Organized Chaos: Finding serenity amongst the clutter of raising kids

I dream of being an organized mom, the type who not only makes beautiful cupcakes for school, but does it the night before; whose child returns library books faithfully every week; the parent whose children are on time for Beavers, with badges sewn on.
However, I am not.
I ice cupcakes while packing lunches. It’s a banner week if we remember library day and find the book. I pity my poor boys as they head to Beavers, their badges pinned in place with leftover pins from Canada Day.
Looking to find a solution, I consulted a location professional organizer for help. Many parents find themselves in this chaos, according to professional organizer, Glenda Muir, founder of re:OrganizedLiving. She says parents are simply overwhelmed with their children’s paperwork, schedules and physical “stuff.” “A lot of people are feeling very stressed and overwhelmed,” she says “Clutter and disorganization holds people back from moving forward. It can actually be, to some people, debilitating.”
Muir says the key to preventing the downward spiral into chaos is to simplify. Get rid of the extra “stuff,” whether it’s too many toys or books, two of the three spring jackets your child owns, or some of the extra-curricular activities that are making your family life too busy.
Next, set up routines and schedules. Give children a specific hook for their backpack, a space for their coat and a spot for their shoes, along with an expectation to bring lunch kits to the kitchen and paperwork to a parent. At the end of the evening, take a few minutes to lay out clothes for the next day, pack backpacks and talk about what’s happening tomorrow.
Muir says it’s important to have a plan for everything that comes into the home, and to keep children involved in the process.
“For example, if they bring home three pieces of artwork, ask them ‘What is your favourite picture because we’re going to put it up on the wall.’”
Muir recommends having a display area, whether it’s a bulletin board or a string of fishing line with clothes pegs along a wall. As each masterpiece comes down, glue it into a scrapbook right away (making sure, of course, that you keep the scrapbook and glue stick handy!). Or purchase an inexpensive laminator, and laminate each piece to protect it and make it easy to store.
As for all of the paperwork, Muir has two recommendations. First, create an ‘in/out’ box for each family member. If children are old enough, it’s their responsibility to put permission forms, homework, notes from teachers and coaches into the ‘in’ box. It’s also their job to check the ‘out’ box later on.
Muir’s trademark strategy for organizing families is her “Family and School Management Binder,” the one-stop place where you’ll find health cards, sports schedules, permission forms, event passes, etc. Every family member has a personal folder, with specific folders for general information.
“I have a health and safety section, for example, where I keep anything from school that says an illness is going through the school. I keep all of that information so that it’s there to refer back to.”
“The binder becomes a central information source, so you’re not thinking ‘Where did I put this?’” she says.
But what if you don’t have time to put together this binder, to begin with? “I usually tell people it will take them an hour to put the binder together, but think about the time it takes you looking for things when you can’t find them.”
Muir also recommends using only one family calendar, with a different colour pen for each family member.
She says, unfortunately, clutter and chaos add to the guilt already felt by many parents. At one time, she was one of those parents and became depressed by the disorganization of her life. A naturally organized person, she felt things falling apart, which is why she started her own business. Is her home a sanctuary of neatly lined, labeled containers, with a place for everything? Most days.
“It’s not about things being perfect. It’s about things functioning,” she explains. “I’m very real about that, because life is challenging with two young children. Still, my home functions really, really well.”
Danielle Harder is a mother to three boys and lives in Whitby. Glenda Muir can be reached at www.reorganizedliving.com.