Ideas, Ideas, Ideas!

Ideas, Ideas, Ideas!!

My new favorite thing in the world is Pinterest. I am seriously addicted, not unlike many of my fellow Pinners. Anyhow, I am seriously stoked about this new idea I found for teaching my kids to pick up their own toys without my asking. ( found it on Pinterest, but will link directly to blog it came from here.) The reason that it's so amazing is that if it works, my kids will actually keep their toys picked up and get chores done at the same time. WOOHOO Mommy heaven!! Also, the original blogger has included free printables {squeal} She has some really cool chore chart ideas that I am going to use too.

But the main idea is when I find a toy abandoned in the middle of the living room for example, I pick it up and put it in a special "toy box". In order for either of the kids to reclaim their lost treasures, he/she must draw a chore out of a jar that he/she must complete before their toys will be returned (one chore rescues one toy). AND here's the kicker, if the toy box is full, and I find more toys that "dreadfully" haven't been put away, they're mine to keep for ever, i.e. sent to live at GoodWill.

We are starting this tomorrow and maybe I will post pictures, but they won't be as good as the photo's posted in the link above. So check hers out because I am lazy! haha

Also, here's another idea I want to share with you all!! Laundry, I hate it. Like, really really really hate it. So anything I can do to simplify the laundry process, I am game. So here is my super fantastic wonderful idea that I am sure someone else has thought of before me, but since I am unaware, I will claim it as my own. :)

Sorting...eliminating this step makes laundry a little more pleasant. Imagine this, you've gathered all of your baskets or mounds of laundry and sit down in the middle of your living room to sort. Then you realize how much it blows because everything is super stinky from sitting in a pile all week. GROSS!!

I took four laundry baskets and labeled them each: Hand Wash, Whites, Colors, and Darks. Then I explained to the offspring what is allowed in each basket. My 3 year old needs a little help with this since he can't read, so I let it slide when his clothes only end up on the floor next to the baskets. But aside from that, we are sorting clothes as we take them off. AND here's the best part. Since each basket has a designated load assigned to it, I just grab a basket when it reaches the point of being full and wash it right then rather than doing ALL the laundry in one day. Woohoo, less work and no sorting!! :)

Enjoy!
xoxo Rebekah