Jeni Grace - Professional Organizer

I wanted to share with all of you parents a super simple chore chart idea that I like to use when the kids are home from school for extended periods of time, like the current Stay at Home order. All you need is pen and paper.

Each night before you go to bed, or first thing in the morning, simply make a list of chores that need to be done. To determine the length of your list, think about how many chores you want each child to do, multiply by the number of children and add a few extra jobs. Draw a line to the right of each chore and let the kids choose by writing their name on the line.

There are many fun ways to decide who gets first pick. The methods I use most often are youngest to oldest and first one out of bed in the morning. I always have a few extra chores, so that even the last child has a choice. Then I write my own name in the remaining blanks. You can encourage your children to choose things they don't know how to do yet and you can be there to teach them. This is a great way to give them an opportunity to learn and practice important life skills.

Always have some kind of time limit. For example, "Finish your chores before lunch" or "No screen time until chores are done". You can reward them for their work as you see fit. I have older teens and they earn discounts on their monthly phone bill for doing their chores.

I hope that these ideas will serve you well and bring some order to the changes we're all adapting to right now. Feel free to reach out to me with any questions. I'm available for phone consultations if you would like a more complex chore chart.

Big messes can be overwhelming, even for me. Sometimes it's hard to envision a functional organized space at the start of an organizing project. It may seem like the only way to clear off one space is to move the pile of clutter to another space. However, it never ceases to amaze me how well my system works. Time after time, project after project; when I'm finished, the designated space is clean and organized and all of that clutter is nowhere in sight!

I am using all of this extra time at home, while practicing social distancing, to work on some of my own organizing projects. It is truly a wonderful feeling each time I'm finished with another area. I know that when I need something, I'll be able to find it.

If you want some help organizing the spaces in your home, please reach out to me in a message. I am currently available for phone consultations, until things get back to normal in our country.