Organize Sports Balls

Baseballs, soccer balls, footballs, volleyballs and just plain bouncy balls give hours of pleasure to children of all ages. They can also be a problem to store where they are easily accessible and do not pose a safety hazard to folks trying to walk through the garage, the playroom or wherever they are kept. Large plastic storage tubs and colorful trash cans will serve to corral the balls, but a more organized approach is to store the balls with other equipment necessary to play the game. Here are a few alternatives that may offer some inspiration for getting your sport balls in order.

The Rubbermaid Sportsgear Organizer measures 36”x38”x18” and can hold a variety of balls, mitts, gloves and shoes. The International Sports Organizer with Bench is 36” long, has a sturdy wire bottom that allows ventilation and a cushioned bench on top that allows the athlete to sit and adjust equipment. It is made just like a toy chest, so it accommodates a lot of items and works for kids who just throw everything into a pile.

One of my favorite products is the Ball Claw, available at Target’s. It is an adjustable plastic claw that will hold footballs, basketballs, volleyballs and soccer balls. It comes in a wall-mountable style or with a strap so that it can be attached to a hook system or sport tote. This works well if you use a duffel bag to hold equipment for each sport your family members play. A particularly good organizing bag for baseball and bats is the Mizano Organizing bag with wheels. Specialty storage items for most sports can be found at http://www.ssw.com/.

If you would like to try your hand at building a sports ball and equipment storage center yourself, an excellent example can be found at http://www.diynetwork.com/.

Even if all your ball games do not end in victory, may you have fun playing them.

Beverly & Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net

PREPARE FOR ROAD TRIP WITH A TODDLER

We are getting ready to take a thirteen-hour trip-with a three-year-old. So my thoughts have turned to preparation for traveling with a toddler. This actually takes more preparation and organization than traveling with a baby or older child.

First there is the comfort factor. Is the car seat a good fit and is the cover pliable enough to not chafe or rub? Is the stroller portable enough to take up minimum space and will it allow the child to sit comfortably. Our little linebacker’s wide shoulders made this a challenge. Part of comfort is keeping the little darling well hydrated and supplied with healthy snacks. So pack water, juice and snack favorites in an accessible container. After eating and drinking thoughts turn to keeping him clean and dry, so a supply of diapers, pull-ups or underpants also need to be nearby. A changing pad, portable potty or child’s folding commode seat make comfort stops easier for everybody in the traveling party. It is a good idea to stop every hour or two to stretch legs and check on bathroom needs.
A supply of tissues, wipes and paper towels to mop up any messes round out the comfort items.

Next comes the safety factor. Car seats should be safely installed and fastened according to directions. The child should remain safely buckled in the car seat while the vehicle is moving. When it is time to get out of the car, a tether that fits loosely around the child’s arm and a caregiver’s arm provides freedom and puts limits on how far a child can roam. Nothing substitutes for carefully watching the little one at all times. Even with vigilance, it is hard to keep up with the energy level of a toddler, so bring a few childproofing items for your room. A child safety doorknob cover and a latch lock a couple of items that will come in handy. A night-light may give the child a level of comfort in a strange place and allow him to sleep more comfortably. If the place you are staying does not have a suitable bed, you may want to take an air mattress or sleeping bag. Some manufacturers make toddler size air mattresses with inflatable rails for restless sleepers. A first aid kit should be in the car to handle any minor mishaps.

Do not underestimate the need for entertainment. With short attention spans, toddlers need a variety of toys and games to keep them occupied during a trip. Some good travel toys are Colorform sets, water coloring pens and paper, and talking books. A DVD player can entertain with favorite videos and a supply of sing-along favorite songs will provide some interactive time with the traveling party. Interactive games like Seek and Find (find a cow, find a school bus, find a flag) keep a child entertained during long driving periods. Consider wrapping a few “surprises” to pull out when the going gets rough or to reward for good behavior. A ball for tossing during rest stops can help burn off some energy before returning to the car.

Then there is the usual. Enough clothes appropriate to the climate, medicines, and a favorite comfort toy or item. While you are at it, pack a good sense of humor and the knowledge that if you forgot it, you can probably find it to purchase.

Beverly & Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net

ORGANIZE CORDS AND CABLES

Not all technology is wireless. That is evident when we spy the tangled web of cords leading from computers, entertainment systems and other clusters of electronic devices.
Whether you are dealing with extension cords or coaxial cables, there are devices that help to keep them orderly and protect the humans in our lives from getting tangled in the mess.

The least expensive (and least esthetically pleasing) solution is too use split PVC tubing to protect and bundle, or twist ties and stick on hooks to keep the tied cords tight against consoles and walls. Either of these solutions works well for thinner cords and cables. A cheap option for storing thinner cable is to thread them through paper towel or toilet tissue tubes. We do not, however, recommend using these paper tubes for cables and cords that are in use.

If you yearn for a simple, attractive way to organize the cords and cables that litter your floors, there are several commercially available options for taming the mess. The Wiremate Cable Organizer at www.wiremate.com conceals a crowd of cables and comes in three colors to coordinate with your décor. At www.officedepot.com , the 3M Cord Organizer Kit comes with cord bundlers and tags, and www.organize.com carries a host of products for shortening excess cable cord and bundling cable of all sizes. At www.ImprovementsCatologue.com you can find a Cord Cover Kit that includes adhesive-backed channels and corner pieces that snap together for a neat tailored look. The material can be painted to match the décor and fits any flat surface. This is a great alternative for protecting wires from little hands.

A cordwrap outlet faceplate for outlets is an ingenious design that allows the user to wrap excess cord at the plug-in source. Unfortunately the website www.keepitcartesian is temporarily out of the product. They urge you to check back as they will have the design in stock soon. A few other devices that allow better organization of cords at plug in sites are the Hub-man four port hub available at www.solutions.com, and the five outlet corner plug surge protector that fits neatly in a corner available at www.shophometrends.com.

Keeping cords bundled, encased and organized protects the cords from damage and keeps them from causing harm to folks with inquisitive hands or clumsy feet.

Beverly and Kristen
www.keytransitions.net

Avoid Cluttered Linen Closets

Some of us are lucky enough to have linen closets that allow us to keep our stored linens in piles and still have room for toiletries and other items we like to keep handy. Most of us don’t have that luxury and have to devise ways to keep our linen storage neat. The challenge is even greater if we have family members helping themselves to sheets and towels or putting way the clean laundry.

We have a few strategies that work for most families and really work well for individuals.
The first step in deciding what to keep where is to consider where your linen closet is located. If it is in the upstairs hallway near the shared bath, where will you keep table linens and things you use in the downstairs bath? Is there room in the linen closet for things you use in the master suite, or would it be better to store those items closer to where they are used?

Once you have decided exactly what you are going to keep in the linen closet, take a look at the volume of stuff you have to store there. Remember you do not have to have every piece of linen that fits that category available for use. If you have twenty sets of sheets for the queen size bed, one set on the bed and one or two sets in the closet are enough to have on hand. Other sheets and pillowcases can be stored in less accessible spaces until they are needed for use. That goes for anything you have more than a few of. (Just don’t forget you have it and buy some more). That also goes for seasonal items that can be packed in plastic bags with the seasonal decorations.

When you are ready to stack things in the closet, consider using bins for toiletries and, if you do not need to consider safety of small children, place them on low shelves to minimize damage from spillage. If you need to consider child safety, place them out of children’s reach in containers with solid plastic sides and bottom. Place folded sheets and pillowcases inside one of the matching pillowcases and fold the pillowcase sided to fit the contents. Store on shelves with the unopened pillowcase seam facing out. Use the same principle with towels. Fold the washcloth and face towel inside the bath towel and store with the smooth side out. You may also consider rolling the towels, especially if you have deep shelves. If children need to access the linens, place them within easy reach so they do not have to climb to get them in our out of the closet.

If you store infrequently used items in the linen closet, fold them inside-out in order to prevent dust from accumulating on the used side. It is good practice to store tablecloths this way. Tablecloths may also be hung on towel racks mounted on closet or panty doors.

To keep the linen closet looking organized, tidy up the items in disarray when you put away clean linens or when you remove an item for use. Those two minutes will go a long way to keep the space in order.

Beverly & Kristen
www.KeyTransition.net

Uncluttered With Children

“There is no way to have an uncluttered house with two little ones underfoot!” our young friend lamented. She was trying to get ready to have a meeting at her house and just could not imagine how she could get things picked up before the guests arrived. She was right. Without help, she could not get the family room organized in time for the meeting. So, together with another recruit, we succeeded in having the space presentable and the guests never suspected that we were hauling blocks up the back stairs as she was greeting them at the front door.

My friend has since adopted organization systems that are better suited to young families. Now, she can have the family room presentable for guests in 30 minutes or less. The secret is to:
Ÿ use storage systems that are accessible to the children who use them,
Ÿ establish rules for playing and returning items to their place,
Ÿ limit the number of play items, and
Ÿ select storage that hides content from view.

Storage systems that hide content from view include toy boxes, shelves with doors and baskets that fit in cubbies or tables. Even open baskets that group like items help give a more orderly appearance to a room. The most important thing is that the storage system is appropriate for the age of the child. A two-year-old cannot be expected to line books neatly on a shelf, but he can randomly place them in a basket. Children can also “help” pick up toys and put them in a box. Toy boxes can be wagon seats, covered ottomans or an oversized basket that fits under a table.

Children can begin from an early age to learn to pick things up before going outside, or going to bed. They can also understand picking up some toys to "make room” to play with blocks or use a riding toy. These simple rules set the groundwork for more extensive requirements as the child grows and takes responsibility for picking up his toys.

Some children have so many toys that even adults are overwhelmed at the array of choices. By storing some toys and rotating them in the play space, young children have a better opportunity to play with what is available without distraction. When interest in a toy wanes, retire that one for a while and bring out something new to delight the child. Older children can participate in the selection. For instance, you can agree to have only ten stuffed animals on the bed at a time. The rest can go to the “animal reserve” for a while. The “reserve” can be a display shelf, a box under the bed or one of a number of clever storage systems to house a stuffed animal collection that are available on-line.

Keep the systems accessible to the children who use them. Hooks should be placed no higher than the child’s shoulder level. Shelves should be low enough to reach without climbing and doors and lids should open easily and safely. The storage should be placed in the area where the child does the activity so he can easily get his things out and put them away.

Our friend adopted these suggestions and the next time she was called on to host a meeting, she gathered the family room clutter (mostly toys) with the help of her children and was ready in no time.

Living with children is a wonderful experience--made better by organization that makes life easier.

Take a look at these sites to find child-friendly storage systems:
www.potterybarn.com
www.kettler.com
www.target.com
www.constructiveplaythings,com
www.ikea.com

Beverly & Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net

A Place for Toys

Many of us have grandchildren, nieces and nephews and young friends who stop by for short visits. Those of us who have experience with children know that it is wise to have some safe, age appropriate toys handy when these little darlings come to call. That way we preserve the other tempting objects in our house that just call out to be handled and broken. Creating a play station, either stationary or portable, helps ensure that even your youngest guests have an enjoyable visit.

We are firm believers that children are best kept under the watchful eye of their caretaker when visiting, especially if they are in an unfamiliar setting. The challenge is to create a separate space that encourages independent play so the adults can enjoy interacting with each other. Even though the children are in sight, it is a good idea to make the space as safe as possible. For instance, obscure electrical outlets, make sure all furniture is stable and will not topple over and avoid sharp corners and breakable surfaces.

One of our clients has chosen to create a stationary play area in her finished room above the garage where she frequently visits with friends and meets with her church groups. In one sunny corner, she has a book case filled with children’s books and games. Next to that, she has a three-drawer chest that houses a variety of play things. If you choose this type of play area, make sure that books and toys appropriate for small children are placed on lower shelves and items with small parts or other hazards are placed out of reach.

Another way of handling the situation is to put together a portable play station. This can be done with a box or large bag, a rolling bin or a storage chest. Group toys by age appropriateness and place in large plastic bags which are labeled with the age category. Then place the bags in the storage receptacle. Fill another bag with a cheerful quilt or throw and small pillow. You might also add a lap-desk or other firm writing surface for coloring and drawing. When the young ones arrive, pull out the bags that correspond to their age group and spread the throw to define their play area. These portable play stations are also a good solution for parents who occasionally tend children in spaces other than the main play area in the residence. A play station in the laundry room can distract a child long enough to get the clothes sorted or folded.


Beverly & Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net

Organize Your Tools and Fix Something

Everybody has to fix something sometime in his life. Repairs are a lot easier of tolls are organized and handy. Some folks have just the basic hammer and nails, screwdriver, pliers and mallet. Others have a collection of tools for every eventuality. No matter how many tolls you own, they should be stored so they are not damaged and so that you can retrieve what you need without hurting yourself. If there are youngsters in the house, tools should be kept in a locked container or in a place in inaccessible to children.

Saws and knives should have teeth and blades protected to keep the sharp and to protect human skin from nicks and scrapes. Nails and screws should be confined to compartments or containers with lids.

There are a number of options to store tools in an organized fashion. Small toolboxes made of heavy duty plastics or metal with removable trays and lockable lid are available for under ten dollars. There are also buckets with liners that hold tools and accessories. Husky makes various sized soft-sided carry-all satchels that are good choices for a limited number of tools. Metal tool chests with a variety of drawers and compartments come in all sizes and range from a portable chest costing thirty dollars to mega-chests on wheels costing over a thousand dollars.

For transporting everything you need for a job, Stanley makes a mobile job chest that has a fifty gallon capacity, a large tool tray and a retractable handle that allows the chest to be pulled on its heavy-duty rubber coated wheels.

These containers and others can be viewed at the following web-sites:
www.homedepot.com
www.lowes.com
www.sears.com

Select the container that suits your needs and organize you tools in it. The next time you need to hang a picture, repair a fixture or assemble a new purchase, you tools will be waiting for you.

Beverly and Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.com

An Organized Car

The local television station reported that fifty-eight million Americans will drive greater than fifty miles this Memorial Day week-end. That did not impress me much since, for many years, my round trip commute to work was greater than fifty miles. But no matter when we travel or where we go in our cars and trucks, SUVs and campers, we have ample opportunity to collect and clutter. When I was commuting seventy miles to work, one of my favorite colleagues loved candy bars and chips. I knew that whenever he picked me up, I would hear crackling sounds when I took the passenger seat. That was because his idea of cleaning the car for our road trip was to stuff all of the discarded wrappers under the seat. I gave him a car litter basket for Christmas one year and he surprised me by actually using it. He said he did not know that such a thing existed and hated trying to tack down a bag to dispose of his trash. He did not become a neat-freak but he no longer littered his front seat with wrappers.

Many of us spend a good part of our life driving to work, running errands, chauffeuring family. According to Kelly Quigley, author of Time Well Spent, The average car owner spends five hundred to one thousand hours per year behind the wheel of his car. That is a lot of time! During that time we access stuff to support our activities, we accumulate stuff as we run our errands and we discard stuff as we open and unwrap. The problem is that, in a car, we have limited space to stuff our stuff. Front seats, back seats, trunks and cargo holds can become cluttered, unsightly areas where it is hard to find what we need

This can become particularly troublesome when you embark on a road trip with a car full of family or friends. So, with summer travel just around the corner, we thought this would be a good time to share some of our favorite products for organizing your auto. There are some nifty products on the market that sell for less than twenty five dollars

To stash your trash try the Trash Stand by Case Logic. It is weighted so it won’t slide or slip, is leak proof and has a cover so you can hide the mess. With dimensions of 8"x5"x8" it fits nicely on the floor or between the seats. It even has a hidden compartment for storing valuables. The same company also makes a litter chute that hooks onto the headrest and is convenient for the back seat. It has a self-closing lid and empties from the bottom for easy trash removal. Another product is the Kids Trash Bag that hangs on the head rest, is leak proof and has an outside mesh pocket that can hold wipes and tissues.

There are also several items that will help you tame front seat clutter.

The Seat Caddy by Lewis N. Clark has an insulated cup holder, CD sleeves a zipper pocket and adjustable compartments. It closes to conceal contents and fits under the passenger seat when you want to tuck it away.

The Mobile Office sits on the seat beside you and has compartments for your cell phone, ipod, laptop, books and other paraphernalia and a hard top tray that prevents objects from rolling off and gives a surface for writing.

The Over the Seat Organizer by Creekside has compartments that hold various objects and can easily be turned to the back of the seat when you pick up a passenger.

If you fumble for your cell phone or glasses the Case Logic Catch All is a perfect size for cell phone, gas receipts and sun glasses. It has an adjustable arm that hooks into the air vent.

There are also several good back seat organizers for kids who are old enough to face forward in their car seats. These organizers also work well for older folks who want to keep things neat back there and do not need to access the items while driving.

The High Road Kid Organizer fits on the back seat and can be zipped up and carried with the attached shoulder strap. It is tall enough for kids in booster seats and has identical pockets on each side so two children can share. It buckles to the seat belt to keep it secure. The Backseat car organizer has a dozen pockets to hold small toys and games and fits over the back of the front seat to be within the child’s reach. The Car Organizer for Kids has a top sturdy enough to draw on, adjustable dividers and outside pockets.

Highroad and Case Logic both make child seat organizers for the littlest passengers. They fit securely underneath the car seat to protect from spills and mishaps and have side pockets to hold comfort items.

For the adult traveler, Lewis N. Clark Insulated Seat Back Organizer features a large insulated compartment to store hot or cold items and adjustable fasteners that double as a shoulder strap if you need to remove it from the car.

Keeping miscellaneous items stable in the trunk or cargo space is easy with a collapsible crate or tote. The Trunk/ Cargo Storage Bag measures 17"L x 10"W x 11"H and has a zip close top. This can be used for road hazard items or other necessities. The Creekside Organizer Tote opens to organize groceries or other items and folds flat when not it use and the Solutions Cargo Cooler has the additional feature of a built in water resistant cooler.

These and similar products can be found at the following web sites:
www.Solutions.com
www.ebags.com
www.DrivingComfort.com

Treat yourself to an organized automobile and enjoy the ride.

Beverly and Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net