As I settled back into my routines this week, I had a fleeting thought: did the holidays even happen this year?

One glance at the playroom confirms it most certainly did. And good GAWD, this momma needs to learn restraint! The onslaught of toys has completely overwhelmed our rather simple organization system consisting of two bins. Time to upgrade.

I went looking and found 15 organizational tools and hacks that would help any overwhelmed parent deal with their toy tsunami & thought I’d share.

What about you, Did you go a little overboard on the Holiday gifts without having done a little toy purging in advance? What’s your favorite trick for corralling the toys?

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Today we salute the incredible men and women who have bravely served our country. As we do, let’s also consider the powerful lessons the military teaches us about getting organized.

Teamwork

From their first day in boot camp, recruits become members of a unit. In training, it doesn’t matter who crosses a finish line first or who crosses it last; it matters that everyone crosses. Part and parcel of teamwork is the understanding that you are only as good as the weakest link in your platoon. So members cheer each other on and support one another as they are put through their grueling paces.

The concept of teamwork has the potential to radically improve both your work environment and your family unit. Consider asking how you can encourage and support your team members — and how you might lean on them to help you in areas where you are not as strong.

Respect

Each massive branch of the military functions as one, single team. They can do so because everybody from top to bottom understands that each member has something to contribute.

Do you let others around you contribute enough? Or are you limiting yourself and everyone around you by trying to control how tasks are done.

Duty

Every person in the military must fulfill their obligations within the context of a highly complex operation. The military progresses by building one assignment onto another, but it wouldn’t get very far at all if individuals in the chain failed to carry out their assigned tasks or took shortcuts that undermined the integrity of the final product.

In that spirit, the military drills its recruits over and over again in the basic skills like pressing uniforms, making a bed, and keeping a pristine locker. Soldiers have to do each task just right, and they often have to do them in a matter of minutes.

These drills aren’t done capriciously. They ultimately over time develop a soldier’s discipline and attention to even the smallest details. In addition, it enables many men to comfortably live in a confined space – and keeps their space clean so they can focus on more important matters.

These lessons are absolutely applicable to civilians. Establish habits and routines for dealing with the details that, if left undone would distract and undermine your confidence.

I’m sure there are many more “buttoned up” lessons we could take away from the military. If you have any, please share them with us!

We owe each Veteran (and their family members) an enormous debt of gratitude. From everyone here on the Buttoned Up team – thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Mornings are hectic. Having to get kids up and ready for school makes it even more so.

But they become a whole lot easier once your child learns how to adopt a positive morning habit…and do it on autopilot.
Use this chart to reinforce four simple behaviors with your child. The routine can be done before or after breakfast, whichever comes more naturally for your family. Reward your child with a sticker each day he completes his routine successfully. After five or ten consecutive days of success, celebrate with high-fives and a special treat.

Click here to download the ONE WEEK chart

Click here to download the ONE MONTH chart

Routines are by definition second nature – effortless.

And if there’s one thing you want as a parent, it is to make organizational routines absolutely effortless for your children. Teach them when they are young how to master the fundamental organizational task of planning their day or week ahead of time – and they will thank you for it later. This simple printable schedule is designed to help them build just that planning and organizational “muscle.”

Click here to download

Winging it as a parent

For the past five years I have been like 99.9% of parents on the planet: pretty much winging it. While I have read my fair share of books on parenting, I never took an in-depth parenting course. I gleaned what knowledge I could from teachers, other moms, and from occasionally catching tips from a parenting expert on TV or in a magazine.

I knew that my general goal was to raise happy, well-adjusted boys who loved to learn. I have a plan when it comes to enriching their lives with activities and helping them achieve major milestones. But I had never really mapped out a plan for becoming the kind of parent I needed to be in order to raise children who fit that bill.

Honestly, I never really saw the need. Yes, I was flying blind through this incredibly important job. But, I figured I had a great role model in my mom, and felt as long as I stayed close enough to her approach, my kids would turn out okay.

Sure there were many days when I couldn’t remember what my mom would do in a certain situation, or felt frustrated with my own short fuse, or guilty that I could have handled a scenario better. But there was no crisis, if you will. My boys are very active, but generally well behaved, loving, and decently well-adjusted.

A Webinar That Should Be on the “Required Reading” list for Parents

And then a few weeks ago my good friend Aviva introduced me to Amy McCready. She is a Today Show parenting expert and the founder of Positive Parenting Solutions.

Aviva invited me to sit in on a free webinar Amy was giving that afternoon on getting kids to listen without shouting or nagging. I was a little skeptical at first. Would she share useful information, or would it just be a big advertisement for a more expensive program (I’ve been on those kinds of webinars before and avoid them like the plague)?

My friend assured me it would be worth attending.

It was probably the best hour I’ve spent in a good while on anything.

I sat riveted in my seat alternating between the stomach-dropping realization that “ohmyGOSHIamCOMPLETELYyscrewingupmykids” to the uplifting “oh I see what I could be doing differently and I could totally do that.”

While it was sobering to realize that I had been pretty darn random when it came to discipline, especially how confusing that randomness must have been for my boys (particularly for my oldest), I also felt like I got some insights that would enable me to adopt a more proactive, positive approach going forward.

In fact, I took notes like a crazy person and that evening got my husband to commit to making the same changes I was going to. In just a few weeks, we’ve noticed a significant drop in yelling chez nous. Even better, spontaneous hugs and kisses from our oldest, Will, are on the rise.

I was so impressed with Amy and her content that I had to figure out a way to share it with our readers at Buttoned Up. We connected and I am thrilled to announce that she has agreed to partner with us to bring her webinar content to you.

So on Wednesday October 19th, you will have a chance to attend the same life-changing webinar that I did.

Topic: Get Kids to Listen without Nagging, Reminding or Yelling!

Date: Wednesday, October 19th at 9pm Eastern Standard Time

Access: All you need is a computer with a speaker to hear the presentation. When you RSVP Amy will send you the log-in instructions.

RSVP: Webinar seating is limited due to technology so, you need to reserve your seat — and I’d do it early as I have a feeling it will fill up quickly. Click here to register and participate. Trust me, you won’t want to miss this.

How It Works: Once you register, you will receive an email confirmation with the link to access the webinar. When you “enter” the webinar, you’ll see the session slides on your screen as well as a video box to see the presenter – but Amy won’t be able to see you! You can use the chat box to type questions or make comments. She runs these webinars in a very interactive fashion, so if you have a specific question, she is very likely to see it in the chat and answer it directly.

Bottom line: if you want to be a better parent, taking the one hour to attend this webinar is an absolute must.

Disclosure: I am such a believer in Amy’s program that we have decided to enter into an affiliate relationship with her – our first ever. If you end up purchasing her program (which I did and have been bowled over by) we will receive a commission. We would certainly not even consider doing this if we weren’t 100% convinced of the incredible value of this program.

1. Establish a homework time. Getting your child on a regular schedule will make getting them to start their work every day much easier.

2. Set up a homework station at which your child can work in peace.

3. Ease their stress by assuring your child that you’re available to answer any questions they have with their work.

4. If they can’t find the motivation to focus, turn homework into a “beat the clock” game, in which they’re given a set amount of time to complete a task.

5. If your child has an assignment with multiple components, try to break it down into smaller, more manageable parts. Lessen their stress by allowing them short breaks between each part.

6. You child’s peers can be helpful in keeping your child on task. If they all get together to work on an assignment together, the mindset will already be there that the work must get done at that particular time.

7. Make your child write down each assignment that’s due, so their tasks are laid out in a concrete form.

8. Letting your child partake in physical activities, such as soccer or basketball, allows them to burn off their excess energy, later helping them focus on the task at hand.

9. Whatever the most dreaded assignment is, take on first. If your child hates English homework, have them do that first while they’re fresh.

10. Play into what type of learner your child is. If they’re more visual, for example, get out a few small pieces of candy to teach them division. If they learn through doing, guide them as they work.

11. Reward your child for a job well done to improve their motivation. If they complete their assignments in a timely manner, allow them video game time. If they complete a large project, take them out for ice cream to celebrate.

12. Have your child do one thing at a time, at all times. Multitasking does not help when it comes to retaining information.

13. Encourage your child to take notes. It’s an easy way to reinforce the information after your child has first read and processed it.

14. Take time to apply what your child is learning to real life. If they’re learning about systems of measurement, have them measure their height, or the area of their bedroom floors. It will make it more interactive and fun.

Only a mom with kids bringing home artwork by the ton could have come up with this genius idea!

These stylish, plexiglass frames by Wexel Art use magnets to hold artwork and pictures in place. We recommend it as an organizer for kids’ artwork as follows: Hang one frame per child in a central location – like the kitchen, front hall, playroom, or family room.

Once a week or once a month, sit down with your child and select ONE piece of art their stash to display. When a child helps selects their best piece, they usually have much less angst when the others are tossed. If you struggle to toss the remaining pieces, set them aside in a bin to be used as holiday wrapping paper.

The frames come in a variety of sizes too. Check it out here.

Have any other great ideas to use these frames for? Share below!

Believe it or not, many home builders and interior designers say dedicated homework rooms are a growing trend. But don’t panic if you home is tight on space. Education experts agree that the “where” doesn’t matter as much as much as having a specific place for doing homework that is organized and pleasant.

Whether you’ve got a room to spare or have a tight floor plan, here are five simple ideas for creating a homework space that your kids will actually enjoy using.

Choose a quiet spot.

While it may be tempting to have your child do their work at the center island in the kitchen, it may not be ideal. Kitchens tend to be hubs of family life, and full of distractions, from snacking siblings to TVs, and the din associated with getting din-din on the table. Instead, look for an area that can be cordoned off from the hustle-and-bustle.

If you don’t have a quiet spot, create blinders.

If you just can’t find a quiet spot – consider creating a little study center out of cardboard. Put it up when your student is working to keep them focused on the task at hand. Here is a tutorial from the amazing Martha Stewart on how to make the one pictured here.

Set up one master set of supplies

If you have multiple children, there is no need to buy multiple homework supplies. Instead, set up a central clearing house for crucial items like pencils, pens, erasers, scissors and glue. Keep them neat in a chic (& cheap) homemade organizer – here’s the tutorial from BH&G for the storage unit pictured above.

Borrow a closet.

If you are short on space but have a closet to spare, consider making one over into a cozy study nook. Take a look at what the incredibly talented Jen at IHeartOrganizing did to transform her son’s closet into a study zone.

Decorate inexpensively.

You don’t have to spend a fortune to decorate a space beautifully. Let your imagination run free – and let the kids brainstorm too! They often have fresh ideas – and (bonus!) the more input they have, the more invested they’ll be in this whole homework thing too. The simple desk pictured here was created by using a very inexpensive Ikea table and some basic peg boards. The complete how-to is over here at Ikea Hackers.

Where do your kids do their homework? Where did YOU do your homework as a kid? Do you think your study surroundings made a difference in your life?

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What is it about quotes and their magical ability to take you from crazed chicken to Zen mama in seconds?

I, personally, am addicted to them. I collect them like little talismans. They litter my desk, my journals, and of course, my pinboards.

I simply love that one from Eleanor Roosevelt above. I need to take the free printable that Joy made over on How Joyful and get it printed and framed. It belongs above the scale in my bathroom.

(Maybe I should also go re-read the post I wrote on BabyCenter on Monday about insanity of comparing yourself to others.)

I also love the sentiment on the plaque below. I could have used this reminder as I ran around like a crazy chicken last Sunday cleaning and scrubbing the house.

I love the tutorial for making this wood plank over at Simply Designing too. Might just have to get on that bandwagon. Or at least go visit her beautiful site from time to time and pretend I’m going to get all crafty and stuff.

How about you, do you have any sayings that make you smile, exhale, and take a moment to remember what’s important?

The 2012 Weekly.agendas are here!

They arrived in our warehouse yesterday and our amazing Chief Juggler, Anne Marie, was there to document the unloading – and fulfill all the pre-orders! If you already ordered yours, it should be arriving in a day or two. If you haven’t – better get cracking as they are going like hotcakes.