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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 |
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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.
4.
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.
5.
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
Used with permission.
feintimes@aol.com
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