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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.
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