Hygeia

Whenever it comes to balancing a family, including young kids, a home and perhaps a full time job to boot, you have choices. If you find that your workload sometimes seems like it is just too much, take heart!

From an outside perspective, I would say that the secret to success in organizing is the ability to prioritize your various commitments, enlist the help of others, and not sweat the small stuff.

Do you feel overwhelmed? If you want good time management skills, practice the COPE method.

COPE is an acronym for Capitalize, Organize, Prioritize, and Energize.

* Capitalize on the ability of every child to assist with household chores such as setting the table, clearing the dishes and vacuuming the floor. Teach them from a very young age to put away their toys and make their own beds. Put all of your perfectionist tendencies aside while the children are growing up. Do more with your kids and less for your kids. If you do all of this, you will be blessed.

* Organize your home to make it easier to locate and store things. Large shelves or a huge toy chest and hangers placed where kids can reach them are good examples. Keep things in see-through containers, hang an essential rack on the wall, keep storage bins on casters beneath the beds and then centrally locate a lost and found basket to stash items left lying around the home.