Control Your Childrens Clutter!!

Ever feel overwhelmed by all the papers, notices, artwork, and other items your kids bring home from school? Don't be a pack rat!! We'll show you how to "Trap the R-A-T" (RETAIN, ACT, THROW)

1. School flyers: Nearly every day, your child brings home flyers announcing some school activity, bake sale, field trip, or other such notices. Unfortunately, these notices tend to pile up unless acted upon. As soon as practicable, read the flyers and perform the following R.A.T. exercise. RETAIN: All school flyers that you need to keep (class lists with phone numbers, emergency procedures, etc.) ACT: Make sure you have your calendar while reviewing the flyers, and mark any important dates. Once you mark the date, you should be able to "throw." THROW: Anything you suspect you won't need in the future. Don't be afraid to throw, as you can always go back to the school and ask about the content of the flyer if necessary. There should be approximately a 4 to 1 ratio of "throw" to "retain."

2. Art Work: While it would be great to be able to keep all of your childrens' artwork in perpetuity, most of us don't have enough room in the house!! I recommend that you follow the 3 "F" rule.

FRAME: Some outstanding pieces of artwork deserve framing. Buy several acrylic frame boxes at The Container Store and hang the framed artwork around your house, in your basement, or in your child's room. Your kids will appreciate the recognition they get when you go the extra mile to frame their art.

FILE: Not all art is frameworthy. But it may not be trashworthy either! Keep those items which demonstrate talent, and you may someday decide to frame. Make a file box for each child, and let them decorate the box. When they bring something home they want to keep, ask them to file it in their very own keepsake box.

FLUSH: No need to keep random scribble, or works that don't meet your standards. There should be a 1 to 3 to 5 ratio of Frame, File and Flush. And don't forget, much of the "filed" art can be used as gifts to relatives. You may also consider taking digital photos of your child's art, and storing it on disk. Although it's not the same as the original, this is a good way to reduce the clutter of the overwhelming amount of art that comes through the door.

3. Art Supplies: To create a masterpiece, your child needs the proper tools. Everything from markers, crayons, paints, and brushes need to be organized or they will quickly overtake your home. Keep everything in a portable box that they can bring from room to room, and separate the crayons, markers and other stuff into baggies. Make it clear that they are responsible for maintaining order for their art supplies. You may also consider purchasing a small "art desk" and a bookshelf so they can have their own area in the house to do artwork. Put the supplies in separate lined baskets in the bookshelf for them to use.

4. Birthday invitations: To keep track of all the birthday parties, it's best to follow the "GO or NO" rule. Once you get invited try to make a decision quickly. Mark it in your calendar and make a birthday invitation file so you can keep the ones you need (i.e. if there's directions you'll need the day of the party). If it's a "NO," respond within a day or two and "flush" the invitation.

These are just a few of the ideas to help kill the clutter. To go the extra mile, a professional organizer can help you meet all of the above challenges, and more.

About The Author

Betsy Fein is the President of Clutterbusters!!, a professional organizing firm based in Rockville, Maryland. For a free evaluation of your home or office, and to review clutterbusting products, go to www.theclutterbusters.com. Copyright 2003

www.theclutterbusters.com

whole house cleaning Deerfield ..

In The News:

Essential phone settings to enable before losing your device, including Find My network, location services and security features for iPhone and Android.

The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.

Cybersecurity research shows weak passwords remain a major threat, with simple patterns and number sequences putting millions of accounts at risk.

New Android malware BankBot YNRK silences phones, steals banking data and drains crypto wallets automatically. Learn how this advanced threat works.

FDA approves first human trial for Paradromics' brain-computer interface that could restore speech for paralyzed patients through neural technology.

New phishing platform QRR targets Microsoft 365 users across 1,000 domains in 90 countries. Learn how to spot fake login pages and protect your accounts.

OpenTable now uses AI to track your dining habits and share insights with restaurants. Learn what data they collect and how to protect your privacy.

Google's discontinued Nest thermostats still secretly upload home data to company servers despite losing smart features, raising serious privacy concerns.

New Android malware NGate steals NFC payment codes in real-time, allowing criminals to withdraw cash from ATMs without your card. Learn protection tips.

DoorDash confirms data breach exposing customer names, emails, addresses after social engineering attack. Learn how to protect yourself from scams.

Concerned about Google's AI scanning your Gmail? Learn how to disable Gemini features that access your emails, Drive files and Chat messages for privacy.

Google warns Android users about dangerous fake VPN apps hiding malware that steals passwords, banking details and personal data from phones and tablets.

Apple's digital passport feature lets iPhone users breeze through TSA checkpoints this holiday season using Digital ID technology at 250+ airports.

A new phishing scam targets family photos with fake "Cloud Storage Full" alerts. Criminals steal credit card information through fake sites. Learn protection tips.

South Korean scientists create ultra-thin fabric muscles that turn clothes into robotic assistants, lifting 33 pounds while weighing under half an ounce.

Archer Aviation has acquired Hawthorne Airport for $126M to launch an LA air taxi network ahead of the 2028 Olympics, featuring AI-powered eVTOL operations and next-gen aviation tech.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Fake AI apps disguised as "ChatGPT" and "DALL·E" are flooding app stores with dangerous malware that steals data and monitors users without detection.

Fake buyers demand specific vehicle reports from unknown sites to steal credit card information from car sellers, but warning signs can help identify these scams before paying.

Android users can now manage apps across multiple devices more easily with Google Play Store's updated remote uninstall button in the latest update.

NASA's Perseverance rover discovers shiny metallic rock on Mars that could be a meteorite from an ancient asteroid, containing high levels of iron and nickel.

Holiday scams spike during Black Friday and Cyber Monday as criminals exploit your leaked personal data. Learn how to protect yourself from fake stores and phishing.

Commerce Department proposes TP-Link router ban over Chinese security risks. Learn how this potential prohibition could affect your home network and devices.

Hyundai AutoEver America suffered a data breach affecting 2,000 current and former employees, exposing names, Social Security numbers and driver's license information.

Washington court rules automated license plate reader images are public records, even when stored by vendors like Flock Safety, setting precedent for transparency.

Control Your Childrens Clutter!!

Get Organized - Organization