Much like Emma Woodhouse in Jane Austen's "Emma", I love to make plans. I don't always follow them, but I sure do enjoy making them. Schedules and routines are some of my favorite plans to make and what better way is there of finding new schedule ideas than peeking into the schedules of four moms with a total of thirty-five kids.
The moms linked below have kindly offered a view into their lives and detailed their daily schedules:
I suddenly feel a planning yen coming on.
I found this color career test at How About Orange (how's that for a color choice?) and tried it this morning.
Best Occupational Category
You're an ORGANIZER
Keywords
Self-Control, Practical, Self-Contained, Orderly, Systematic, Precise, and Accurate
These conservative appearing, plotting-types enjoy organizing, data systems, accounting, detail, and accuracy. They often enjoy mathematics and data management activities such as accounting and investment management. Persistence and patience allows them to do detailed paperwork, operate office machines, write business reports, and make charts and graphs.
ORGANIZER CAREERS
Suggested careers are Administrator, Secretary, Printer, Paralegal, Building Inspector, Bank Cashier, Private Secretary, Statistician, Operations Manager, Financial Analyst, Bookkeeper, Medical Records Technician, Developer of Business or Computer Systems, Clerical Worker, Proofreader, Accountant, Administrative Assistant, Banker, Certified Public Accountant, Credit Manager, Store Salesperson, Actuary, Dental Assistant, Business Education Teacher, Food Service Manager, IRS Agent, Budget Analyst, and Underwriter.ORGANIZER WORKPLACES
Your very careful, conscientious, conservative nature gives others the confidence to trust you with handling money and material possessions. Structured organizations that have well-ordered chains of command work best for you.Suggested Organizer workplaces are large corporations, business offices, financial lending institutions, banks, insurance companies, accounting firms, and quality control and inspection departments.
True, or not? Well, despite my ADD (or, maybe because of it), I have always been rather fond of order. I loved filling out forms as a child, the first big purchase my husband and I made was a filing cabinet, and my favorite part of homeschooling is the lesson planning.
I'd love to know how you all fare on the test. Please let me know if the test is accurate.
I thought after yesterday's post of my Green Cabinet organization that it might be nice to share some of my links on Organization.
Below are a few Flickr photo groups I have found inspiring. Please share any other groups you know of.
Flickr Groups
Operation: Sewing Room Organization
I've posted photos before of the Green Cabinet in our Dining Room, but I don't think I've ever shown the inside of the cabinet.
Here is the Green Cabinet shown again standing in the corner with our wine rack which holds decorative bottles.
The cabinet holds some of our school supplies but had gotten quite messy lately. I decided this week that it had to be tidied. Let's take a look at the results.
Not perfect, but better. I really should have taken a before photo.
Shall I tell you about each shelf?
Here are the top three shelves:
The top shelf holds two free brass planters - one with colored pencils and the other with markers. I plan to spray paint these planters soon. I'm thinking a blue or green.
The second shelf holds pens and pencils. The white milk glass cup holds pens and highlighters. Ten years ago, it held toothbrushes in our bathroom. The large white jar used to be part of a kitchen canister set and now holds our unsharpened pencils. The blue star tin cup is where we keep the sharpened pencils and erasers. The tin cup is from Target's dollar section.
The third shelf holds our stapler and tape dispenser. The white tub has our scissors, staple remover, calculator, hole puncher, and compass, but it held baby wipes long ago. It was long, long ago because my youngest child is nearly twelve-years-old. This sturdy container has been very useful all these years.
The fourth shelf has a large, blue metal bin from the thrift store with all of our crayons in it. The little blue tins has our Crayon Twistables. It came from Target just like its twin above.
On the fifth, and bottom, shelf we have our watercolor pencils, a box of index cards, and our index card binders. The box for the index cards actually was part of a small paper shredder years ago. The part that sat on top broke ages ago, but I saved the the hard plastic box and it has been very helpful.
So, that's my tour of the Green Cabinet. I hope you enjoyed a look inside this useful (and free) piece of furniture.
I suppose I should have known, but I didn't. Obviously, I should pay better attention because I was simply shocked to find out...that the IKEA chalkboard is magnetic. This will really transform our lives. How? I have no idea, but a magnetic chalkboard is an amazing feat of technology and I must reap the benefits - whatsoever they may be.
Above you can see my overachieving chalkboard working her heart out by holding a Columbia Restaurant magnet while simultaneously displaying fractions AND guarding our clothespin doll collection. Quite the skilled kitchen helper, isn't she? She definitely deserves a gold star.
In one of my very first blog posts (back in 2005), I mentioned a great organization show called Neat. I recently started watching the show again - thanks to the FitTV channel and my DVR. Neat is a great source of organization inspiration and I was pleased this week to discover that the host, Hellen Buttigieg, has her own website, ezine, and blog. Buttigieg is also on Twitter. Four more ways to get inspired about organization - isn't that neat?
Monday, February 1 - Brigid of Kildare (patron saint of Ireland)
Tuesday, February 2 - Groundhog Day (American folk holiday) & Candlemas (Feast of the Presentation of the Lord)
Wednesday, February 3 - St. Blaise (Armenian bishop & martyr)
Friday, Frebruary 5 - Agatha of Sicily (3rd Century martyr)
Saturday, February 6 - Nagasaki Martyrs (Japanese martyrs)
Monday, February 8 - Josephine Bakhita (African nun)
Wednesday, February 10 - St. Scholastica (twin sister of St. Benedict)
Sunday, February 14 - Valentine's Day
Monday, February 15 - Presidents Day (US holiday for Lincoln & Washington)
Tuesday, February 16 - Fat Tuesday (day before Ash Wednesday)
Wednesday, February 17 - Ash Wednesday (first day of Lent)
Sunday, February 21 - First Sunday of Lent
Tuesday, February 23 - Polycarp of Smyrna (disciple of John the Evangelist)
Sunday, February 28 - Second Sunday of Lent
The memorial service for H's grandmother was yesterday and I needed some mourning clothes for D, who had nothing appropriate. Thankfully, I managed to pull together a few thrifty pieces we had:
D is probably the only fourteen-year-old who goes to a memorial service and gets a million compliments from the fellow mourners. Those who know her best were completely amazed to spy her in earrings AND a necklace.
In other news, the memorial service was short, respectful, and a good opportunity for those who loved H's grandmother to celebrate her life. All things considered, I think it went as well as possible.
Look what I got this weekend. H and S built me sewing cubbies and I am so glad to finally have a place for everything and everything in its place.
I was also productive. I whittled three large Rubbermaid containers, a laundry basket, and a baker's rack down to what you see in the cubies.
Even though my sewing desk is in the family room, I now feel as though I have a real space of my own in which to be creative.
On the top, you see candle holders from H last Christmas, a basket for my camera, the Royal Game of Ur we made, the children's woodwind instruments, my nature study box.
In the middle, you see cloth, a round tin of pants' patches, a square tin of trims, a picnic basket of ribbons, my white sewing basket, my brown crochet basket.
On the bottom, you see a picnic basket of quilting pieces, a crocheted bag of buttons, my craft books, a pink bag of crochet pieces, a hat box of cross stitch and embroidery thread and hoops.
I'm really excited. Can you tell?
H also built cubbies for S's bedroom closet, which made it possible for S to finally clean his room. It turns out there's a floor in there. Who knew?! Sorry, no picture.
And for a finale, H and D built this late yesterday:
Nope, not a furniture crate. It's the frame of a window seat - with lots of storage space. Ever since H built our family room, I have wanted a window seat in this spot and soon I'll be able to sit and watch the birds visit our birdfeeder. The storage space will, of course, allow me to hide a multitude of crafting materials. ;)
I have no idea what made H so industrious this weekend. I suppose it must have been the turn in the weather. Whatever it was, I sure do appreciate it.
This page is a archive of recent entries in the Organization category.
Nature Study is the previous category.
Parenting is the next category.
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