Controlling Paper Chaos - Top 40 Organizing

I shared in an earlier post that I was spending time this summer organizing the areas in my house that need it the most. I wanted to share the first area I tackled because I'm so excited about it.

With 4 kids in school and activities, the paper clutter in our house was out of control. I really wish I had taken a picture of all of the papers that the kids brought home on the last day of school. It literally filled their backpacks so that they could barely zip them!

I wanted to sort through the piles to keep the most memorable pictures and papers and also to file away the important papers that I would need to reference later.  I had saved so many papers through the year though that the thought of sorting through everything was very overwhelming!

I started, as I start most projects, by scouring Pinterest.  I have always loved this idea by A Bowl Full of Lemons, so when I saw it again on Pinterest, I knew I had to try it. It seemed like fate that when I went to check the prices of the totes and folders that they were having a great sale!  I ordered them on the spot - in 4 different colors (coincidentally, the 4 colors they had available were also the 4 colors that we already used to sort our kids' things).

They aren't perfect, but they look so much better than the stacks of papers on my dresser or the counter.  Having a limited space to store things really helps me to weed things out and figure out what's most important.

To label the file folders I ordered a Dynmo label maker (which I also happened to buy while it was on sale for $9.99 - I had a lot of dumb luck with this project).  I LOVE my labeler and can't believe it took me so long to buy one.

The totes took care of the keepsakes, but I still needed a handy place to store important papers that I need to reference quickly (and storing them in files was an out of sight, out of mind issue for me).

I came up with my school year action binder.  I made the cover quickly in Publisher (you can download it for free by clicking on the picture).

Inside I added dividers and folders for each child and each activity.  Here I can store class newsletters, contact info and class lists.

I also have a general school section for both our elementary school and our preschool.  This is where I store info that is relevant to both kids at that school - things like calendars, handbooks, and login passwords for homework websites.

Here's hoping that the next school year is less stressful and chaotic and more organized!

What tips do you have for keeping school papers sorted and organized?

Mommy's New Toys!

I'm super excited about 2 new things this week...

First, I FINALLY broke down and bought the Toddler Play book I have wanted forever. We have the Baby Play version and I just love it so I'm glad to add this one to my collection.


Second, and maybe most exciting, my new light box!!!! I've been wanting to improve the quality of the pictures on my blog for awhile and since a new (better) camera just isn't in the budget right now, I thought this might be one way to help improve the craft pictures I take.

I followed the tutorial here at The Scrap Shoppe to make it.

What We Did This Week

Pinky is 5 years, Chaos is 35 months, Wild One is 14 months

Recently, Pinky has been telling my husband and I that she wants to be a zookeeper when she grows up. So this week I decided to have a Zookeeper theme to (most) our activities!

Where We Went:
In addition to all of our regular activities (preschool, dance, playgroup, Spanish, etc) the older two were also invited to a birthday party at a local gymnastics center. It was SO great to see the kids running off some energy. I was impressed with the activities that both of them tried!

Artist Study: Eric Carle
I wanted to find an artist to study who painted lots of animals to keep with our theme. Who better for kids to study than Eric Carle? We have several of his books so we started by looking at them and talking about the pictures and what made them different from other drawings.

Next, we visited the Eric Carle website and watched the slide shows of how creates his pictures. You can find the slide shows here on his website.

We divided the art project up over several days. First, we painted our tissue paper. I used leftover tissue paper from gifts (being a hoarder of supplies pays off sometimes!) and watered down some Crayola Kids Paint. I offered the kids different sizes and types of paintbrushes and told them to go to work! The papers were very wet so we set them aside to dry (they were mostly dry after a few hours, but we let them sit overnight).

After seeing an idea of painting with qtips (here), I decided that the next step should be qtip painting the background papers. I asked the kids to think about what type of animal or insect they wanted to create (Pinky wanted a flamingo and Chaos chose a bear - I made a fish to show them what to do). We talked about their habitats and what the paper should look like.

After the backgrounds were dry (we used blank white cards as we were making these pictures as Thinking of You cards for their great grandma) we cut out and glued our painted tissue paper to them (idea from here).

Here are our final pictures:

It was a lot of work, but we really enjoyed doing something different! They didn't turn out exactly as I had planned, but really, it's more about the process than the finished product.

Ocean Waves in a Bottle:
For this week's sensory activity we made ocean waves in a bottle. The kids really loved it (especially the glitter) and played for quite awhile rolling it back and forth to each other to see the waves. You can find the instructions here on Ten Kids and a Dog.

Zoo Maps:
This was by far the kids' favorite activity this week and it was SO simple! After building their own zoo (info below), we decided to make our own zoo maps. We looked at a few maps online, talked about what a zoo map would contain (sidewalks, welcome center, animal pictures, etc), and got to work. We used construction paper, animal stickers and crayons. The kids were SO proud of their creations and asked to make more zoo maps all week long.

Chaos wanted my help with his map. He isn't big into coloring with crayons so he told me what he wanted (mostly copying what big sister did) and added the stickers himself


Pinky's zoo map. The smiley building is the welcome center. The circle with the lion, bats, snake and oyster is the "scary place." I love the way she added monkeys to the trees where the giraffes are eating and planted flowers along her sidewalks. My favorite though is the nest she drew for the Easter eggs. Her favorite part is the "zoo fairies."

Even Wild One took a turn making her own map. This was her first real art experience and she really loved putting all the stickers on the page. She was a bit more reluctant with the crayons (though maybe it was the type we used), but she tried them anyway.

What We Read:
I checked a few zookeeper books out from our local library to give the kids an idea of what it is zookeepers do each day. We read Jungle Jack Hanna's What Zookeepers Do and A Day in the Life of a Zookeeper together. Both books had a lot of great pictures and just the right amount of information for Pinky's age (the links are in the widget at the bottom of the post).

Wild One read her Dear Zoo book (all the kids have loved this book) and we played with our Baby Einstein animal flashcards (even the older kids had fun with these - they took turns answering the facts on the back of the cards).

What We Played With:
The plastic/rubber animals have always been a favorite around here. So it was no surprise that the kids wanted to build their own zoo with them. They even had a zookeeper and Chaos grabbed the toy camera to take some pictures of all the animals.

Gathering animals to build a zoo

Popsicle Stick Puzzles:
I saw a cute idea on Impress Your Kids that I adapted to fit our theme. I let the kids search through some old magazines and cut out pictures of animals. We then glued them to popsicle sticks and cut them apart to make our own puzzles. Another really easy craft! You can find the tutorial here at Impress Your Kids.

Computer Time:
Once again we played at Switcheroo Zoo, but this week we tried the habitat game. Pinky was shown an animal and had to pick the correct habitat to make the animals happy.

Family Time Activity:
Since winter returned in full force here (after a WONDERFUL warm up last week) we had a great family snowball fight.


When we were done, we headed inside to warm up and watch some movies! First the kids watched two movies that I borrowed from the library, What Do You Want to be When You Grow Up: Zoo Crew and Adventures with Wink & Blink: A Day in the Life of a Zoo. Then, on the weekend, we watched Disney Nature: Oceans together as a family. What a great movie!

Mom's Favorite:

Wild One doing one of her two most favorite things - stacking blocks!

These amazon links are NOT affiliate links. I just want to share some of the toys, books and crafts that we love.



Linking up to:

Favorite Toys 2

For those last minute shoppers (I believe today is the last day to order online for delivery by Christmas), here are some of my family's favorite toys and games. (You can see the list I made last year here.) These have all stood the test of time in our house and the kids keep coming back to them. (This list is just for fun and I have not been compensated for my reviews in any way).

1. Melissa and Doug Jumbo Coloring and Sticker Pads

I don't know when my kids were first introduced to Melissa and Doug jumbo color pads and jumbo sticker pads, but I am so glad they were! The pictures in each book (they have both "girl" and "boy" versions) are very cute with great detail. My kids have spent so much time playing with their coloring books and stickers that I have started giving these out as big brother and big sister gifts. They certainly give Mom some free time!

2. Geomag Blocks

I discovered these blocks by accident in the clearance section at TRU a few years ago. I immediately fell in love with them and my kids followed. The blocks are magnetic, make noise when you shake them, and can be taken in the bathtub. The farm animal and sea creature pop ons add even more fun. All 3 of my kids can play with these together.

3. Write and Learn/Scribble and Write

We originally received the Vtech Write and Learn as a gift. Let me tell you, this is one of the most fought over toys in our house! You can practice letter writing, shape drawing or just doodle and draw for fun! It does seem this toy is harder to find these days, but the Leapfrog Scribble and Write seems to be a nice alternative (Chaos received one for an early Christmas present). So far, both are big hits!

4. Leapfrog Leapster 2

Pinky received her Leapster a year ago, and I have to say, I'm impressed. She has learned to spell, write letters, simple math, and Spanish words just by playing games she thinks are fun. We do limit her time on it, but this is a great learning tool. I also love that parents can connect it to their computers to see how well their child is learning (it will tell you strengths, how long each game was played, how many answers they got correct and what they need to work on). Thumbs up in my book!

5. Rosy Cheeks Baby

Okay, this one technically hasn't stood the test of time just yet. Wild One will be getting this cutie from Santa. I did a lot of research to find a soft cloth baby doll that she would not instantly outgrow. I think she is going to love it!

6. Melissa and Doug Food Sets

There isn't a food set from Melissa & Doug that my kids don't enjoy. We have 3 or 4, but the Ice Cream set is definitely a hands down favorite. The scoops are magnetic to build double and triple deckers. The quality of Melissa & Doug toys are fantastic, and I'm sure you won't go wrong with any set you choose.

7. Tunnel

We have a basic tunnel (similar to this one) that I picked up for a steal at a garage sale. We all love playing with it! The best part? It collapses for flat storage when you're done!

8. Fridge Phonics/Fridge Farm


Both of these fridge sets from Leapfrog have been adorning our refrigerator since Pinky was a toddler (amazingly enough we haven't lost a single magnet yet). They're both cute and fun, and the Phonics set definitely helped Pinky learn her alphabet. Chaos is just starting to learn his letters from it too.

9. Sesame Street Baby's Purse

This is another toy we've had since Pinky was a baby. It a cute, sturdy toy. The change purse rattles (as if there is real money in it), the keys (not all are picture here) also have a mirror on them. There is also a cell phone (not pictured) that squeaks when you push the buttons. This is one of Wild One's favorite toys at the moment.

10. eeBoo games (tell a story, tea party, robot)

eeBoo is another great company in my opinion. We have several of their games and have been pleased with all of them. None require reading but do teach the value of taking turns. We enjoy the Tea Party (pictured) and Build a Robot games. Pinky and Chaos also each have a set of Tell Me a Story Cards (Fairy Tale Mix Up and Little Robot's Mission). I am so impressed with the quality of the cards and the beauty of each picture. We have had a lot of fun making up stories with these cards.

11. Don't Break the Ice

Well...this game may not be the most educational or the quietest game ever, but it is certainly a favorite on family game night. I like that there is no reading involved and that is is simple enough for even Chaos to join in. The kids enjoy this game so much we sometimes have to "encourage" them to play other games!

12. Magnadoodle

Who doesn't love a magnadoodle? Great for drawing, tic tac toe and practicing letter writing. We have both the full size and travel sized (well, 2 travel sizes). They make great toys for long car rides!

The following two toys I believe are out of production, but I thought I would mention them in case you catch sight of them second hand.

13. Barney Laptop

(Sorry No Picture)

This is another often fought over toy in our house. It has several different levels of play - a find it game (find the picture, color, number or shape), an identification (push the button and the computer will tell you what it is), a music mode and more. A cute, sturdy toy.

14. Laugh and Learn Magnetic Cookie Puzzle

This magnetic puzzle makes it easy for kids to fit the pieces where they go. It plays songs and teaches shapes, colors and textures. Depending on which way you put the cookie in the slot it tells you something different about the cookie ("mmm..bumpy cookie" or "red triangle"). A great gift for those in the 12 month - 2 year range, but my older kids still enjoy it as well (they pretend to bake the cookies).

Cute Gift Idea for Toddlers

After seeing this post for a Toddler Sewing basket on Childhood 101, I thought it would be a perfect gift for crafty kids. I may have to make some of these next year!

Favorite Toys

For all of those last minute shoppers out there I thought I'd share some of our favorite and most played with toys. I hope this helps some one with their shopping this year.

1. Chicken Socks Books

We have the Short Stuffs book and Pinky loves it. She's gotten very creative making her own versions of the animals.

2. Oball

We bought this for Chaos when he was a baby, and I have since given it as a baby gift to many people. It's so easy for little ones to hold onto, and they really seem to love it.

3. Snap and Style Girls

Pinky got these when she was 2 and still plays with them. Chaos has taken an interest in them as well. The outfits are very easy for little hands to get on and off.

4. Loving Family Dollhouse

We love this dollhouse so much we have two of them. There are lots of accessories to go with it, and it has seen a LOT of playtime in our house

5. Step 2 Play Kitchen

What playroom would be complete without a play kitchen? We love this one. The price is great, it's very sturdy, and has all the kitchen essentials. It's not too big either, which is something we were concerned about.

6. Playskool Busy Gears

This is a toy I never thought would hold the kids' interest, but I was wrong. The music it plays is very catchy, and the kids will play with this for a long time, switching out the gears, stacking them up and playing different songs.

7. Play Doh Silly Friends

This is our favorite way to play with Play Doh. I love that the kids can be creative with it, and that they can do it by themselves. Even my husband and I have fun with this toy.

8. Automoblox

This is just a great toy. It's a wooden car that can be taken apart and mixed and matched with other automblox cars and trucks. It's the fun of puzzles combined with a love of cars. Chaos is getting one of these under the tree this year!

9. Wedgits

These pyramid shaped blocks are so much fun! This is another toy that is finding its way under our tree this Christmas.

10. Cranium Hulabaloo

Hands down our all time favorite game. It keeps the kids active and moving, and teaches colors, shapes and more. I love that the winner of each game is random too. You never know who will be standing on the right spot when the game is over!

11. Busy Ball Popper

I think this is one of those love 'em or hate 'em toys. Personally, I love it and so do my kids. The balls pop and roll everywhere so I recommend your kids be at an age to chase them themselves or you will be doing a lot of fetching! It never fails to make the kids laugh.

12. Learn and Groove Musical Table

This a great grow-with-them toy. When they're babies, you can take the legs off and let the top sit on the ground. Once they start pulling up, this is a great toy to stand next to. Pinky still loves this at 4 years old - the music is just so fun and funky!

13. Toy Firehouse

I love wooden dollhouses. Chaos' grandparents bought this "dollhouse" for him this year. It's great quality, and I think will certainly hedge his jealousy over Pinky's dollhouse.

14. Cranium Cariboo

Another of our favorite games. I like that it grows with your child - you can make it more challenging as they get better with shapes, colors and numbers.