It’s Always a Good Time to Get Styled and Organized

 This post is sponsored.  Thank you for sponsoring CityGirlGoneMom!

I don’t think there is any parent out there that hasn’t experienced messing up their schedule.  I am unfortunately guilty of this and once showed up for soccer when I should have been at dance.  Lets face it, a family’s agenda is a whirlwind of commitments and it’s up to us parents to have a system to stay effectively organized.

As a busy mother of three I am always trying to find ways to manage our lives and be ready to tackle each day.  I stumbled upon Erin Condren two years ago when my friend brought me a bottle of wine with the most adorable label on it.   What a fabulous idea to label your wine when attending dinner parties or a birthday celebration.  Not only did I find these must-have labels on her site, but I also found labels for the 75 plus birthday parties we are invited to year after year.  Let’s face it, when there are 25 plus kids in a class, and you multiply those 25 tots by three, you are surely going to be invited to 75 plus birthday parties.  You need to be prepared. Erin Condren is the answer!

Erin Condren is a one stop shop for all of your ‘mommy’ organizational needs.  Besides a beautiful collection of labels, there is stationary, calendars and books, paper, stickers and so much more.

As a mom I like to see what our schedule looks like for the upcoming week.  When you are looking at a large family’s schedule it’s critical to have it mapped out for the whole family to see.  Seeing my schedule on a wall or on the inside of a pantry door, trumps my phone calendar.  I ordered a custom design for charting my weekly events and we are loving it as a family.  I love the picture of us in the top corner too.  Super Sweet!

Did I admit I messed up appointments on our family’s schedule?  Well, no more.  On Sunday nights I sit down with Bobby and write down our schedule for the week.  I also like to hang it inside the pantry so our family can easily see our upcoming events/appointments.  I am starting my little ones now with learning how important it is to be organized and using a calendar.  It has been quite a help to have this large calendar because we are able to add to it or change it accordingly.

The next item I purchased and found to be extremely useful are the book labels. From books to backpacks & lunch boxes galore, these stickers are extremely versatile. Personally, I’ve found these little stickers to be very convenient, especially for Jackson’s sports equipment.  I had a few extra ones, so I cut his name out and stuck it on his helmet, lacrosse stick, and baseball stuff.

It doesn’t end there.  With a family of five it is imperative you are organized when traveling and having personalized labels for your pieces of luggage or even the kids backpacks truly helps.  It’s always a bonus having one less thing to worry about when it comes to big-family traveling.

Every organized parent needs file folders.  Why not ‘file in style’ with these cleverly designed files.  There are many prints to choose from.  I love having files for my receipts and each of my kids important paper work throughout the school year.

Most kids are motivated by a reward, right? Ladies & Gentlemen, I would like to present to you The Functional Family Deluxe Set with a Chore Chart and Reward Cards.  This is the mother ship of being organized.  As parents we decide on the age appropriate chores for our kids.  With this system, you get to decide as a family what is an appropriate “perk” for your children, depending on their ages and your values.  With my kids it’s straight up cash.  They love to save for items on their wish list.   Because my kids are still young I give up to $5.00 in cash per week for my 6 and 8-year-old.  When they were younger, they worked toward the privilege of ice-cream or a  special family movie night.

The personalized ‘Reward Cards’ are a great way to acknowledge achievements and completed tasks. You can check, initial or punch each circle until the card is complete and the Reward is achieved!  I also love that you can change the chores up each week to exactly what you need your kids to accomplish.  A bonus?  Well there is not one, but two.  Behind the chore chart is a place for important notes and phone numbers for while you are away.  A great reference for your babysitters.  And below the chore chart is a place for you to meal plan.  This is exactly what I was in need of to make our days feel a bit more coordinated.

Thank you Erin Condren for truly thinking of it all and being such a fabulous one-stop-shop for getting my family organized.  You can too! Just use this code and save $10.00 off your first purchase. https://www.erincondren.com/referral/invite/danielleschaffer1207

What are some of the things you use to get organized with your family?  From sticky labels to dog-tagged items, I’d love to know what you are up to!  Comment on this post and share it on Facebook for a chance to win an Erin Condren scented candle called, Island Fleur.