this rather than everything being in sight. Wil give loads more floor space I'm hoping x

[samb]

As I do not have much space I have to keep things hyper organised! Every toy has somewhere to live even if it is just the "odd bits box"! I do not make every thing I have available to all the children. Instead I plan to put a range of toys/resources out every day - depending on who I have and for how long and if we have outings that day etc. I do of course allow them to choose items too but I do believe it is ok to say "not today, but we can get it out next time" etc and also to negotiate, if they want something out eg duplo the mega bloks have to go away first etc.

Every toy box I have has a photograph and name with what is in it. Since Xmas I have also made a couple of boxes that just have my children's names on which means they can only come out if my children choose to share them - they are their special toys and they are in control of them.

I have a large filing cabinet and the whole bottom drawer is full of my work folders all labelled. I have a "this week folder" which has registers, accident sheets, visitors book, plan for the week, reflection sheet for the week, post its, stickers and paper etc which is out in my living room to be used all the time. It is next to my calendar and with my diary.

I also am strict with myself with my routines - I have to put on and empty dishwasher before I go to bed and have the breakfast things out ready, and the children's and my clothes out ready. My mindees have their own pegs for their coat and bags along with my children's. We have a tall shoe unit for our shoes and mindees can fit underneath.

I have a laminated daily check sheet which just has a few items I feel important to have done each day before mindees arrive which I have up with the other essential posters with a white board marker next to it and I just date it.

The only thing I am not up to date on is my finances - I fill in incomings but the outgoings are not quite there - all receipts organised in date order in a box of course!

PS my friends say I am anal too! - I even hang my clothes in colour groups

[PixiePetal]

I have a tidy up of toys if there is a gap in the day when mindees sleep etc.

I too like things in their correct boxes I have a new cat litter tray to put odd bits in, if they are left out or found later under sofa or chairs, then I sort the tray at the end of the day.

Slow cooker meals are very handy ,and meal plan for the week ahead for family and mindees if you do them meals too.

I have a plastic box labelled for each child on a shelf above my changing table in the playroom - a handful of nappies/spare clothes/dummy or whatever. Big bags of nappies I put in my wardrobe upstairs as they can take up lots of room - got 3 in nappies ATM.