Back to School

Here are the top 3 things I'm doing NOW to get ready for school to start. Only one week left😳. This summer went by way too fast. 

Declutter and Get Organized

It's time to get rid of some things and reorganize.  I've been doing this all summer. Seriously, I do not know how we have accumulated so much stuff. It's so overwhelming for me when I'm surrounded by so much clutter. My brain just functions better when I see clean empty space.

"Whether it be your closet or office desk, excess things in your surroundings can have a negative impact on your ability to focus and process information. That’s exactly what neuroscientists at Princeton University found when they looked at people’s task performance in an organized versus disorganized environment. The results of the study showed that physical clutter in your surroundings competes for your attention, resulting in decreased performance and increased stress.

A team of UCLA researchers recently observed 32 Los Angeles families and found that all of the mothers’ stress hormones spiked during the time they spent dealing with their belongings. Similar to what multitasking does to your brain, physical clutter overloads your senses, making you feel stressed, and impairs your ability to think creatively."

Info from Lifehacker.com

I'm most excited about the new look in our school room/ homework station. I've been working with my multitalented friend Amy @lovethelifeilive ,  who is a proffessional organizer and interior decorator. Here is a sneak peak, but stay tuned for a full detailed post about this room, including some pretty awesome before and after pics.

New Clothes and Supplies

This part is the most fun! Well if you can do it without spending a ton of money right? I recently found a great online shop called Joanie and Burt and they have the cutest and totally affordable clothing. I pretty much got everything in their shop. Check out all the adorable pics taken by my sweet friend Kallie Cooper. You have got to check out some of her videos she makes. She is seriously so talented.

All other supplies I bought from Walmart cause it's cheap and Amazon Prime because it saves me time. Hey that rhymes !

Routines and Chore Charts

Since reading the book The Power of Pause I have cut back dramatically on my overzealous "to do" lists and routines, but understand that there must be some sort of structure in our home. So I put together these charts to help remind the kids what they should be doing in the mornings, after school, and at bed time. They are not the prettiest and defintiely not Pinterest worthy, but hey, it gets the job done.

I'm going to do some homeschool pre-school with Brooklyn while we're here in  Salt Lake. We plan to do lots of reading, fun crafts and feild trips. I've recently picked up a few children's books that I'd like to read to her often. I love ones that have a positive message like this one called The Little Tree That Smiled. My kids really like this book and the illustrations are awesome! They were all done by the author herself. I just love that it teaches kids to dream and that dreams can come true.

"For Every Child Who Likes To Dream! Imagine a special little tree in the forest who could talk! This little tree was so special that he not only could talk, he could laugh and have a good time just like any kid. Then one day a new friend came into his life! He wanted to be so much a part of his new friend's life that he thought there had to be a way he could run and jump just like his new friend. And, you know what? THAT IS WHAT DREAMS ARE FOR! We all love to dream and we all should have dreams and that is what this children's story is all about! The forest comes alive for you with the beautiful, brightly colored illustrations. An enjoyable and fun read for every child who likes to dream!"