…is a lifesaver!! We subscribed a year or so ago, and have used so many of their ideas! In this month’s issue they have a special section on organization…something I REALLY struggle with. Two of the ideas I’m totally going to adopt for our family.

The first is a Family Notebook. It’s just a 3 ring binder with those plastic divider sheets where you put all the emergency numbers, class lists, takeout recipes, log ins for certain websites, etc. so everything is centrally located for those times when Jonathan or I are out of town or we have a baby sitter. We could have it live on our somewhat not cluttered counter top as a reference. Super great idea.

The second, is to take a Priority Mail box from the Post Office (preferably one that’s already been used), cover it with paper and use it to store all the “art” that comes home from school. The parent who wrote in that suggestion says that they get one at the beginning of each school year and fill it with the art that the child wants to keep. The pictures stay flat and not damaged in the box. Claire is such a prolific “artist” that literally I bring home a bag full of “art” each week from preschool. I never know if I should keep it ( a lot of it hits the recycle bin) but I’ve wanted to find a good system and I have a few extra priority mail boxes lying around from ahem, yarn purchases. We’re totally adopting this one.

Oh and for you parents who don’t subscribe to Family Fun…run, don’t walk, to eBay and get a subscription. eBay you say? Yeah eBay. Most magazine outlets sell off the subscriptions they don’t normally sell via wholesalers on eBay. We’ve gotten more than a few magazine subscriptions from eBay for about 1/3 (or more) of the cost if you were to go to their website and subscribe. Just make sure you pick a seller with good feedback!