Having a smaller house is certainly easier to clean! I love that it only takes me 10 minutes compared to the old 45 minutes to vacuum the downstairs. Less stuff equals less mess, who would have thought?

I have noticed one little problem though, the kids rooms are so small that when they make a normal mess it seems so much worse! In the old house you could still see the floor have room to play and honestly, just forget about it until the next day if you really had too. Not anymore! There is no room for a mess and still get around.

To fix this problem,  I got out my trusty timer and put the kids up to a challenge. I gave them 5 minutes. They had to pick up toys and put them back in their designated “home.” Whoever worked diligently the whole time and picked up as much as they could, would get a small treat at the end. Five minutes is just about long enough to get the whole room picked up if they do it without dragging feet. That is where the treat comes in. Nothing wrong with a little bribery, I mean motivation!

This works for us big kids too. Using a timer will help you stay on task for a specified amount of time. Take 5, 10 or 15 minutes and do a sweep through the house putting away out of place items. Pick a time each day to do this and you will be one step closer to taming the clutter monster.

Wow, the gas prices are getting crazy again and just as they are are going up it seems I have more to do. Or maybe I am just much more aware of how I am using that gas now! Spring break is here and yesterday it felt like I was in the car all day with the kids and really I was.

Yesterday was errand day. I try my hardest to save up those little runs  and try to do them in one day, it just so happened that I had all three kids with me. So here is how I made that time a little less insane looking.

- Pack snacks and juice boxes in a cooler just in case. I try not to let the kids know I have these or they will suddenly be dying of thirst or starvation in the beginning of the trip.

- Pack a few activities. A coloring book and a few crayons (not a box of 48 to be spilled everywhere) Bring the electronic gadgets and a few gizmos.

- Fit in a lunch out with a friend or in our case Grandma. It breaks up the day without having to stop at home or eating in the car.

- Be strategic about bathroom breaks. I knew our bank would have the cleanest bathrooms so that was the next stop after the restaurant. My kids never seem to need to go right after eating but like 20 minutes after.

- Drive to the farthest place first and work your way back. The kids will usually do better on a longer drive in the beginning rather than later.

How do you make errand time with kids a little less insane?

If you are like me, you may have resolved to get fit, find balance or get organized this year. (Yes, even I have areas that still need organizing!) I forgot one resolution that I think we should all try to be better at… Giving. Last week I went to Haiti with Soles4Souls, Inc. and it was a life changing experience. We washed children’s feet, fitted them for shoes and gave them a brand new pair. It was a humbling experience and the children were so grateful. Traveling to Haiti was definitely taking a step out of my comfort zone but felt at home where we stayed. You may not be ready to take a leap like that but think about ways you can help out in your community. Whether you are donating to a food bank, reading to kids or helping clean the neighborhood every little bit helps. Don’t forget to get the kids involved as well! Open them up to new possibilities and give them a glimpse into how other people live.

What are some ways you give back in your community or other areas?

This week we packed up and headed to New York to spend Christmas with my Grandfather. This year there will be 20-30 kids of all ages running around enjoying the festivities!

When packing I always bring out my stash of Mabel’s Labels in case anything needs a name attached! When you have that many kids around there is definitely potential for things to get lost.

To make things easier when traveling, make sure boots, gloves and coats get labels. Don’t forget to label those sweaters as well! Kid’s tend to peel off layers when they get warm so you can find yourself with lose items all over the place. Make it easier for everyone by labeling the stuff kids lose!

I hope you all enjoy the holidays, dear Mabelhood readers!

Ok, Mabelhood readers today I am going to turn the tables around. I want to hear from you! We had our first snow day this week and it got me thinking about the clothes…boots, gloves, hats, snow pants…all of that winter gear. The kids bundle up, get all warm and cozy and go out to  play. Then it seems like minutes later they are back in all soggy and cold only to warm up long enough to begin the process again. Usually they leave a wake of soggy muddy mess behind them!

You can see on my blog today how I dealt with our snow clothes for the ONE snow day we have had so far. But I am curious how some of our snowier climate friends deal with the snow gear on a regular basis? I would love for you to share some tips with me!