Before we can truly be organised in life, we need to get the little bits sorted. It’s the little bits that get in the way. Like, before I got myself a stationery caddy, I could spend ages looking for a pair of scissors, a thumb tack, a rubber band, a life.
“Who has the scissors?” I would bellow at the kids. “Who used them and didn’t put them away in the… where they go… wherever that is…”
The stationery caddy is a game-changer
Then I bought a cheap plastic caddy from Howards Storage World (well, I bought a caddy – nothing is cheap at HSW) and I stocked it with all the things I needed for an organised life. Not stuff the kids need for art, not things for homework, things for me.
A small notebook for shopping lists, a larger one for writing notes to teachers (so many “X can’t do PE today because…” and “Y isn’t wearing full school uniform today because…” notes), pens, pencils, glue, paperclips, rubber bands, twist top ties, thumb tacks, scissors, washi tape, stapler, ruler, pencil sharpener, tape measure, batteries, permanent markers, blue tac, name stickers, a couple of random pegs (pegs are so handy, don’t you think?), sticky tape – it’s all in the stationery caddy, ready to go wherever I want it to go.
No need to spend a lot, here are a few similar caddies for cheaper:
- Big W Brilliant Basics Cleaning Caddy – $5.50
- Kmart Art Caddy – $3
- Officeworks Cadink Craft Caddy – $3.98
Back away slowly, kids
A stationery caddy could well change your life, it’s that darn handy. Can the kids use the stuff in there? Not on your life. Not ever. In fact, if they are ever caught with anything that belongs in my stationery caddy it is not going to turn out to be a very good day for them at all. When you make your own caddy, that needs to be crystal clear. We all know that kids have a way of mucking up the best planned organisation systems. Not this one, kiddos.
So, round up all the random bits you need on a day to day basis and put them all in a caddy (or a box or even a drawer, you may not need yours to be as mobile as mine) and forget all about the lot of it… until you need it. Then it will be right where you left it, ready to go. And a small tear of joy will roll gently down your grateful, beaming face. It’s the little things, as every mum knows.
