How would you feel walking into a pantry where the labels are facing forward, cans are stacked so you can see each one, and all the beans are with beans and soups with soups? A dream space where after school snacks are separated from designated food for lunches and every square inch of the pantry is efficiently organized?
by Lorraine Brock
I recently met a client to begin a typical organizing job that included helping her organize spaces in her home. My notes told me our focus would be over stuffed closets, mounds of paperwork, and a disastrous kids’ playroom. As I sat and talked with this stay-at-home mom of two small children, I realized that it was not the spaces that needed organizing, but the details of her life she was responsible for, but never adequately taught how to do.
This client had normal questions about how to organize papers, what to keep and what to shred, and what to do with the piles of her kids’ school papers. During our discussion, it became clear to me that her bigger need was for an organized, realistic household budget that she could manage for her family. Her husband gave her money to manage each month divided into basic categories such as groceries, clothing, kids’ entertainment, and miscellaneous (haircuts, etc.). She was also responsible for paying the bills for two of her own credit cards used for purchasing the kids’ clothes when she ran out of cash.
by Lorraine Brock
It’s that time of year that as parents we will hear the weekly, “Mom, I need lunch money”, from our kids. Normally my struggle is teaching my kids to stay within our allocated budget by purchasing the basic plate lunch and not buying individual items. It is well known that buying a la carte costs more: hamburger $3, side of fries $1.50, scoop of fruit salad $1.00, two chocolate milks $2.00. What seems like the perfect meal for your child, becomes a $7.50 budget buster for one day.
