Wow! As it turned out, there was such a fantastic response for the first featured download of the new [ real neat ] series—family chore chart—I decided to leave it be for two weeks instead of just one! Anyway, I’m excited to share another one of my favorites with you!

Now that summer is upon us and the school year is ending, it’s time for parents to ship their kids off to the wilderness! 😉   This kid-friendly camp packing list will help all them young’uns ready themselves for a typical two-week adventure!

Note : If you have a favorite checklist or chart or article that you’d like to see included, please let me know! I’d love to feature your favorites! [ FYI : Quality design is a must! ]

As any parent knows, adding a child to the family can quickly and drastically alter the environment of any home. From infants to teens, kids come with a lot of “stuff.” What are you supposed to do with it all? Here are a few simple tips to help you teach your children how to get organized and stay that way…

• Bins, boxes, and baskets kept on lower shelves make it easy for your child to put away toys. Label storage containers with both pictures (for young children) and printed words (for preschoolers).
• Better yet, have your child draw pictures for the labels. Or, you can cut out the toys’ logos straight from the original boxes, take photos of the toys, or print the logos directly from the manufacturer websites. And, if your storage containers have handles, luggage tags are a quick and easy way to attach the finished labels.
• Before birthdays, Christmas, or other special gift-giving occasions, sit down with your child to sort through toys together. Guide your child through the decision-making process of which toys to keep and which to donate in order to make room for new toys received as gifts. In fact, take your child with you to the donation center.
• As you fold laundry, separate your child’s clothes into complete outfits. Store them individually in gallon-sized zip-top bags. Keep one bagged outfit in the car, just in case. And, when you travel, squeeze any extra air out of the bags to make packing the suitcase a breeze.
• Provide low hooks for your child to hang up sweaters, pajamas, jackets, book bags, etc. Before bedtime, check the weather forecast with your child. Then, have your child select an appropriate outfit to wear the next day.

Keep the most recent copy of your favorite magazine or catalog in your car “just in case” you arrive at the doctor’s office 20 minutes early or find yourself eating alone at lunch time.

The easy-to-digest articles are perfect for those occasions when you have a few minutes to spare, and the bonuses are plenty… You get to read something that you actually enjoy, your unread magazines won’t pile up at home, you won’t be wasting any of your precious time, and you’ll be more likely to remain calm and relaxed (even if the doctor is running 40 minutes behind schedule)!

No, not actual ‘trash talking’… Sorry to disappoint. 😉

Reuse a plastic shopping bag as a ‘trash receptacle’ in your car. For added stability, secure the bag inside a cardboard box. Store replacement bags nearby in an empty paper towel tube or tissue box. When the bag is full, toss it into the trash can at the gas station next time you refuel the car.

Next time you stop at a gas station to ‘fill up the tank,’ set the nozzle on the pump to run automatically. Then, use the ‘wait time’ to clean your car—remove trash, collect stray items, wash the windshield, etc.